Old habits apparently die hard for former Florida football coach Urban Meyer.
On his podcast “The Triple Option,” Meyer praised current Gators coach Billy Napier following an impressive 27-16 victory over LSU while taking a shot at Mike Norvell and Florida State. Florida opened the season with embarrassing home losses to Miami and Texas A&M, putting Napier on the coaching hot seat. However, the recent win over the Tigers came after a vote of confidence for Napier as the coach in 2025.
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Meyer praised what he saw from the Gators on Saturday and called out the Seminoles, who enter Week 13 sitting at 1-9 ― one of their worst seasons in history ― coming off a 13-1 record and ACC Championship in 2023.
“I’m going to tell you something: I’m a fan of coach Napier, and here’s why,” Urban Meyer said. “I don’t know him. I met him once or twice. They’ve been obviously really struggling, but the one thing they have not done, like the team in Tallahassee, is quit. They have continued to fight.
“I hear comments made by their excellent quarterback DJ Lagway,” Meyer said. “I see things, I hear things obviously and I still know a lot of people down there. The Swamp was electric. I think Ole Miss is walking into a hornet’s nest here.”
Meyer, who had a 5-1 record against the Seminoles, referred to FSU as “the team in Tallahassee,” showing that old habits and rivalries didn’t fade for the Gators coach from 2005 to 2010.
FSU and Florida close the season on Saturday, Nov. 30, in Tallahassee. The Seminoles have won back-to-back games over the Gators. However, Florida could be looking for bowl eligibility when the teams face off, while the Seminoles will play the final game of their season regardless of the outcome.
Urban Meyer says Florida will cover against Ole Miss on Saturday
Florida’s win over LSU impressed not only the many recruits Napier and his staff had in Gainesville last Saturday but also impressed Meyer. Meyer said he thinks Florida has a chance to be a pest against Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss this weekend.
According to BetMGM, the Rebels are currently a 10-point favorite over the Gators. Meyer is among those who believe Florida can cover, a lot of credit goes to the environment Ole Miss is about to play in at the Swamp. Meyer went 36-5 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium as the Gators coach.
“I think a team when you break the rock like that, and you win a big game, which everybody’s been waiting for them to do, the one thing about Gainesville, Florida, now is you find a way to start winning, that place is a monster,” Meyer said. “I think (it’s) the best home field when they’re hot. When they’re not, it’s average, like a lot of places.
“But when that place is cooking, and they’ll be cooking for Lane Kiffin and them, I don’t know if they’re good enough to beat Ole Miss, but I’m going to take Florida and the points. It started at 9.5. I believe it’s at 10 (now). I’m not sure; Vegas might know something. But I call for this to be a one-score game.”
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Urban Meyer praises Billy Napier, Florida, takes shot at Florida State
