After another Florida victory, what must Billy Napier do to improbably keep his job?

It might sound crazy, but it ain't no lie. I don't think we're going to have to say bye, bye, bye to Billy Napier after this season. He seems to be in sync with his Florida Gators. They are 4-3 on the season with wins over Kentucky and Mississippi State in SEC play, over little brother UCF in the non-conference and FCS Samford. Their three losses are to teams in the College Football Playoff mix.

Florida entered the season with the hardest schedule in the Power Four. While it may no longer be that, it is still a top-10 most difficult one in the Power Four going away. What I am getting at is I don't think it serves Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin to move on from Napier after this season. He had an impossible ask and seems to be doing the most of it. Florida is still somehow alive for the CFP.

Moving forward, here is what Florida's remaining regular-season slate looks like. Can they get to six wins?

Look. I don't think Florida is getting past Georgia in two weeks in Jacksonville or past Texas in Austin in three. Most teams lose to the Dawgs and Horns, and there is nothing wrong with that. However, I think all Napier needs to do is beat Florida State in Tallahassee to put the ball in Stricklin's court. If Napier steals a game at home vs. LSU or Ole Miss to finish 6-6, Stricklin might give Napier a raise!

A win over Florida State in the Ain't No Sunshine Showdown is paramount, but would that be enough?

Billy Napier might be doing enough to keep his job with Florida for 2025

While the losses to Miami and Texas A&M were varying shades of brutal at times, Florida nearly went into Neyland and got a victory over rival Tennessee. The Volunteers would go on to win in overtime, but ask yourself this: How would you be feeling about the Gators if they got that win over Rocky Top? Would that put them in the playoff mix? How much worse would we feel about a two-loss Vols team?

Again, we have to put things in perspective. If we are going to put a head coach on the hot seat for a slew of bad losses, we should just as easily take him off if his team is performing well. Even though I feel the Gators are at a talent disadvantage in many of their games, I don't see their players quitting on Napier. They rallied around Graham Mertz until he got hurt again. Now it will all be up to DJ Lagway.

What I am getting at is the only way I think Stricklin can in good conscience fire Napier is if Florida loses out with a road loss to toothless Florida State. Even if Florida is 4-7 after an Ole Miss defeat, that may be hard to sell. The only way it would work is if there is a handshake agreement between Stricklin and Lane Kiffin's agent that he is coming over from Oxford after the Egg Bowl in two weeks.

Napier is safe, for now, but will be coaching for his job when Florida faces the Magnolia Bowl rivals.