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Dissecting Billy Napier's record in Florida Gators rivalry games

On3 imageby: Keith Niebuhr09/21/25On3Keith
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Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier looks on against the LSU Tigers during the first half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. (Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images)

In college football, rivalry games are ultra-important to every fan base. Unfortunately for Billy Napier, his record in those matchups as Florida coach hasn’t been great. Napier, 20–22 overall in his fourth season with the Gators, is only 3-12 vs the school’s main five rivals — Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Miami and Tennessee—after losing to the Hurricanes 26-7 on Saturday.

“Heck of a football game, and hats off to Miami,” Napier said. “They have a really good football team, I think they played well enough to win tonight, and credit to coach Cristobal and his team and how they played complimentary football. You know, I do think that our kids battled their tail off, you know, I think in particular defensively, it was an incredible effort. Obviously not good enough on offense. We didn’t generate enough yards or points.”

Below is a detailed look at Florida in rivalry games during the Napier regime.

Recent Florida coaches vs. the Gators’ rivals

–Billy Napier (2022-25): 3-12 (FSU, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Tennessee)
–Dan Mullen (2018-21): 9-6 (FSU, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Tennessee)
–Jim McElwain (2015–17): 5-6 (FSU, Georgia, LSU, Tennessee)
–Will Muschamp (2011–2014): 7-10 (FSU, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Tennessee)
–Urban Meyer (2005–10): 20-5 (FSU, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Tennessee)

Billy Napier in rivalry games as Florida coach

Sept. 24, 2022: No. 11 Tennessee (L) 33–38
Oct. 15, 2022: LSU (L) 35–45
Oct. 29, 2022: No. 1 Georgia (L)  20–42
Nov. 25, 2022: No. 16 FSU (L) 38–45
Sept. 16, 2023: No. 11 Tennessee (W) 29–16
Oct. 28, 2023: No. 1 Georgia (L) 20–43
Nov. 11, 2023: No. 19 LSU (L) 35–52
Nov. 25, 2023: No. 5 FSU (L) 15–24
Aug. 31, 2024: No. 19 Miami (L) 17–41
Oct. 12, 2024: No. 8 Tennessee (L) 17–23 OT
Nov. 2, 2024: No. 2 Georgia (L) 20-34
Nov. 16, 2024: No. 21 LSU (W) 27–16
Nov. 30, 2024: FSU (W) 31–11
Sept. 13, 2025: No. 3 LSU (L) 10-20
Sept. 20, 2025: No. 4 Miami (L) 26-7

Napier’s Florida teams in rivalry games: By the numbers

At Home: 3-3
Away: 0-6
Neutral: 0-3
Ranked Opponents: 14
Top-10 Opponents: 3
Avg. points for UF: 23.6 (354 total)
Avg. points for opponent: 31.7 (476 total)
Avg. total yards for UF: 352.77
Avg. total yards for opponent: 436.4
Avg. passing yards for UF: 204.3
Avg. passing yards for opponent: 269.1
Avg. rushing yards for UF: 145.8
Avg. rushing yards for opponent: 165.1
Avg. first downs for UF: 18.6
Avg. first down for opponent: 22.1
Times leading after 1st quarter: 5
Avg. score after 1st quarter: (UF first) 4.76-5.2
Times leading at the half: 6
Avg. score at the half: (UF first) 12.04-14.49
Times leading after 3rd quarter: 3
Ave. score after 3rd quarter: 16.14-23.64

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