Florida fires Billy Napier after victory
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The Florida Gators’ big win over the Texas Longhorns wasn’t enough to save the remainder of Billy Napier’s tenure as the football team’s head coach.
Florida fired Napier on Sunday following the team’s 23-21 win over Mississippi State, according to multiple reports. Florida committed two turnovers and was penalized seven times for 60 yards.
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Florida head coach Billy Napier stands on the sidelines during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Mississippi State, Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
The Gators’ performance didn’t appear to have garnered athletic director Scott Stricklin’s confidence. Gators fans booed Napier as he sprinted off the field.
Napier was 22-23 in four seasons as head coach of the Gators, including 12-16 against SEC opponents. He was 5-17 against ranked opponents, including 0-14 on the road. He refused to relinquish his appellant duties despite calls to do so.
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A fan wears a “Fire Billy Napier” bag on his head during the second half of the game between the Florida Gators and the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on October 18, 2025. (Matt Pendleton/Imagn Images.)
Florida hired Napier after reviving the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns program. He led Louisiana to three seasons of at least 10 wins. The team was 12-1 in 2021.
He joined the Gators in 2022 after the Dan Mullen era ended. He was 6-7 in his first season and never won more than eight games.
The Gators opened the 2025 season with a 55-0 victory over Long Island. But they followed that up with a two-point loss to South Florida and blowouts against LSU and Miami. The Gators dominated Texas and Arch Manning but fell to Texas A&M last week.
Mississippi State head coach Jeff Lebby, left, and Florida head coach Billy Napier greet each other before an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025, in Gainesville, Florida. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
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Wide receivers coach Billy Gonzales is expected to be named interim head coach.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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