Mississippi State football could be in the business of getting an opposing coach fired this weekend. The Bulldogs will travel to Gainesville on Saturday to take on the Florida Gators, led by lame duck HC Billy Napier. And reports are that Napier's job is on the line when his team takes the field against the Bulldogs.
According to Matt Hayes of USA Today, Florida AD Scott Stricklin met with Gator boosters on Tuesday to discuss the future of the football program, and it's possible a coaching change is made as soon as this weekend. According to Hayes, the belief is "Napier won't survive another loss."
Sources: Florida AD Scott Stricklin met with influential boosters Tuesday. The result: Gators coach Billy Napier could be fired as soon as this weekend. https://t.co/3kYrlr8ERC
— Matt Hayes (@MattHayesCFB) October 15, 2025
It's quite clear that if Mississippi State prevails over the Gators, we'll be getting news of a coaching change in Gainesville shortly after. The Bulldogs have an opportunity to send Billy Napier packing.
Don't let Florida beat you AND still fire Billy Napier, Mississippi State
It does need to be said that a change may still happen in Gainesville even with a Gators win. Beating Mississippi State, even by a considerable margin, isn't going to sway the minds of the power brokers in The Swamp. At this point, Napier's program is what it is, and "it" is not enough. There's no reason to believe a win over the Bulldogs will be what suddenly rights the ship towards a true turnaround.
With a bye week to follow and then a rivalry game with Georgia, now is the time that makes most sense for a change. With that in mind and based on the current reporting, Billy Napier is almost certainly going to be out of a job after this weekend win or lose.
And that's why if you're Mississippi State, you really need to make sure you leave Gainesville with a win. There's nothing more embarrassing than suffering a loss and then seeing the coach that beat you lose his job immediately after.
That's a position the Bulldogs are unfortunately all too familiar with. In 2023, Texas A&M fired Jimbo Fisher right after his Aggies bulldozed MSU 51-10. Seeing that happen for the second time in three years would be a tough pill to swallow.
State instead wants this meeting to feel more like their 2004 matchup with Florida, when a 38-31 upset win for the Bulldogs resulted in then-Gators' HC Ron Zook getting "Croomed." That'd be a much more joyous outcome. The vibes could not be worse for the Gators entering this game. Mississippi State needs to take advantage.