Billy Napier Sends Clear Message on Florida-Florida State Rivalry

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Hugh Green | Last updated Aug 27, 2025 2:04 PM ET

The college football world has been going through monumental changes this decade. With the introduction of the NCAA transfer portal, NIL deals, conference realignment and schedule changes, the sport is far from how it used to be. However, the bitter rivalries that make college football so exciting will never waver. This includes the yearly battle between the Florida Gators and Florida State Seminoles.

The Sunshine Showdown, as it is known to fans on both sides, has been one of the most competitive rivalries in college football since the first meeting nearly 70 years ago.

With the SEC announcing it will begin playing nine conference games in 2026, Florida head coach Billy Napier spoke about the possibility of losing the UF-FSU matchup.

"If they told us we were playing 11 conference games, we'd still (play Florida State)," Napier said, per Florida reporter Nick de la Torre. "It's one of the greatest, if not the greatest, rivalries of all time."

The Gators and Seminoles first met on the gridiron in 1958, with Florida winning 21-7. The two teams have played each other every year since then, with the exception of 2020 due to the shortened season.

In 68 all-time matchups, Florida leads the series 38-28-2. One of these victories was Florida's 52-20 blowout of Florida State in the 1997 Sugar Bowl, which resulted in the Gators being named the 1996 national champions.

Florida has also had the upper hand in recent years, as the Gators have beaten the Seminoles in four of their past six meetings. This includes their game last year in Tallahassee, which quarterback DJ Lagway and Florida won 31-11.

With the history and hatred involved in the UF-FSU rivalry, Napier, along with players, coaches and fans of both teams, hopes it never goes away.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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