Skip to main content
Join Now
Team Avatar
Florida

Steve Spurrier claims Florida could 'make some noise' under Billy Gonzales

IMG_0985by: Griffin McVeigh10/28/25griffin_mcveigh
Billy-Gonzales-Florida-Gators
Florida Gators interim coach Billy Gonzales looks on during fall football practice at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, August 2, 2025. [Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun]

Most of the attention surrounding Florida at the moment is the upcoming coaching search. The Gators moved off Billy Napier in the middle of his fourth season with the program. But even after taking down Mississippi State, the plug was pulled, and somebody new will be on the sidelines in 2026.

In fact, somebody new will be on the sideline this Saturday for the Georgia game. Billy Gonzales takes over as the interim, his first time in a head coaching role in any capacity. Expectations for former Florida head coach Steve Spurrier appear to be there, saying they could “make some noise.”

“We’ve got a lot of games left,” Spurrier said. “We can still make some noise. Billy Gonzales and his guys got an opportunity to do it.”

No better way to make noise than getting a massive rivalry win in Jacksonville. Both teams are coming off a bye week in completely different scenarios. Florida fired their coach, while Kirby Smart is ready to make a late season push to appear in another College Football Playoff. Anything other than a Georgia win would be a big-time upset.

A few other rivalry games remain on the schedule as well. None bigger than the finale vs. Florida State in Gainesville. However, a trip to Lexington looms, as does Tennessee coming to the Swamp. The most interesting matchup of them all may be against Ole Miss, led by Lane Kiffin — the coach many Florida fans want to hire moving forward.

So, yes. Spurrier is correct in saying Gonzales holds a chance to make a splash or two due to the schedule in front of him. Plenty of perceived talent remains on the roster, maybe giving them a chance to pull something off.

Florida, LSU coaching searches dubbed ‘The Lane Kiffin Show’

You cannot go two minutes discussing the Florida coaching search without mentioning Kiffin’s name. And with LSU now open, their hat will certainly be thrown in the circle. It’s enough for ESPN insider Pete Thamel to call the upcoming searches for the two SEC rivals “The Lane Kiffin Show.”

“Well, it’s going to be The Lane Kiffin Show from here on in until a decision is made,” said Thamel. “He’s a target at LSU. He’s a target at Florida. And, the competition between those two athletic departments for Lane Kiffin is going to be one of the things that hangs over the rest of this season.”