“It’s a kiss of death”: CFB analyst gets 100% real on expectations surrounding Billy Napier’s Florida in 2025

Billy Napier's Florida Gators had a decent but unspectacular 2024 season. They posted a 7-5 regular-season record before winning the Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl Game against the Tulane Green Wave.

Before the 2025 college football season, SEC Mike Bratton and Cousin Shane kept it real regarding the Gators' expectations for the upcoming season. The duo spoke about the Gators' chances of making the college football playoffs in the 2025/26 season.

Cousin Shane said,

"Do they (Florida Gators fans) want to come into the season with expectations of being a top ten football squad or is it something you want to build up to?"

SEC's Mike Bratton replied,

"I think when that's not earned I think it's a kiss of death. I really do, because that's a lot of what we did last year Shane, and they came out and fell flat on their face. They finished incredibly strong but they'll be able to back it up against the Long Island which we didn't know was a school until this was announced. They'll beat South Florida, but then it gets real."

The Florida Gators ended the regular season with three consecutive wins, ensuring their bowl game eligibility. However, they could have pushed for the expanded college football playoffs if they started stronger.

SEC Mike Bratton and Cousin Shane believe that a strong start in the upcoming CFB campaign might be all the Gators need to win a national championship. Their schedule is rather favorable compared to their SEC counterparts.

What's next for Billy Napier and the Florida Gators?

Billy Napier has been the head coach of the Florida Gators since November 28, 2021. He replaced Dan Mullen after enjoying a stellar four-year stint with the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns.

Billy Napier had a rocky first two years with the Gators, recording consecutive losing seasons. He went 6–7 in 2022 (losing the Las Vegas Bowl Game) and 5–7 in 2023, fully missing out on Bowl Game participation. The 2024 season was a marked improvement, and the Gators experienced a winning season for the first time in Napier's tenure and a signature Bowl Game win at the end of the campaign.

Next up for Napier and the Gators is to reclaim their spot as one of the better teams in the SEC. They're also in one of the best conferences in the CFB, so any slip-ups could end their playoff hopes.