Steve Spurrier reacts to Florida's projected 9-3 record by local reporter: 'I like that number'

Florida head coach Billy Napier is headed into his fourth season at the helm in Gainesville. The first two seasons of his tenure were disappointing, as the Gators posted an 11-14 record and were thrust completely out of the national spotlight. 

Last season however, Florida started the 2024 campaign 4-5 but finished with an 8-5 record after winning its final four games of the season. This included two wins over Top 25-ranked teams (No. 22 LSU and No. 9 Ole Miss), rival Florida State and Tulane in the Gasparilla Bowl. The Gators won their final four games by an average of 15.8 points.

This strong end to the 2024 season has led to higher expectations for the team in 2025. One local reporter predicted that Florida will go 9-3 this season, and legendary former Florida head coach Steve Spurrier revealed he liked that number.

“The opener is not a big time team of course,” Spurrier said on Monday’s edition of ‘Another Dooley Noted Podcast‘. “It’s Long Island University. In fact our local paper only picked us to score 49. I think we’re gonna score 50 or more against Long Island. But anyway, then we have South Florida and then the real schedule starts. But again, our local guy here picked us to go 9-3 and I like that number. I like that number.”

“I think we’ve got an excellent chance to go 9-3. He picked us losing three SEC games; Georgia, at Ole Miss and at LSU. I sort of think we might lose one at Miami or at Texas A&M, but beat Georgia. We’re due to beat Georgia. Simple as that.”

Florida will line up against SEC juggernauts Texas, Georgia and Tennessee this season, but all three games will be played in Gainesville. It will, however, have to travel to LSU, Miami, Texas A&M, Ole Miss and Kentucky (where it has lost back-to-back road games for the first time since 1974-1976). It will play the 12th hardest schedule in the country, according to Phil Steele.

“We absolutely have aspirations to be a Playoff team,” Napier said earlier this month. “That’s the intention to come here and win championships. Now what do we know about that? It’s about the work we do and it’s about today. It’s not about yesterday or tomorrow… it’s about today. A good today leads to a good week, which leads to a good month, which leads to a good season.”

The Gators open their 2025 campaign at home on Aug. 30 against LIU. Kick-off is scheduled for 7:00 PM on SEC Network+/ESPN+.