Florida Star Sends 4-Word Warning for Alex Golesh After USF Turns Heads With Big Statement

This Saturday, September 6, all eyes will be on Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. After all, it’s the Reunion Weekend as Billy Napier’s Florida Gators will be facing off against Alex Golesh’s South Florida Bulls. The first time they met was in 2010. However, Napier’s program and Golesh’s boys have not faced off since 2022. The last memory of the rivalry is the Gators going home with a 31-28 victory over the Bulls. As the gridiron will be open again for the two on September 6, Saturday, Napier keeps his boys on the edge while the Bulls are on high alert. But more than the head coach, one of his players, starting receiver Eugene Wilson III, came with the boldest message.

The Bulls could not have opted for a better start than they had against Boise State, crushing the Broncos 34-7. So, this big win already calls for the Bulls nation hyping their program. Now, how is Napier and his squad keeping their spirits up amidst this?

On September 5, Gators insider Zach Abolverdi tweeted a clip from Napier’s squad hyping themselves up to face off South Florida. He quoted Wilson III, “No. 13 Florida ‘foaming at the mouth’ for first true test vs. USF.” Abolverdi managed an interview with Napier’s WR Wilson III to analyze the pulse of the program. After all, he got some prior experience with the face off and was in attendance for the Florida-USF game in 2021 when Anthony Richardson had a breakout performance. 

“It’s exciting. I’m excited for every opponent coming up on our schedule,” Wilson said of playing his hometown team. “The main thing is just to go 1-0 this week. USF, they did a great job last week going out and beating a playoff contender team last year, but we’re not worried about their opponent, we’re worried about our opponent.”  

Napier and co. will be facing a team that had a stunning 34-7 win over BSU in Week 1. The video kept playing clips after clips with Napier’s voice playing in the background. After all what better time for a pep talk? “No one’s playing harder than us. Nobody! Come out early, spot the ball, and let’s have a good start to the game. Game’s on three. One, two, three. Game!” said Napier. What’s the mood for the Gators fam right now?

Let the real game begin. “This is the real opener,” said Napier on his radio show this week. They have kick-started their 2025 season, going undefeated 55-0 against FCS opponent Long Island. But maybe Napier and co.’s thirst to prove themselves against an equally strong rival has not been met. That’s what makes the September 6 face-off against USF their first true test. Besides their athletic skills, it’s now about who has the stronger support system. 

USF’s social media buzz catches attention as Napier stands firm

USF Athletics tweets on X a screenshot with the caption, “🗣️ Talk of the town❕Bulls Nation kept the @USFFootball hype going alllll weekend long. 🤩.” The USF football team generated a lot of excitement and online discussion. It shows that they are trending at No.1 in the ACC when it comes to engagements and impressions over the weekend. Some more figures that might try to rain on Napier and co.’s lofty confidence: 25.3 million impressions and 13,700+ total posts about USF football. The social media game is also going strong for Florida with 1.1 million impressions on Instagram, 228,000 impressions on X, and 207,000 impressions on Facebook.

Meanwhile, the Gators, too, know that Golesh brings a much more powerful team to The Swamp this time than they did in 2022, when the Bulls lost 31-28 during Napier’s inaugural season. But no matter what, the Gators’ head coach is in no way allowing it to crush their morale. “I think the film itself of game one gets the attention of the players. It doesn’t hurt that Boise, obviously, was a playoff team and ranked in the top 25. There’s just enough on this tape to make us restless. … So, this is a huge game for us, and we totally understand the dynamic when it comes to this team,” said Napier. What can fans expect from this weekend?

Alex Golesh’s dual-threat quarterback, Byrum Brown facing off against Billy Napier’s life-saver from last season, DJ Lagway. Now the question remains: will the Gators maintain their streak, or will the Bulls end the drought with a victory?