A jam-packed Ben Hill Griffin Field with a 90,203-strong crowd saw Florida avoid an upset narrowly. The Gators won 23-21, and Napier finally registered his third win of the season. Despite that, Lagway threw 2 interceptions and was even sacked 2 times, raising some questions regarding his game. However, when Billy Napier was asked about his struggles. The Gators’ head coach had a completely different theory than outrightly faulting Lagway.

By the time the fourth quarter came, Florida managed to put just 13 points on the scoreboard, and the Bulldogs trailed by just 5 points. However, an early 93-yard touchdown drive resulted in a 20-7 score in favor of Naiper’s camp. Nevertheless, Mississippi State took no time to close that gap. Owing to its own incredible 65-yard touchdown drive, the Bulldogs kept their hopes alive. Another touchdown, then, placed Mississippi State even closer, with a 23-21 score for the Gators. So, when in the next drive, DJ Lagway was sacked on third down, many thought it to be a lifeline for the Bulldogs.

However, when Billy Napier was asked about the sack and if Lagway could have cost the game. The head coach outlined his plan that DJ Lagway was executing, including the sack. “DJ did what he’s supposed to do. He’s supposed to take the sack and make them use the final timeout,” said Billy Napier in the post-game press conference. Not just that, the head coach also opened up on Lagway’s two interceptions and refused to criticize his QB1. Instead, Napier focused on the positives.

“He gets feedback immediately, and he can move forward…For him to have the intangibles to make those plays after those things happen, that’s very impressive to me,” said Billy Napier. The sack did enable the Bulldogs to take a timeout with just 1:47 left on the clock at Florida’s 27. Later on, on fourth down, the Gators punted the ball, and it seemed almost impossible for the team to mount a comeback. So, it seems Lagway’s sacrifice added a sack to his tally, but helped the team big time.

In that pressure, Blake Sharpen’s interception on fourth down with just 0:21 left on the clock made things even more favorable for the Gators. As for Lagway, he completed 20 of his 34 passes, throwing for 280 yards, and took a total of 2 sacks. However, his 2 interceptions have made the story complicated for the Gators QB. Since this is something that is showing in every game for Lagway. So far, Lagway has already thrown 7 interceptions while accumulating 1,233 passing yards. That, along with a narrow escape from loss, also led to crowd booing Napier as he walked off the field after the game.

Firing rumors intensify for Billy Napier after narrow escape against Mississippi State

Billy Napier entered the Mississippi State game with an axe hanging over his job security. The head coach had accumulated just two wins before the Week 8 game in Gainesville, and had lost to Texas A&M 17-34 recently. In that sense, the Mississippi State game became pivotal for Napier to show the program that he could turn around the season. More so, because he has even tougher games on the schedule. So, with that dynamic, Napier needed to win “comfortably” in the game. But since the opposite has happened, could this be the last game for Napier in the swamp?

“An idyllic autumn day in the Swamp never turned truly ugly, but boos were directed at Napier’s way more than once. If the 46-year-old left Florida’s home field for the final time, he will suffer the fate of Jimbo Fisher at Texas A&M,” wrote the Orlando Sentinel’s Edgar Thompson. Notably, Napier, who earns $7.4 million every year, will take home $20.4 million contract if fired following the 2025 campaign. That’s far less than the $77 million Jimbo Fisher bagged in buyout money. The verdict?

The Gators team in Week 8 against Mississippi State failed to sustain drives as the offense once again disappointed. This was not without a combination of factors, including Napier’s faulty play calling to Lagway’s interception woes. It won’t be a surprise then to see Napier finally packing his bags after the game. For one, the schedule is further packed with teams like Georgia, Kentucky, Ole Miss, Tennessee, and FSU. But also because the head coach hasn’t given anything to bolster his case.