Florida football’s second loss of the 2024 campaign was not a pretty one — both weather-wise and what was seen on the field. The Gators once again were embarrassed at home in a game that most believed would be a close one, falling to 1-2 on the season.
Following the defeat, The Athletic’s Stewart Mandel published his final thoughts from Week 3’s gridiron action, including [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] and the Orange and Blue in his column.
“(A) Texas A&M team that hadn’t won a true road game in nearly three years trounced Napier’s Gators 33-20 in the rain. It was 33-7 late in the third quarter, by which point it looked like a spring game in the stands,” Mandel begins.
“This, on top of Florida’s season-opening 41-17 loss to Miami in the same stadium, all but assures Napier won’t make it to Year 4. The only question is whether athletic director Scott Stricklin will keep his own job long enough to pull the plug,” he continues.
“Florida is a puzzling place. It has reached two extreme highs, under Steve Spurrier in the 1990s and Urban Meyer in the 2000s, and been mediocre in nearly every other era,” Mandel notes.
“Whoever replaces Napier will become the Gators’ fifth head coach since Meyer stepped down after the 2010 season. He better be a heck of a recruiter, because that program desperately needs a talent infusion.”
Up next for the Gators
Florida will play their first road game of the season as they travel up to Starkville to play against the Mississippi State Bulldogs on Saturday, Sept. 21. Kickoff is set for noon ET and will be broadcast on ESPN.
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