Florida Fires Billy Napier; $19–21M Buyout

Florida fired head coach Billy Napier on Oct. 19, 2025, a day after a chaotic 23–21 win over Mississippi State that ended on a late Michai Boireau interception and featured fans booing him as he left the field. Napier departs with a 22–23 overall record, 12–16 in the SEC and 5–17 against ranked opponents, amid criticism that he retained play-calling duties. The school faces a roughly $19–21 million buyout, with about $9.7 million due within 30 days. Receivers coach Billy Gonzales is expected to serve as interim head coach for the final five games, beginning with a Nov. 1 matchup against Georgia. AD Scott Stricklin and boosters are preparing to pursue high-profile candidates including Lane Kiffin, Jeff Brohm, Eli Drinkwitz and Marcus Freeman. The move prompted a strong social-media reaction and is likely to accelerate an already busy college-football coaching carousel.