Paul Finebaum Reveals Why Billy Napier Might Not Get Fired This Season

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jaron Spor | Last updated Jun 29, 2025 1:52 PM ET

The Billy Napier era for the Florida Gators has had a challenging beginning, but the 2025 season may have offered a glimmer of hope.

Napier started his tenure with two consecutive losing seasons. The 2025 season appeared to be headed in the same direction, as Florida sat at 4-5 after nine games. Two of the Gators' final three games were against ranked opponents: the LSU Tigers and the Ole Miss Rebels.

Remarkably, Florida won both of those games, followed by a victory over the Florida State Seminoles to end the season. They capped it off with a convincing 33-8 win over the Tulane Green Wave, finishing with an 8-5 record.

The Gators were led by star true freshman quarterback DJ Lagway, who threw for 1,915 yards and 12 touchdowns after stepping in for Graham Mertz, who suffered a season-ending injury.

On "The Paul Finebaum Show," the SEC Network analyst was asked if Napier is on the hot seat. He noted that several factors work in Napier's favor.

"The one thing Billy Napier has right now, he has a couple of things, he has the support of Scott Strickland, which is very critical," Finebaum said. "He will have a new president, which may or may not matter very much. He also has DJ Lagway, who is one of the best players in the country. What he doesn't have going for him is how he navigates, especially, the early part of that schedule?"

Finebaum highlighted that a critical period for Napier will come after the first game when the Gators face the South Florida Bulls, LSU Tigers and Miami Hurricanes in three consecutive matchups, with the latter two being on the road.

Following that, Florida will play the Texas Longhorns at home and then the Texas A&M Aggies away. Finebaum describes the schedule as "treacherous," underscoring the importance of the Gators starting strong in the first four games of the season.

Athlon Sports' Kyle Wood ranks Florida as having the third-toughest schedule in the SEC for 2025. He points out that the second half of the season is particularly challenging, with three additional playoff hopefuls on the horizon in November. This includes a game against the Georgia Bulldogs in Jacksonville, a trip to face the Ole Miss Rebels, and a home game against the Tennessee Volunteers.

Overall, it could be a tough season for Napier and the Gators if they do not start strong. Florida kicks off the season against Long Island at 7:00 p.m. ET on Aug. 30.

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

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