Billy Napier enters year four at Florida with his job hanging in the balance and a schedule that looks more like a championship gauntlet than a path to redemption. With CBS analyst Josh Pate surprisingly ranking the Gators in the top 10, expectations are soaring despite a brutal lineup of opponents.
From back-to-back road trips to LSU and Miami to home showdowns with Texas and Tennessee, Napier faces what many call the nation’s most unforgiving schedule.
CFB Analyst Lays Out Florida’s 2025 Gauntlet Under Billy Napier
“That SEC Podcast” hosts Mike and Shane recently delivered a brutally honest assessment of Florida’s chances, with Mike expressing disbelief at Josh Pate’s lofty ranking. “I thought I was the highest in Florida, but again, Josh P got him in the top 10. Top 10 what? Are we talking about the same sport?”
Florida’s complete 2025 gauntlet includes: Long Island (Aug. 30), South Florida (Sep. 6), at LSU (Sep. 13), at Miami (Sep. 20), Texas (Oct. 4), at Texas A&M (Oct. 11), Mississippi State (Oct. 18), Georgia in Jacksonville (Nov. 1), at Kentucky (Nov 8), at Ole Miss (Nov. 15), Tennessee (Nov. 22), and Florida State (Nov. 29).
Despite questioning the ranking, Mike admitted he sees potential with sophomore quarterback DJ Lagway: “This is year four. This is ridiculous. We got a maybe the best quarterback in the country. I know everybody’s looking at arch, but I give DJ.”
Both analysts identified the October 4th home matchup against Texas as the potential season defining moment. “I’m pivoting to the other UT and that is Texas October 4th right after LSU Miami right before A&M and Georgia” Shane emphasized.
Mike agreed emphatically “All the doom and gloom, all the fire napier we just went through, you beat Texas. He’s back, man. Not only is he back… if you’re beating Texas, you could play with anybody.”
When discussing what happens if Florida falters against Texas A&M, Shane said, “I think that honestly, I’m saying it now. Clip it. That Texas A&M’s a fireball offense. You you lose you lose.”
Shane posed the critical question, “Top 10 Florida loses to LSU, Miami, and Texas, and Texas A&M, fire him, or I mean by state, is he still there?” Mike’s response revealed how thin the ice is beneath Napier “If they’re all losses, I would not fire Billy Napier immediately. I’m waiting in November 1st to see how to see how we perform and if we get our a** kicked by Georgia, again… fire his a**.”
Mike emphasized the high bar for a top-10 team “When you say top 10, right, that doesn’t mean I’ve got to like win two out of two of these games. You got to win three out of four, I would think. You know, and if you drop to LSU or Miami or Texas, it’s like you can’t afford to lose to anyone else.”
The hosts agreed that preseason hype creates danger for an unproven program. “Setting expectations high. You got to deliver” Shane noted, with Mike adding, “When that’s not earned, I think it’s a damn kiss of death.”
Florida opens with what should be comfortable wins against Long Island and South Florida before the schedule turns treacherous. As Mike bluntly put it “But then then it gets real.”
KEEP READING: 2025 Way-Too-Early College Football Top 25 Power Rankings
Even if Florida navigates this minefield into November, they’ll still face Georgia in Jacksonville, road trips to Kentucky and Ole Miss, before home finales against Tennessee and Florida State.
For Billy Napier, DJ Lagway’s development against Florida’s brutal 2025 schedule may be the only thing standing between him which can save him from the unemployment line.
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