CFB Insider gets 100% real about Billy Napier's hot seat status after Texas win mitigates firing rumors

Florida fans heaved a sigh of relief after Billy Napier and the team secured a commanding win over the Texas Longhorns in Week 6. Throughout the game, the Gators had an upper hand over Arch Manning and Co. and ultimately won the game.

As a result, the intensity of Coach Napier's hot seat status got mitigated. Safe to say, the chances of a midseason firing have reduced. Recently, college football insider Pete Thamel reacted to the whole scenario and shared his analysis on how things could get worse for the veteran quarterback.

Even though the Gators won a big matchup against Texas, the upcoming games are equally challenging and Napier could struggle.

Thamel mentioned that it is nearly impossible for Florida to make the playoffs. They are already down with three losses and seven more games are left to wrap up the 2025 season. Apparently, all the opponents are either from the SEC or the Big Ten.

“Look, they’re 2-3 and 1-1 in the SEC. This obviously gives (Napier) some grace. Do I think, in my opinion, that Billy Napier will be the head coach at Florida at the end of the season? No. Does this maybe change some of the in-season calculus? Perhaps,” Thamel said on Monday’s episode of the College GameDay Podcast.

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He also emphasized Napier's coaching styles and gave the veteran coach due credit for his ability to lead weak teams and secure big wins.

“It’s also a complicated fire, because he’s also the play-caller. So you have to move somebody to head coach, and then you have to move an inexperienced (assistant) to play-caller. … That probably doesn’t give you a better chance to win. And the one survival trait that Billy Napier has is he can get a struggling team to buy in and play hard,” he added.

Billy Napier could get a wild card entry into the 2025 playoff

Six weeks after the college football season kickoff, the Gators have already incurred three losses in five games.

This puts them under a lot of pressure since it is highly unlikely a 9-3 team from the SEC gets a playoff ticket. However, the Gators’ schedule gives them an advantage to impress the selection committee.

They have one of the toughest schedules in the country. Winning each and every game in upcoming weeks could send a strong message as to why they deserve to contend for the national championship.

As a result, Napier and his team could find a postseason spot as the only 9-3 team to make the playoffs.