Tag: Sports Illustrated

Chargers continue to climb in NFL power rankings after Week 11 win over Bengals

The Chargers received high praise from NFL analysts after their primetime win.

The Chargers improved to 7-3 after defeating the Bengals last Sunday night.

After Week 11, let’s see where Los Angeles stands in NFL power rankings:

USA Today: 11 (Previous: 13)

“Sunday night saw their best offensive performance of the season … and worst showing on defense. But teammates pick one another up and vanquishing Cincy gives the Bolts a near-ironclad grip on a wild-card berth.”

NFL: 9 (Previous: 10)

“The Chargers made as wide a swing as was imaginable on Sunday night, looking like a dark-horse Super Bowl team in the first half, then nearly coughing up what would have been an inexcusable loss — one that would have also significantly damaged their playoff hopes. After opening the game scorching hot, Justin Herbert froze over pretty fast, going 5-for-18 passing at one point in the second half and missing two big throws to Quentin Johnston and Ladd McConkey. The QB’s early fourth-quarter fumble (Herbert’s first turnover since Week 2) led to the Bengals tying things up, and it looked like Cincinnati was going to walk out of there with a win. But Herbert hit McConkey for 28 and 27 yards in the final minute, and the Chargers escaped a game that had a playoff-like atmosphere. The competition only gets tougher from here on out, too, so they’d better be prepared for more of these types of battles.”

ESPN: 9 (Previous: 11)

Preseason hot seat: WR Quentin Johnston
Current temperature of hot seat: Cold

“After struggling with drops as a rookie, there were questions coming into this season about whether Johnston was an NFL-caliber wideout. He has silenced any doubt this season, with a team-high six receiving touchdowns. In L.A.’s win over Cincinnati, he became the first Charger since 2021 to have a receiving touchdown in three straight games. “Honestly, if nobody else believed in me, I still had full confidence in myself,” Johnston said. “It was just a matter of going out and proving it.”

CBS Sports: 9 (Previous: 9)

“Jim Harbaugh has this team playing good football. The defense got a little exposed against the Bengals, but they are better than that.”

Sports Illustrated: 8 (Previous: 9)

“The Chargers got the absolute best out of the Bengals not only offensively but defensively too. Justin Herbert threw a league high 27.8% of his throws into tight coverage on Sunday night against a very good—for one week at least—Bengals defense. Herbert also dealt with a paltry average wideout separation rating, which was more than a yard below the league leader from Sunday.”

Bleacher Report: 10 (Previous: 10)

“These Chargers are different. These Chargers didn’t find themselves Chargering late in the fourth quarter. The Bengals almost pulled off the biggest second-half comeback in franchise history. But Herbert, McConkey, and Dobbins didn’t let it happen thanks to a strong game-winning drive with less than a minute remaining. Head coach Jim Harbaugh is changing the attitude in the Chargers locker room. This squad earned its 7-3 record. It’ll be a difficult out for the rest of the season.”

Chargers crack top 10 in NFL power rankings after Week 10 win over Titans

The Chargers received high praise from NFL analysts after their third-straight win.

The Chargers improved to 6-3 after defeating the Titans last Sunday.

After Week 10, let’s see where Los Angeles stands in NFL power rankings:

USA Today: 13 (Previous: 17)

“The league’s stingiest defense – it hasn’t allowed more than 20 points in a game – is about to get stern tests with the high-powered Bengals and Ravens headed to SoCal the next two weeks for prime-time showcases.”

NFL: 10 (Previous: 12)

“When it comes to wins, the Chargers have a type. They’ve scored between 22 and 27 points in each of their six victories, allowing 17 or fewer in all of them. The Titans scored late to hit 17, but the Chargers really choked them out in the second half with two long, draining touchdown drives and two quality stops on defense. The Bolts’ formula isn’t tricky, but it is effective. Defensively, Jesse Minter remains a prodigy, coordinating a smothering effort with two rookies starting at corner. The Chargers had seven sacks, and that was with Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa playing limited roles. Justin Herbert overcame what looked like a strip sack run back for a score before officials got the replay fix right. He played another composed game and was creative as a scrambler. The return of Gus Edwards also gave this offense a boost. Efficient ball all around, once again. It’s arguable the Chargers haven’t beaten a great team yet, but they have to be a pain to face off against.”

ESPN: 11 (Previous: 13)

Non-QB MVP: Running back J.K. Dobbins

“Dobbins has been the Chargers’ most impactful offseason signing, giving L.A. its best rushing offense since the days of LaDainian Tomlinson. After suffering a season-ending Achilles rupture in Week 1 of last season, Dobbins is having one of the best years of his career. Coach Jim Harbaugh has used postgame news conferences to campaign for Dobbins to be the Comeback Player of the Year. He is up to 670 yards and six touchdowns this season, which both rank in the NFL’s top 10.”

CBS Sports: 9 (Previous: 10)

“They can run it, throw it and play defense. Oh, they also have a great coach. This team will be dangerous come playoff time.”

Sports Illustrated: 9 (Previous: 11)

“As good as Justin Herbert’s day was, there was another score to Will Dissly that nearly happened. I’m not sure how Herbert feels about this, but I wonder if he would trade those outlier Burrow-Jackson duel-under-the-lights games for what he has now: a more conservative approach that allows for some panache but keeps him mostly protected. He has gone from a top-third sacked player in the NFL to a middle-tier sacked player. That has to make a difference.”

Bleacher Report: 10 (Previous: 13)

“Jim Harbaugh was never likely to make the Chargers title contenders in his first season on the job. However, he has quickly forged a squad that, when healthy, has few real weaknesses. The defense is elite, the running game is above average, and quarterback Justin Herbert is thriving as a high-end game-manager.

With both Quentin Johnston and Ladd McConkey emerging as reliable receivers, the Chargers have become a well-balanced, well-coached team and talented enough that no one should want to see them in January.”

Chargers surge in NFL power rankings after Week 9 win over Browns

Find out where the Chargers stand in the national eye after Week 9

The Chargers improved to 5-3 after defeating the Browns last Sunday.

After Week 9, let’s see where Los Angeles stands in NFL power rankings:

USA Today: 17 (Previous: 18)

“As well as they’re generally playing – albeit against a fairly soft schedule – it’s probably premature for this ascending program to delve into the trade market. But at least the NFL thinks enough of the Bolts to trade them into Week 11’s Sunday night slot.”

NFL: 12 (Previous: 15)

“Their offensive line has been a disappointment this season, but boy, the Chargers play competitive, tough and smart football. A few plays really stood out for me in their deliberate dismantling of the Browns in Cleveland. The late block of a field-goal try, preventing the lead from shrinking to two scores, was a sign of how much better-coached this team is now under Jim Harbaugh and his staff. There also was some high football IQ on rookie Tarheeb Still’s brilliant tip to Elijah Molden in the end zone — one of three picks of Jameis Winston. Even the series of laterals on the final play of the first half looked well-executed, despite ultimately failing. In spite of two misses from reliable kicker Cameron Dicker and the shaky pass protection, the Bolts secured an extremely clean road victory and took an important step forward as they sharpen their gaze on claiming a playoff berth down the back stretch.”

ESPN: 13 (Previous: 17)

Most important game remaining: Week 12 vs. the Ravens

This game will be coach Jim Harbaugh’s first chance at revenge since losing to his brother, John, in Super Bowl XLVII with the 49ers. It will also be revenge for many of the Ravens’ castaways who are playing or coaching for Los Angeles. The Ravens are a Super Bowl contender, so the game will be a measuring stick for a Chargers team that has only one win over a team with a winning record, which came in Week 6 against the Broncos

CBS Sports: 10 (Previous: 16)

“They are really doing a lot of good things. The defense is special and few have noticed. It’s time we do.”

Sports Illustrated: 11 (Previous: 13)

“Tarheeb Still is another name that we didn’t know and now we know. The Chargers’ secondary was heavily dependent on rookie 2024 fifth-round draft picks and was the second best defense in the NFL on Sunday against a Browns offense that, the week prior, torched the Ravens. This is the difference between what kind of players Harbaugh and Joe Hortiz were able to bring in that the previous regime struggled to identify.”

Bleacher Report: 13 (Previous: 15)

“Kudos to head coach Jim Harbaugh for turning a once-laughable Chargers defense into a powerhouse. I think we all expected Harbaugh to make strides in the defensive department, but last year’s lack of efficiency and effort made this sort of jump feel unlikely. The Chargers have allowed only 101 points through eight games.

“There’s still room for improvement offensively, but things operate so much differently when wideouts Quentin Johnston and Ladd McConkey are healthy. The team we saw on Sunday isn’t just capable of making the playoffs. It’s capable of making the AFC’s top contenders nervous.”

SI labels Lagway injury as ‘final nail in the coffin’ for Napier’s tenure

According to SI, Billy Napier’s tenure with the Gators could be coming to an end after the injury to DJ Lagway.

Florida football fell to 4-4 after a tough loss against the Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday, sparking hot-seat rumors to start circulating around Billy Napier once again.

The Gators were forced to play short-handed against the Bulldogs and still managed to keep it competitive for the majority of the game. Quarterback DJ Lagway was carted off the field in the second quarter due to a leg injury, and Florida managed to be within one score for most of the game, but ultimately, it was too much to overcome.

Sports Illustrated sports writer Mike McDaniel wrote that this could be the “final nail in the coffin” for Napier if Lagway is out for a long period of time.

This is everything McDaniel wrote about Napier being at the top of the list of coaches on the hot seat.

DJ Lagway’s injury could be final nail in the coffin

“The Florida Gators had been quietly stringing together wins after most of the country left third-year coach Billy Napier and his program for dead in September. After all, Florida began the season 1–2 after losses to the then-No. 19 Miami Hurricanes and then-unranked Texas A&M Aggies, and rumors swirled about whether or not Napier would make it out of October.

“Entering Saturday, the Gators were winners in three out of their last four games, with their lone loss coming in overtime on the road at the then-No. 8 Tennessee Volunteers. Florida freshman quarterback DJ Lagway was thrust into action against the Volunteers after incumbent starter Graham Mertz tore his ACL in the contest. Lagway nearly led the Gators to a victory in Knoxville, Tennessee, and followed it up by leading Florida to a 48–20 victory the next week at home against the Kentucky Wildcats.

“If Lagway is lost for a significant period of time, it could be the nail in the coffin for the Napier era in Gainesville, Florida. After all, Lagway seemed to be finding his groove in his first season of college action, which was a welcome sight for a Florida offense entering the toughest stretch of its schedule. If the Gators don’t have Lagway for games on the road at No. 6 Texas, home against No. 16 LSU or home against No. 19 Ole Miss, Florida’s offense could be in a world of trouble.

“Napier entered the season on the hot seat, warmed even more after a tough September, but was attempting to reverse course as the calendar turned to November. That task will be even more difficult than envisioned if Lagway can’t play.”

What’s next for the Gators?

Florida will go on the road and face the Texas Longhorns in Austin, Texas on Saturday, Nov. 9. Kickoff is set for noon ET and will be broadcast on ABC.

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Chargers rise in NFL power rankings after Week 8 win over Saints

Find out where the Chargers stand in the national eye after Week 8

The Chargers got back over .500 after defeating the Saints last Sunday.

After Week 8, let’s see where Los Angeles stands in NFL power rankings:

USA Today: 18 (Previous: 19)

“They’re getting nice returns from their rookie class. Per Next Gen Stats, RT Joe Alt didn’t concede one pressure on 38 pass-blocking plays Sunday, tied for the best showing by a rook in the past three seasons. Meanwhile WR Ladd McConkey’s six-catch, 111-yard, two-TD game might have cemented him as QB Justin Herbert’s primary target for years to come. McConkey’s 100-yard day was the first by a Bolts rookie in 11 years.”

NFL: 15 (Previous: 17)

“The Chargers offense remains a work in progress. It broke an eight-quarter TD-less streak and the wide receivers finally broke out, with Ladd McConkey catching two second-half scoring passes. Oh, and it was their fifth turnover-free game this season. But there were too many pass-protection breakdowns to call it a good day offensively, even while scoring a season-high 26 points. Justin Herbert was sacked three times and hit four more, with every starting lineman other than rookie Joe Alt allowing multiple pressures. Herbert also escaped a few would-be sacks, turning one into a career-best 38-yard scramble, but he needs better protection. The eight points the Chargers’ defense allowed Sunday were their second-fewest on the season, and c’s unit has yet to give up more than 20, so this one fit the theme of previous victories. Right now, keeping Herbert healthy feels like the most overwhelming concern.”

ESPN: 17 (Previous: 18)

Best offseason addition: Running back J.K. Dobbins

“After the Chargers’ win over the Saints, coach Jim Harbaugh used his news conference to campaign for Dobbins as the NFL Comeback Player of the Year. “If I am the first to nominate him, then so be it,” Harbaugh said. After an Achilles tear ended Dobbins’ season in Week 1 last year, he has been one of the league’s best running backs. He is sixth in the NFL in rushing yards per game (76.4) and is tied for sixth in rushes of 10-plus yards (14).”

CBS Sports: 16 (Previous: 20)

“At 4-3, the defense has really come up big for this group. The good thing about the offense is Justin Herbert is starting to throw it around more.”

Sports Illustrated: 13 (Previous: 19)

“The Chargers’ post-Brandon Staley identity was certainly not one I would have predicted. Sans Mike Williams and Keenan Allen, the stars of this team are the drone-like Ladd McConkey and the absolutely horrifying 300-pound fullback, Scott Matlock. Staley knew this team had to be tougher but struggled to find the right fits for these pieces. The Chargers are not perfect but they’re starting to make some sense. This week’s Browns matchup, with the surging Broncos also facing a difficult test, is quietly fascinating.”

Bleacher Report: 15 (Previous: 20)

“The Chargers offense is a different animal when it can actually stretch the field with wide receivers. They were able to do that with a healthy McConkey on Sunday, and I expect to see continued offensive growth once Quentin Johnston (ankle) returns to the lineup. If head coach Jim Harbaugh can marry even an average offense to the league’s top-ranked scoring defense, Los Angeles should be relevant over the second half of the season.”

“However, I still believe L.A. is a year away from being a contender. The closest thing the Chargers have to a quality win has come against the Broncos—and the jury is still very much out on Denver. Still, the Chargers might not need to be great to slip into the postseason. They’ll have a chance to pad their record with upcoming games against the Browns, Titans and Bengals.”

NFL analyst says the Vikings bringing in a free agent OT “makes sense”

Should the Minnesota Vikings bring in a free agent to replace Christian Darrisaw? Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer thinks it “makes sense”.

On Thursday night, things quickly went from bad to worse for the Minnesota Vikings against the Los Angeles Rams. It wasn’t enough that the Vikings defense got bullied for the second straight week, and the team lost their second game in a row after winning their first five.

The football gods had to add injury to insult—quite literally—as the Vikings lost their starting left tackle, Christian Darrisaw, for the season with a torn ACL and MCL. Darrisaw was playing at a Pro Bowl level this season and was a big reason why the Vikings offense—and the team in general—got off to such a hot start.

The injury has left many wondering what the Vikings plan on doing at the position in the wake of Darrisaw’s absence, and they have plenty of options. Swing tackle David Quessenberry came into the game on Thursday after Darrisaw’s injury, and has plenty of experience at tackle in the NFL. However, there was a clear difference in the level of play of the offense post-Darrisaw injury with Quessenberry in.

If the Vikings don’t trust Quessenberry full-time at the position, they also have Blake Brandel as an option. Brandel is currently playing left guard for the team, but also has experience at tackle. With Dalton Risner expected to return, head coach Kevin O’Connell could opt to swing Brandel outside and put Risner at tackle.

The third option — and one that Sports Illustrated’s NFL analyst Albert Breer says “makes sense” in his Week 8 Takeaways column for the outlet — is signing a tackle off free agency. Breer suggests the likes of D.J. Humphries, David Bakhtiari, and Charles Leno as options.

All three players have extensive experience at the position and would make for a solid rental option to finish out the season. As Breer points out in the column, Darrisaw is still just 25 years old, and there’s no reason to think he won’t make a full recovery from this injury, so there’s no need for the Vikings to go out and make a drastic move at the position for someone who would be a long-term solution. However, Breer believes bringing someone in for the short term could be the right move for Minnesota.

Florida basketball forward a breakout candidate for 2024-25 season

Australian forward Alex Condon has the potential to be a breakout candidate this season for Gators basketball.

Florida basketball forward Alex Condon was labeled as a potential breakout candidate for this upcoming 2024-25 college basketball season, according to Sports Illustrated.

Condon, a sophomore from Perth, Australia, averaged 7.7 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game in his first season with the Gators.

The 6-foot-11-inch forward earned 2024 SEC All-Freshman honors as he led all SEC freshmen in rebounds per game and blocked shots (45). Condon also logged two double-doubles and 14 double-figure scoring games last season.

Condon’s athleticism and defensive skills make him a key player for the Gators this season, and his growth can be important for Florida to make a deep run this season.

What SI said about Condon

Sports Illustrated sports writer Kevin Sweeney included Condon in his list of 10 potential breakout candidates for the 2024-25 college basketball season.

Here is what Sweeney had to say about the sophomore forward.

“Standing almost 7′ 0″ and possessing impressive mobility, Condon was one of the SEC’s biggest surprises a year ago after coming over from Australia,” Sweeney wrote. “Now, he has the potential to explode in Todd Golden’s big man–friendly system. Condon’s ability to protect the rim is essential in the Gators’ hopes of improving defensively from a year ago, but he also has massive upside offensively.”

Sweeney continued, “As a freshman, he flashed the ability to shoot the three, finish around the rim as a lob threat and score on the low block. Put it all together this season, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Condon on draft boards by next spring.”

SI’s Top 10 Breakout Candidates

  1. Solomon Hall (UConn Huskies)
  2. Alex Condon (Florida Gators)
  3. Jaland Lowe (Pittsburgh Panthers)
  4. Jeremy Fears Jr. (Michigan State Spartans)
  5. Trey Kaufman-Renn (Purdue Boilermakers)
  6. Motiejus Krivas (Arizona Wildcats)
  7. Jizzle James (Cincinnati Bearcats)
  8. Chase Ross (Marquette Golden Eagles)
  9. Caleb Foster (Duke Blue Devils)
  10. Dailyn Swain (Xavier Musketeers)

Florida basketball season opener

The Gators will face the South Florida Bulls in the Jacksonville Sports Foundation Invitational to open the schedule on Monday, Nov. 4 in Jacksonville. The game will be broadcast on the SEC Network and can be heard on the Gators Sports Network.

Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Chargers take a dip in NFL power rankings after Week 7 loss to Cardinals

Find out where the Chargers stand in the national eye after Week 7

The Chargers fumbled the game away on Monday night, falling short to the Cardinals.

After Week 7, let’s see where Los Angeles stands in NFL power rankings:

USA Today: 19 (Previous: 17)

“You could say a lot of things about the Bolts over the years, but rarely that they were boring. Welp. HC Jim Harbaugh’s Big Ten approach probably further lowers this team’s already limited ceiling.”

NFL: 17 (Previous: 15)

“This one is going to sting. Jim Harbaugh was irate with a pair of late officiating decisions — a non-call while his offense had the ball and an unnecessary roughness on his defense — but the Chargers really lost Monday’s game at Arizona by failing to finish drives. Los Angeles bled off more than eight minutes on its final march, but ultimately had to settle for Cameron Dicker’s fifth field goal of the night to go up, 15-14. On the Cardinals’ ensuing drive, the 15-yard flag on Cam Hart hurt, but giving up a 33-yard catch-and-run to James Conner on the very next play was what truly allowed Arizona to score the final three points and nab a 17-15 win. Justin Herbert passed for a season-high 349 yards and made some pretty throws — some caught, some not — when he wasn’t under heavy pressure. L.A.’s lack of offensive weaponry right now is glaring, especially with the run game stalling out. The Chargers crossed midfield seven times, but ran just one play inside Arizona’s 10-yard line. The schedule lightens in the coming weeks, but this loss is going to stick in Harbaugh’s craw for a while.”

ESPN: 18 (Previous: 17)

Young riser: FB/DT Scott Matlock

“As a rookie defensive tackle last season, Matlock played primarily on special teams. He was expected to have an increased role on the interior defensive line this season, but coach Jim Harbaugh switched Matlock to fullback and he has been an essential part of the Chargers’ rushing game. Matlock, 24, still plays defense and special teams; his 236 snaps are the 11th most on the team. He’s emerging as an unlikely but crucial part of one of the NFL’s best rushing offenses. ”

CBS Sports: 20 (Previous: 14)

“They are limited on offense with the injuries at receiver, and it showed up in the loss to the Cardinals. They need to get bodies back. The defense let them down late in that loss.”

Sports Illustrated: 19 (Previous: 15)

“Too low? I was impressed with the team’s ability to grind out an eight-plus minute drive to take the lead late in Monday night’s loss to the Cardinals, but Jim Harbaugh is going to have the time and space to build out his weapon set here in Los Angeles … and he’s going to need it. Will Dissly led the way tonight in receiving for the Chargers.”

Bleacher Report: 20 (Previous: 16)

“This is the sort of loss that comes back to haunt a franchise late in the season—the sort of defeat that can be the difference between a Wild Card spot and watching the postseason on TV. The Chargers outplayed the Cardinals in some respects. But the run game never got going, and Los Angeles only reached the red-zone once and settled for a field goal then. The argument can be made that Jim Harbaugh’s Chargers got out-toughed Monday night—and that’s a bad look for a squad that has hung its hat on physicality over the first month-plus of the season.”

Chargers stay steady in NFL power rankings after Week 6 win

Find out where the Chargers stand in the national eye after Week 6

The Chargers are coming off a big divisional win over the Broncos last Sunday.

After Week 6, let’s see where Los Angeles stands in NFL power rankings:

USA Today: 17 (Previous: 18)

“After Sunday’s win in Denver, HC Jim Harbaugh triumphantly declared he’s “2-0 with arrhythmias” after another irregular heartbeat forced him to miss the start of the game. Sorry, Coach, but also not a sustainable formula.”

NFL: 15 (Previous: 19)

“I never lost faith in the Chargers, and the early bye week seemed to give them great energy in building a 23-0 fourth-quarter lead in Denver. The big story was Justin Herbert throwing the ball more than he had all season, racking up 184 first-half pass yards and looking healthy and confident in the process. The Chargers got a little too conservative in the second half, especially without four-minute back Gus Edwards (who hit IR last week), but they held on for the win in a very clean game (three mostly harmless penalties, zero turnovers) to improve to 2-1 on the road and in the division. The defense was strong early, led by big plays from Khalil Mack and Elijah Molden, and the offense received some pleasant-surprise contributions from the likes of Kimani Vidal and Simi Fehoko. Also good to see Jim Harbaugh come back after briefly leaving the game with atrial flutters. I’ve had those, too, and they’re no fun.”

ESPN: 17 (Previous: 18)

Lesson learned: Coordinator Jesse Minter has changed the defense.

“Since the Chargers drafted QB Justin Herbert in 2020, they have had one of the league’s worst defenses. They allowed the fifth-most points (24.9) and the 10th-most yards (353.3) per game over that span. Through five games in 2024, however, the Chargers have one of the league’s best defenses, allowing the fewest points per game in the NFL through six weeks (13.2). The Chargers have allowed fewer than 21 points in each of their first five games of the season for the third time in franchise history.”

CBS Sports: 14 (Previous: 20)

“Coming out of the bye, they dominated the Broncos. The defense really showed up as they’ve overcome a lot of injuries on that side of the ball.”

Sports Illustrated: 15 (Previous: 15)

“I’m finally starting to get it. Ripping off a 20-play drive that just ends with a field goal is such a middle finger to the opposition. And utilizing Justin Herbert as a kind of In Case of Emergency switch is kind of brilliant and back-breaking when you really think about it. Run the ball, then when the defense finally gets you into a third-and-4, allow Herbert to extend the play and whip a ball over the middle to Stone Smartt. What a way to drain the life out of your opponents.”

Bleacher Report: 16 (Previous: 20)

“…While I’m still not fully convinced the Chargers are a legitimate contender, their schedule is favorable. None of L.A.’s next five opponents currently owns more than two wins. Jim Harbaugh’s squad has, thus far, shown an ability to beat the teams it is supposed to beat. If that trend holds, the Chargers will have plenty to play for entering December.”

Is it too soon for Florida football to divorce from Billy Napier?

Pat Forde evaluates Billy Napier’s status on the college football head coach hot seat heading into the Tennessee game.

Billy Napier has sat on the college football head coach hot seat all season, starting with an embarrassing loss in the Swamp to the Miami Hurricanes in the opening game. Now 3-2 overall, the Florida Gators have bounced back but face the toughest remaining schedule among FBS schools.

The limited success seen on the field so far is hardly sufficient for the third-year skipper to maintain his position on the sidelines and it just is not going to get much easier from here.

Sports Illustrated’s Pat Forde included the Orange and Blue among his 10 college football coaches on increasingly hotter seats column ahead of Week 7’s action, and things are not looking good for Napier.

“Napier was all but fired Sept. 14 after dropping to 1–2 with a second uncompetitive home loss,” Forde begins. “Since then, he’s navigated through two straight must-win games to at least calm things down, but the next six games are brutal and could spell the end. You certainly won’t find anyone declaring that a turnaround is at hand after beating Central Florida and Mississippi State.”

However, the question remains: Is it too soon for Florida to file for divorce?

“No,” he responds. “Barring some major upsets in the coming weeks, a third-year coach with a losing record gets what he gets in Gainesville.”

Next up for Florida

The Gators head to Knoxville on Saturday to resume Southeastern Conference play against the Tennessee Volunteers. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast on ESPN.

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