GAINESVILLE — Florida’s Billy Napier likely coached his final game in the Swamp — and potentially with the Gators — staying on brand to the end.
The Gators slipped by Mississippi State 23-21 Saturday in the Swamp, delivering a hollow homecoming victory for Napier.
With the Bulldogs in field-goal range, nose tackle Michai Boireau intercepted Blake Shapen’s pass to the flats at the Florida 29-yard line with 21 seconds remaining as an announced crowd of 90,203 went wild. The Gators soon headed to the northeast corner of the end zone to sing the school’s alma mater with their embattled head coach seemingly on the way out.
Napier entered the day needing a convincing win and instead convinced decision-makers it’s time to move on.
“When exactly?” is the question. But the Gators (3-4, 2-2 SEC) enter a bye week, presenting athletic director Scott Stricklin a window of opportunity to fire Napier and name an interim coach for the remaining five games, beginning Nov. 1 against Georgia in Jacksonville.
Even if Napier remains, he would have to beat the Bulldogs, and then win at Kentucky Nov. 8 and Ole Miss Nov. 15 to return to the sidelines at Steve Spurrier-Florida Field.
Against Mississippi State, Napier provided Stricklin little reason to continue down a familiar path of questionable coaching, spotty execution, damaging penalties and a lack of killer instinct against a program now losers of 15 straight SEC games.
The Gators were able to hold on and put away the Bulldogs but nearly squandered an 11-point fourth-quarter lead.
Following Mississippi State tailback Davon Booth’s 2-yard touchdown run with two minutes remaining, Florida used just 21 seconds on three plays, runs of 4 and 5 yards by Jaden Baugh followed by an inexplicable rollout by quarterback DJ Lagway leading to a 7-yard sack and a punt.
The Gators entered Saturday as a 10-point favorite but quickly fell behind 7-0 after the Bulldogs (4-3, 0-3) scored on their opening possession.
Mississippi State failed to build on its success as Florida’s defense stiffened despite missing several starters to injury and relying on unproven players.
Head Coach Billy Napier of the Florida Gators talks with DJ Lagway #2 of the Florida Gators during the first half of the game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on Oct. 18, 2025 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)
Yet Lagway and the Gators could not capitalize to pull away from the Bulldogs, turning Saturday’s contest into another battle until the end under Napier.
A 1-yard run by redshirt freshman tailback KD Daniels out of the Wildcat formation extended the Gators’ lead to 20-7, marking Florida’s first fourth-quarter points in five games.
Mississippi State responded with a five-play, 65-yard drive, highlighted by 46-yard completion from Shapen to Brenen Thompson to UF’s 7. The completion was one of three longer than 45 yards by Shapen, who finished with 324 yards but was sacked four times and threw the game-ending interception.
Meanwhile, Lagway was alternately accurate and erratic, finishing 20 of 34 for 280 yards and 2 interceptions. The sophomore opened Florida’s fourth series with a 50-yard completion to Vernell Brown III, but threw a pick on the next pass when he locked in on tight end Hayden Hansen down the field.
Lagway also threw an interception on UF’s final possession of the first half to cost his team a chance to build on a 13-7 lead. The series appeared ill-fated from the start because of Napier’s conservative play-calling.
The Gators took over on their 25 with 1:36 remaining and no timeouts. But they opened with a 2-yard run by Baugh and gained 27 yards on seven plays prior to Lagway’s interception.
Florida’s previous series ended with a 54-yard field goal by Trey Smack but was a comedy of errors. A quarterback keeper by Lagway on 3rd-and-7 set up Smack for a 33-yard attempt, but a delay-of-game followed by a 15-yard personal foul on guard Damieon George pushed Smack to long range.
Smack added a 53-yard field goal for a 23-14 lead after a 15-yard pass interference by true freshman receiver Dallas Wilson stalled a Gators’ drive.
An idyllic autumn day in the Swamp never turned truly ugly, but boos were directed 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. The school fired Fisher in November 2023 after he beat Mississippi State 51-10, paying him a record buyout of $77 million.
Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com
