Just a year after overcoming firing concerns, Billy Napier is back on the hot seat again. After finishing off the season with an 8-5 record, a 1-3 start is the worst thing that could have happened to him. And the stress might keep piling up as the grueling schedule doesn’t really give Napier any room to breathe. Fresh off losing against Miami, the road gets tougher with games against Texas, Texas A&M, Georgia, and Ole Miss. And that’s exactly why ESPN’s crew gets real on Florida’s next move if Napier gets fired. Their suggestion? Bringing in Curt Cignetti into the squad.

Well, the proposal doesn’t sound surprising, as no one knows how to turn a program’s fate better than Curt Cignetti. Just take Indiana’s example; they were trailing at a 3-9 record in 2023, and just in one year, Cignetti took them to an 11-2 finish, giving them a playoff run. And that’s exactly why ESPN College Football’s Rece Davis is giving out his name for the change. “I needed to make sure that I was going to win, and you know I didn’t care about 15 years down the road, three years down the road, or next year and winning for five years. I’d go try to pry Curt Cignetti out of Bloomington, Indiana. I don’t care how old he is. I would go and try to hire that guy and say, ‘Okay, let’s get this fixed,'” he said.

Look, the urge makes sense because despite surviving a job scare last season, Billy Napier is still fighting hard to make a difference, sitting at a 20-21 record over four seasons. Crazy, right? But that’s the case, and the worst part is the plan of action might already be in process. As CBS Sports’ Robby Kalland pointed out, “The Florida coach’s buyout is 85% of his current remaining contract, which would be $19.38 million after this season, with 50% of the buyout (~$9.7 million) being due within 30 days of Napier being fired and the rest being paid out in equal installments every July through 2028.”

So, if that’s the case, then no one’s a better option than Cignetti, as this man is just breaking all odds. Fresh off a win against the ranked team Illinois, Curt Cignetti showed everyone that he can win against a ranked opponent too. And let’s be real: a team that had just 3 winning seasons in 29 years went to the playoffs last year. He’s not just turning the program’s fate but also using NIL and the transfer portal right.

Just take Fernando Mendoza, for example. This guy is breaking records every week, completing 79 of 99 passes with a completion rate of 76.9%, throwing for 975 yards and 14 TDs without throwing a single interception. Now, you know why Rece Davis is pushing hard on Cignetti’s name. But with him, other names like Eli Drinkwitz and Urban Meyer keep floating.

And it looks like right now, Cignetti is just focusing on his team’s win.

Curt Cignetti gets real on the Iowa game

Curt Cignetti has been anything but vocal when it comes to backing his team. It’s either raising his voice against trolls over Indiana’s non-conference schedule last season with no Power 5 teams or taking his team to a 4-0 start this year. This man knows how to turn up the heat. Now, heading into Week 5 with much-deserved hype, Cignetti takes a classic shot at Illinois while praising Iowa, who they are going to take next. “A more difficult challenge than the last one for sure,” Cignetti said.

Now, many might think Cignetti’s getting sarcastic on Illinois, but going down to play in always-hostile Kinnick Stadium is not an easy task. The atmosphere always gives chills, and what’s more concerning is that they have already sold out 23 straight home games at the 69,250-seat stadium since 2022. So, playing under such a loud crowd will surely make things tough for Indiana. That’s what Cignetti’s pointing at. “It’s a tough place to play,” he said. “They sell out almost every Saturday. It’s loud. So, we’re going to have to play well.”

And let’s not forget Kirk Ferentz, who recently broke Woody Hayes‘ record for most victories at a Big Ten program and currently holds a 207-125 overall record with 22 bowl games in 27 seasons. Best part? Ferentz has not finished with a losing record since 2012. With his winning record, the team’s defense also breathes fire. As they currently rank 13th in the FBS, allowing just 233.5 yards per game. That’s what’s adding more to his concern. “They will not beat themselves,” Cignetti said. “You will have to beat them. They’re not going to beat themselves, and they play really well at home.”

So, let’s wait and see if Curt Cignetti is able to keep his winning streak alive for the clinch against Iowa.