Crucial Gators Start Fast in Week 1 of 2024 Season

The Florida Gators open the 2024 regular season with a home matchup against their in-state rival, the Miami Hurricanes.

Florida Head Football Coach Billy Napier / Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY

Week 1 in any sport can be rough. It is the first game of the season, so players are still getting back into game shape after a long period of just practicing. 

It is why they say “it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.” And rightfully so, in most cases.

However, for the Florida Gators and head coach Billy Napier, the Week 1 matchup against the Miami Hurricanes is as important as any game on their schedule in 2024. They will need to come out of the gates firing on all cylinders. 

It is a home game and rivalry matchup. The Swamp will be eager to start the season 1-0.

And if the Gators walk out of a Ben Hill Griffin Stadium with a loss, it could get ugly for Napier very quickly. 

Recently, BetOnline released odds on who will be the first college football coach to be fired this season. Napier found himself atop the list at 4/1 odds. 

That is certainly not something a coach wants to be first in. 

Now, he isn’t the only SEC coach on the list. Joining Napier on the list of top coaches on the hot seat was Arkansas’ Sam Pittman (5/1), Vanderbilt’s Clark Lea (8/1), South Carolina’s Shane Beamer (16/1) and Oklahoma’s Brent Venables (33/1). 

Moreover, it won’t be a walk in the park against the Hurricanes. Their head coach, Mario Cristobal, is third in odds to be the first head coach fired at 6/1. So, while Napier is fighting for his job, the head coach on the opposite sideline will be doing the same. 

Also, when taking a look outside of just the impact on Napier himself, the showdown against Miami is going to be one of Florida’s “easier” games in 2024. Florida drew the Hurricanes on home soil, which is often a significant advantage that the Gators must use to start 1-0.

Florida will not want to need a lot of victories later in the season either to earn bowl eligibility. The Gators final stretch of the 2024 schedule includes matchups with Texas, Georgia, LSU, Ole Miss and Florida State. 

Napier and his players better show up during Week 1 in Gainesville or things could spiral out of control quickly.