Billy Napier has a clear path to keeping his job at Florida, but it will not be easy

Even though he is the head coach of my bitter rival's program, I am rooting for Billy Napier to keep his job at Florida. Yes, that probably means more victories for my Georgia Bulldogs in The Cocktail Party, but that is not the point. The point is Napier has coached his tail off to keep Florida at a respectable 4-4. He does not have a signature victory this year, but all of his losses are to real playoff contenders.

According to On3's Pete Nakos, there is a growing sense that Napier will be able to stay. It has something to do with his buyout, as well as how hard his team has played for him against all odds. They lost their starting quarterback for the rest of the year in Graham Mertz. Now his backup in talented five-star freshman DJ Lagway is on the mend, too. The next man up would be Aiden Warner.

With losses to Miami, Texas A&M, Tennessee and now Georgia, you would have to think most teams in college football would lose to them. While the Florida State game at season's end may tell the tale of Napier's fate, what if Florida were to upset either Texas, LSU or Ole Miss? Nakos indicated that a win over the Longhorns, the Tigers or the Rebels should be enough to give Napier at least one more year.

The bigger question is if Florida has even a snowball's chance to upset any of them with Warner?

Billy Napier's path to keep his job at Florida has never been any clearer

Had it been Lagway under center, I would have given the Gators a puncher's chance at maybe upsetting one of them. Individually, I cannot safely pick a team that is going down to Florida among them, but collectively, yes, I would have said there was a chance. Keep in mind that Florida was largely outplaying Georgia in The Cocktail Party before Lagway had to exit the game with a hamstring injury.

To me, I think the only way that Napier ends up being let go is if Florida loses out in horrible fashion with Warner under center and the team fails to play hard down the stretch. As long as the team does not quit on Napier, Florida should not fire him. Next year's schedule could be slightly easier, but also remember that the experiences this battle-tested team is going through is not for nothing either.

Overall, it is going to take an upset of either Texas, LSU or Ole Miss for Florida to have any hope of getting to a bowl game, assuming a win in Ain't No Sunshine during rivalry week vs. Florida State. Even if this team only goes 5-7 with a win of the Seminoles, I think that would be more than enough evidence that Napier is the right man to keep this job, but enter next season fully on the hot seat.

To beat a playoff contender like a Texas, an LSU or an Ole Miss would be quite the statement for him.