The Athletic predicts .500 season, hot seat for Billy Napier

Florida football faces a brutal schedule in 2024 while also trying to snap a streak of three straight losing seasons, but Billy Napier and Co. are up for the challenge. However, the heat is definitely on in Gainesville this coming fall as the Gator Nation’s patience has been wearing thin with the new regime.

The Athletic’s college football columnist Stewart Mandel recently published his predictions for the upcoming campaign, with a focus on the Southeastern Conference. In it, he foresees a 6-6 finish for the Orange and Blue with a 3-5 record in SEC play, putting Florida at 12th in the now-16-team conference.

Billy Napier on the hot seat

Speaking of heat, the seat under Florida’s head coach is approaching peak temperature and the upcoming season is ostensibly a do-or-die effort for the third-year skipper.

“Billy Napier would be well served to win the opener against Miami and build up a strong record over the first seven games, because no hot-seat coach should be faced with a final five of Georgia, at Texas, LSU, Ole Miss and at Florida State,” Mandel offers.

A .500 finish might be just enough for Napier to hold onto his job but would do little to extinguish the fire lit beneath him. Presumably, the Gators would play in a bowl game after a 6-6 finish, so the result of a postseason appearance would likely tell the final tale for the current administration.

Florida’s season opener for 2024

The Florida Gators and No. 19 Miami Hurricanes square off on Aug. 31 in Gainesville, Florida, to open their schedule for the 2024 season. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on ABC Sports.

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