Paul Finebaum calls Tennessee game in Week 3 a 'must win' for Billy Napier

Florida’s Week 3 game against Tennessee is now a must win for head coach Billy Napier, according to ESPN’s Paul Finebaum.

Florida is 1-1 this season after an opening loss to Utah and a 49-7 win over McNeese State. Napier led the team to a 6-7 record and a postseason loss, a far cry from national championship aspirations.

It’s a slow build for Napier, but fans might get impatient if this game against Tennessee goes south.

“Here I go after telling myself I wouldn’t go into overdrive but I’m going to because this is a must win game for Billy Napier,” Finebaum said on the Matt Barrie Show. “Now you can interpret that any way you want because he’s got a $30 million price tag.

“Scott Strickland, a very, very outstanding athletic director has been behind him and I think he can save him and get him to the next season. But in terms of the noise, nobody can stop the noise for Billy Napier, if this game goes poorly.”

If the game is close, but a loss, it might not change things for the Gators and Napier. Finebaum said, for Napier’s sake, Florida would bode well for the future if it upsets the Volunteers.

“I’m not saying, I’m not promoting a moral victory in Florida,” Finebaum said.” And by the way, Steve Spurrier has reminded me every time I’ve ever seen him that he was 4-0 against Peyton Manning. We’re talking the 90’s here okay, we’re not talking about yesterday. So this game matters greatly. 

“And if for some reason Tennessee goes in there and just lays one on them, the noise next Sunday morning for Billy Napier, in terms of believing he can get the job done, we’ll be loud.”

Immediately after beating an FCS opponent, all attention turned to Week 3 and Napier had to answer questions regarding any areas of concern before playing the Volunteers.

“Yeah, I think ultimately for us as a staff, we have young players that need to continue to develop,” Napier said looking ahead to Tennessee. “A lot of guys have gotten significant experience the first two weeks, and obviously this will be a huge game, and that Swamp will be a lot different next week. It’ll be a bigger stage.

“I think ultimately getting our players accustomed to the routine and challenges each individual player and even members of the staff that are new, Sunday, Saturday — because that’s where the game is won ultimately as a competitor. If you can prepare, dot all the Is, cross all the Ts, and you’re well-prepared when you show up to the park, you’ve got a chance to play with confidence, and I think our young players need to continue to learn that.”