The year was 1986, and Tim Tebow wasn't even born yet. Galen Hall coached the Florida Gators, and things didn't start great in Gainesville in 1986. Florida started out 1-3 after losing 16-10 to Mississippi State, marking the last time the team would begin 1-3 until 2025.
Oddly enough, though, there were a ton of parallels between that 1986 squad and what is happening now. Which is also an indicator that there isn't necessarily a magic turnaround waiting at the end of the road.
Florida in 1986 and 2025 share similarities
Similar to 2025, Florida started out the 1986 season ranked 13th in the preseason AP Poll. And just like this year, Florida opened 1-0 with a win over 1-AA Georgia Southern.
Then, just like this year, Florida entered an early-season gauntlet that didn't go well.
Florida played No. 3 Miami and lost 23-15. Then it played No. 4 Alabama and lost 21-7. Then, in the game that really signaled trouble in paradise, Florida lost to unranked Mississippi State 16-10.
Did things get better in 1986?
No, no it didn't.
Florida hosted No. 18 LSU and lost 28-17 to fall to 1-4 on the season.
The Gators did go on a run after this and rattled off four straight wins over Kent State, Rutgers, No. 5 Auburn, and No. 19 Georgia.
So this meant that Florida turned a corner right?
No, no it didn't.
Florida lost to unranked Kentucky 10-3, which would be Kentucky's only win over Florida between 1980 and 2018.
The Gators did beat FSU to finish the season 6-5, but due to sanctions stemming from the Charley Pell Era, they weren't allowed to go to a bowl game.
Those that don't learn from history...
Hall, at least, had the backdrop of sanctions that hindered the program. Billy Napier has his hand-picked QB, his hand-picked coaching staff, a brand new training facility that none of his predecessors had, and yet here he is with the first 1-3 start in Gators history since 1986.
And if history is a guide, there is no grand turnaround coming if Napier remains on board.
In 1987, Florida went 6-6.
In 1988, Florida went 7-5.
In 1989, Hall was caught with his own violations (which, to be fair, are violations that would be normal and accepted today), and Florida went 7-5. Hall was fired mid-year that season due to the violations, and Steve Spurrier came to town in 1990.
At some point, you are what your record says you are. Hall took over a difficult situation in the wake of the Charlie Pell Era, pieced together back-to-back 9-1-1 seasons, before the 1-3 start in 1986 was a sign of trouble in paradise.
Billy Napier doesn't even have the backdrop of two successful seasons. He's gone 6-7, 5-7, 8-5, and now 1-3. The winning streak to end 2024, much like the run Hall went on in 1986, was merely an illusion and didn't undo the previous damage.
But it's the bye week after this 1-3 start, and Napier is still here.
Smile and nod.
Just smile and nod.