The Gators, 5-4 through nine games under first-year head coach Billy Napier, need one more victory to earn the right to go bowling. It’s not where Napier wants to be and not where he plans to be.
Still, it’s the reality he inherited when he departed Louisiana for Florida to take over a program in transition.
“At the University of Florida, sure, it’s great to go to a bowl,” Napier said this week. “We’ve got bigger aspirations than that.”
For now, those goals remain somewhere on the horizon. In the here and now, the 6-3 Gamecocks stand in the way of Florida not only becoming bowl eligible but its quest to parlay what took place in the second half of last week’s victory at Texas A&M into something more.
The Gators overwhelmed the Aggies, dominating the third quarter and limiting Texas A&M to 106 yards after halftime. Florida’s defense, soft as warm butter for much of the season on third down, stuffed the Aggies on seven of eight third-down attempts in the second half.
Meanwhile, quarterback Anthony Richardson tossed a pair of touchdown passes in the decisive third quarter as Florida overcame a four-point halftime deficit to win 41-24, snapping a five-game road losing streak against Southeastern Conference opponents.
Outside the electricity created by the season-opening upset of then-No. 7 Utah at The Swamp, Florida’s second-half performance against the Aggies generated as much buzz from the fan base as all season.
“That just shows what we can do,” said outside linebacker Antwaun Powell-Ryland Jr., who had a sack and forced fumble in his first career start. “And I know we’ll be able to do that for four quarters.”
That is what Napier hopes to see when the Gators run from the tunnel on Senior Day Saturday. Florida is honoring 19 players in their final home game.
It should be a festive afternoon if the Gators can match the effort and production of the final 30 minutes at Kyle Field a week ago.
“We’re still searching for that complete game when we play with all three parts of our team for all four quarters, and we put together a good quarter or a good half,” Napier said. “Certainly hopeful down the stretch here that we can put it all together.”
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