Gators’ Goal: Increased Improvement – Florida Gators

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — If we have learned anything four games into Billy Napier‘s tenure as Florida’s head coach, it’s that Saturdays will be compelling for the Orange & Blue faithful.

Next up — a rare Sunday date.

The Gators (2-2) host Eastern Washington (1-2) on Sunday afternoon at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. The game was pushed back a day due to Hurricane Ian’s impact on the state.

Florida split its first four games in an eventful fashion. Amari Burney’s last-second interception sealed an upset of then-No. 7 Utah. Quarterback Anthony Richardson’s two interceptions proved deadly as a nine-point lead vanished against Kentucky. Richardson’s struggles allowed USF to hang around until a last-minute field-goal attempt by the Bulls missed its mark. And finally, Richardson had a career-best performance, and Diwun Black’s recovery of an onsides kick quieted Neyland Stadium in the final seconds until a desperation Hail Mary was intercepted to snap Tennessee’s five-game losing streak in the series.

Time to exhale.

The Gators hope to do exactly that on Sunday against the FCS-classified Eagles, who flew cross-country for their first taste of life in the Southeastern Conference. Florida is a heavy favorite in its final game before a six-game stretch against SEC opponents.

While the 38-33 loss at Tennessee kept UF winless in conference play, Napier was pleased with how the Gators refused to fold after falling behind 38-21. The game remained in doubt until Richardson’s pass from Tennessee’s 39-yard line was intercepted on the game’s final play.

“The collective effort of our team — offense, defense, and special teams — we made a few too many mistakes to win the game. That’s as simple as you can put it,” Napier said of Florida’s first loss to the Vols since 2016. “When you play a team of that caliber, those mistakes are too much to overcome. I was proud of the intangibles the team showed. There’s no question we were ready to play. We were ready to compete. We embraced the big stage and the opportunity that came with it.”

In the wake of the loss, the Gators returned home and dealt with an adjusted schedule due to Hurricane Ian. UF canceled classes Wednesday through Friday to prepare for Ian’s approach. The massive hurricane had little impact in north central Florida, but other parts of the state suffered devastating damage and flooding.