Florida Football Preview 2025: Billy Napier Has His Best Gator Team Yet - But Is It Enough?
Florida is supposed to be playing for national titles.It's the program of Spurrier, and Urban, and Tebow, and fun, and 'n', and gun, and spread, and Wuerffel - and basketball national titles - and Billy Napier was and is supposed to be the guy who came in and got everything back to normal.How rough has it been? Starting with the final season under Dan Mullen, the 26 losses mark the worst four-year run of Gator football since 1978 to 1981, and there was a 0-10-1 campaign in that mix.
X CFN, Fiu | CFN Facebook | Bluesky Fiu, CFN Florida Offense BreakdownFlorida Defense BreakdownSeason Prediction, Win Total, Keys to SeasonBefore last year, the three straight losing seasons were the first time that happened since a stretch from 1945 to 1947. And following a 49-17 loss to Texas in mid-November, Florida appeared to be destined for its first four-season losing run since the 1930s.And then the offense clicked, the defense didn't allow more than 17 points in any of the final four games, Napier came up with a strong recruiting class, and now there's hope again that the big production is about to come.But first, Florida just has to get closer to the pin against the good teams.
This is the best squad yet under Napier. It was rebuilt to this point with a strong combination of depth, youth, and talent. There weren't any major losses through the transfer portal that can't be fixed, and there weren't a ton of players coming in other than to patch a few holes.The lines are strong, there's a rising superstar at quarterback in DJ Lagway, and the kicking game might be the best in the SEC. But the team needs to be in more tight games to let the special teams be the difference.Out of the 19 losses under Napier, 12 of them were by double-digits, including four of the five defeats last year. And that's where the bar should be set.
Of course Florida needs to be good enough to be a regular in the College Football Playoff, and of course Napier needs to do more, but out of those 19 losses under Napier, 13 were against the elite of the elite that finished with ten wins or more.And this year's schedule might be the toughest of the four.But again, it's Florida. It's supposed to be one of those elites among elites that take down all of the other good programs. It might not happen this year, but 2025 has to be the final season before it does. Florida Offense BreakdownFlorida Defense BreakdownSeason Prediction, Win Total, Keys to Season
© 2025 The Arena Group Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
35 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Buccaneers' Pass Catcher Predicted 'League-Winning WR' in Fantasy Football
Buccaneers' Pass Catcher Predicted 'League-Winning WR' in Fantasy Football originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Tampa Bay Buccaneers wideout Mike Evans has been underestimated throughout his entire pro career. All he's done is exceed expectations each and every campaign since being drafted by the Bucs. Advertisement Even after missing three games last season with a hamstring issue, Evans continued his record streak of 11 straight seasons with at least 1,000 yards receiving. This season, while many may be once again undervaluing his season at the age of 30, he's expected to excel in your fantasy football league. Derek Brown of Fantasy Pros thinks Evans will once again surpass expectations in your fantasy league. "Mike Evans has finished no lower than WR13 in fantasy points per game over the last four years, and he didn't show any signs of slowing down last year," Brown wrote. "While he has dealt with hamstring issues in each of the last three years, he has never played less than 14 games in any season. Last year, Evans ranked 23rd in target share, fifth in yards per route run, 16th in receiving yards per game, fourth in route win rate, and second in separation (per Fantasy Points Data). Evans is primed to produce as a WR1 again in 2025." Advertisement Evans has tallied at least 11 touchdowns in four of the past five years while finding the end zone 57 times during that period. The former Texas A&M Aggies pass catcher has never caught less than 70 passes in a season and has been targeted at least 110 times in 10 of the last 11 years. The last time he averaged less than 14 yards per catch was in 2016. You can continue to underestimate Evans' value in your fantasy league, but it'll be your own fault if you don't draft him early. Related: Todd Bowles and Jason Licht React to Buccaneers' Contract Extensions Related: Todd Bowles and Jason Licht React to Buccaneers' Contract Extensions This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 26, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
35 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Buccaneers' Baker Mayfield Was Better Last Season In One Key Passing Stat
Buccaneers' Baker Mayfield Was Better Last Season In One Key Passing Stat originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield has completely turned his career trajectory around since arriving in town ahead of the 2023 season. Advertisement Replacing legend and seven-time Super Bowl Champion Tom Brady is no easy proposition, but Mayfield's transition in Tampa Bay has been seamless. Posting two career seasons since being signed by general manager Jason Licht, Mayfield has helped the Bucs to a record-tying four straight NFC South titles and five playoff appearances in a row. But last season, we saw a part of Baker's game improve that might not have been anticipated. Pro Football Focus measured each quarterback's release rate last season, and Mayfield proved to have the third-most attempts in the league in releasing the ball in under 2.5 seconds. "Baker Mayfield's transition in Tampa Bay is a prime example, as his time to throw has decreased over the past two seasons compared to his previous three, resulting in increased production," Mason Cameron wrote. "This past season, Mayfield recorded 335 attempts in under 2.5 seconds — more than in any season he played outside of Tampa. He posted an 85.8% adjusted completion percentage and 29 touchdowns on such plays in 2024, both of which led the NFL." Advertisement Mayfield has been named to the Pro Bowl for the first and second times in his career since joining the Bucs. In 2023, he posted career highs in yards (4,044), touchdowns (28) and completion percentage (64.3). That earned him a three-year, $100 million deal from Licht and the team, and last season, he bested those career numbers by a lot with 4,500 yards, 41 touchdowns and a 71.4 completion percentage. Baker has built on the previous year each season with the Bucs, and that trend could continue in 2025. Related: Buccaneers' Pass Catcher Predicted 'League-Winning WR' in Fantasy Football Related: Analyst Names Buccaneers Third-Round Pick as Potential Cut Candidate This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 28, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
35 minutes ago
- Yahoo
High-Priced Buccaneers Cornerback Could be Trade Bait Ahead of 2025
High-Priced Buccaneers Cornerback Could be Trade Bait Ahead of 2025 originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Just a day after we wrote about Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Jamel Dean possibly being a cut candidate for the team, he's being named in a suggested trade. Advertisement The reason for him being a potential cut candidate isn't because of declining skills, but two other reasons. He's entering Year 3 of a four-year, $52 million deal and carries a massive $15 million cap hit next year. The Bucs also invested heavily on two corners in Round 2 and Round 3 of the draft this season. It's because all of those factors that he could be either a cut candidate or, even better, on the trade block. CBS Sports' Cody Benjamin thinks the Las Vegas Raiders would be interested in acquiring Dean in a trade. 'Dean's six-year run with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers includes a Super Bowl title and big-money extension, but the veteran has been frequently mentioned as a potential cut or trade candidate due to a $15 million 2025 cap hit, almost all of which the Bucs could clear from their books by dealing Dean elsewhere. Even if Dean is more serviceable than special at a lofty price,' Benjamin said. 'The Bucs are trying to defend their NFC South crown, and jettisoning such an experienced corner would put immediate pressure on rookie corners like Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parrish to have a playoff-caliber impact.' Advertisement Dean is also scheduled for a $15.7 million cap hit in 2026. That's a lot of money for a guy who might be relegated to a backup role at some point. It's a big decision for general manager Jason Licht, and could be dictated by the performance of some of this year's rookie class. Related: Analyst Names Buccaneers Third-Round Pick as Potential Cut Candidate Related: Buccaneers' Pass Catcher Predicted 'League-Winning WR' in Fantasy Football This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 28, 2025, where it first appeared.
