Florida Gators: Why Vols are the biggest game of Billy Napier’s career

GAINESVILLE — Florida Gators coach Billy Napier hasn’t downplayed the importance of Saturday’s sold-out game against No. 11 Tennessee, from preseason Rivalry 101 lessons to his deliberate comments leading up to kickoff.

“I think for me in particular …” the Tennessee native said, “(to) get a chance to play Florida-Tennessee, it’s a big deal, right?”

It’s bigger than big. It’s the biggest game of his head coaching career.

The spotlight is on Napier because of his rough first season. The 6-7 record was made worse by the fact that he became the first Gators coach ever to lose to the program’s four current primary rivals (Tennessee, Florida State, Georgia and LSU).

Because rivalries have evolved over the years, historical comparisons can be tricky. But here are two notable ones if Napier loses Saturday:

• The last Florida coach to lose back-to-back games to the Volunteers was Ron Zook (2003-04). He didn’t make it through the end of the season.

• The last Florida coach to start with a similar rivalry drought was Charley Pell, who began 0-2 against FSU and 0-3 against Georgia in 1979-81.

To be clear, a loss would not put Napier’s job in jeopardy. It would, however, crank up the pressure for him to win another one of the marquee games left on the schedule. But who? FSU and Georgia both look like national championship contenders. Though LSU doesn’t appear to be on their level, that game’s at Tiger Stadium; the Gators are 1-6 away from The Swamp under Napier. Tennessee, then, is his best shot at a rivalry triumph.

The Gators are stressing the importance of this rivalry in the locker room, too. Former star linebacker Brandon Spikes (now a student assistant) has been especially intense, and Scooby Williams said UF’s “biggest challenge” is “continuing that legacy” this week.

The honesty is refreshing. But if the Gators put so much into one game and lose, how deflated will the locker room be?

It’s easy to envision other doomsday aftershocks from a defeat. Florida fans are not known for their patience. How many will give up on Napier if he falls to 7-9 with five losses to rivals — especially if Saturday is as ugly as the Utah opener was?

Stay updated on Tampa Bay’s sports scene

Subscribe to our free Sports Today newsletter

We’ll send you news and analysis on the Bucs, Lightning, Rays and Florida’s college football teams every day.

Loading...

You’re all signed up!

Want more of our free, weekly newsletters in your inbox? Let’s get started.

Explore all your options

Even though Napier promised a methodical, deliberate approach to rebuilding Florida for long-term success, he’s being judged against peers who have microwaved the process. LSU’s Brian Kelly won the SEC West in his first year. Lincoln Riley has a playoff contender at USC. Both took over premier programs the same time Napier did. So did Miami’s Mario Cristobal, who revamped his staff after a bad debut and broke through with last week’s upset of Texas A&M.

They’re among the eight coaches from Napier’s hiring cycle who had top-25 teams entering the weekend. A ninth, Deion Sanders, has Colorado at No. 18 in his first season. That context will resonate, along will the success of Florida’s top-15 rivals.

It’s also worthwhile to consider the potential recruiting effects from what would be Florida’s first 1-2 start in two decades. Napier’s most encouraging sign is a 2024 class that sits third nationally (behind Georgia and Ohio State) in the 247Sports composite. How much damage would a slow start cause on the recruiting trail, especially if the season spirals from Saturday?

Conversely, a victory would give Napier’s reputation and his program a valuable boost. Maybe a rivalry win can be the turning point his tenure needs; beat the Vols, and trips to Kentucky, South Carolina and Missouri seem less daunting.

Even if the Gators settle for a run to the Birmingham Bowl, that would be much more palatable to fans and administrators if it includes an upset of a nationally ranked rival. It’s something he could tout to recruits and boosters all offseason — a tangible, proof-of-concept triumph that shows the process is working (and will work if he gets enough time).

“We came here to make Florida a contender again, to be in contention, to be relevant again, to win championships,” Napier said. “We’re in the process of creating that.”

Saturday is his chance to prove it in the biggest game of his career.

• • •

Sign up for the Sports Today newsletter to get daily updates on the Bucs, Rays, Lightning and college football across Florida.

Never miss out on the latest with your favorite Tampa Bay sports teams. Follow our coverage on Twitter and Facebook.