Billy Napier found himself another week after barely winning against Mississippi State, all thanks to Michai Boirea’s game-sealing pick. The Florida Gators escaped with a 23-21 dub over Jeff Lebby’s Mississippi State Bulldogs; however, Billy Napier is still catching strays from Gator Nation.

On October 18th, college football insider Joey Knight hopped onto X and gave props to Michai Boirea: “Michai Boirea, who had the game-sealing INT, cheered wildly as he entered the tunnel leading to the #Gators locker room. Billy Napier followed close behind and was booed unstoppably. Final: Gators 23, Mississippi State 21.” Right after the game, Billy Napier was in no position to celebrate the dub with the team. The Gator Nation was constantly booing him, which forced Billy Napier to run off the field to the locker room.

Make no mistake — this win doesn’t change anything for Billy Napier. He’s still on the hot seat, only lucky that he got bailed out this week. The Gators are now 3-4. Before heading into this matchup, there were rumors around the program suggesting that one more loss could be the final straw for the coach. Even though the Gators were up 10–7 in the second quarter, fans in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium started chanting “Fire Napier!” It didn’t matter that Florida was leading — they’ve simply lost faith.

The Gators’ performance shows it wasn’t a roster issue, but a coaching issue. Jadan Baugh ran for 150 yards because he’s just that good, not because of smart play-calling. Vernell Brown III almost had 100 yards because he’s super quick, and DJ Lagway threw for nearly 300 yards even though the plays were simple and predictable. Despite all that talent, Florida still scored only 23 points, which shows the problem isn’t the players — it’s the coaching. If it weren’t for Michai Boireau, it would have only been a matter of time before we heard the firing news down in Gainesville.

Michai Boirea’s game-winning pick

The Florida Gators were on the brink of a heartbreaking loss in the Billy Napier era. Mississippi State was driving down the field with a chance to win the game with a very close range field goal, and all they had to do was just avoid turnovers to set themselves up for an upset at The Swamp to kiss final goodbye to Billy Napier’s head coaching career. It looked like Florida was about to lose again; Enter Michai Boirea.

With Mississippi State on the 29-yard line and facing a 2nd-and-10, they tried a simple pass to gain a few yards for a field goal attempt. Boireau read the play perfectly, jumped into the passing lane, and intercepted the ball — big man’s first career pick — sealing the game for the Gators. While Florida fans might not celebrate Napier because of the team’s struggles, this moment became a huge personal achievement for Boireau, a career-defining play that he will remember forever.

Boireau’s journey makes the play even more impressive. He came to Florida as a low-rated three-star recruit in the 2024 class and gradually worked all the way onto the field, playing 144 snaps in 2024, including in the Gasparilla Bowl. In 2025, he continued to grow, playing against multiple teams despite injuries, recording a sack against Texas, and gaining experience against top opponents. Even though some of his performances, like against Texas A&M, were not statistically impressive, this pick showed his skill and potential, giving him a moment of glory that will last forever, no matter what happens with Billy Napier.