Florida fires head football coach Billy Napier after 3-4 start
Florida head coach Billy Napier walks over to his offense during a time out against Texas A&M during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, in College Station, Texas. (AP Photo/Sam Craft)
Florida has fired coach Billy Napier after a 3-4 start to the 2025 season, sources have confirmed to CBS Sports.
Napier’s exit ends a 22-23 tenure. Napier has been on a near perpetual hot seat with only last season’s win streak offering a brief reprieve.
The Gators have five games remaining on the schedule, including rivalry showdowns with Georgia, Tennessee and Florida State. Napier finishes with a winning percentage of .489 — the worst by a Florida coach since 1949.
Napier’s buyout is $19.38 million, 50% of which must be paid out within the next 30 days. He had made $7.4 million annually as part of the original contract he signed with the program in November 2021.
The Gators decided to move on from Napier a day after Florida won 23-21 over Mississippi State. All indications are Napier’s fate and the timing of the firing were determined ahead of the game result.
This firing leads to Florida’s fourth coaching search in 11 years and fifth since Urban Meyer stepped down following the 2010 season. The Gators are still attempting to reclaim the glory of the Meyer and Steve Spurrier eras in Gainesville that produced national championships and Heisman Trophy winners.
— CBS Sports
