Florida football’s Week 8 matchup against the Mississippi State Bulldogs in Gainesville could potentially be a turning point for the Gators’ gridiron program.

It is a surprise to exactly nobody that the team’s head coach, Billy Napier, is nearing the end of his tenure with the Orange and Blue. Having amassed a disappointing 21-23 record during his three-plus years at Florida, the fanbase and sports media alike have been calling for his head before things can get any worse — and believe it, there is still room to fall further from grace.

That is why USA TODAY Sports writer Blake Toppmeyer thinks that the Gators will prevail this Saturday on their home field, but Napier will be shown the door afterwards in his bold college football prediction for Week 8.

“This spin of the coaching carousel will be the wildest since 2021, when a bevy of big-time jobs came open and salaries and buyouts skyrocketed. And we’re just getting started with the firings. So, who’s next? I’ll be keeping my eye on embattled coaches Billy Napier (Florida), Luke Fickell (Wisconsin) and Hugh Freeze (Auburn),” Toppmeyer notes.

“Bold prediction: Napier gets the Ed Orgeron farewell, in that he’ll beat Mississippi State on Saturday but be fired on Sunday anyway. Orgeron, in 2021, beat Florida before getting fired a day later. Thanks for the memories. Yes, indeed, there are parallels between this year’s carousel and 2021.”

How to watch Florida vs Mississippi State in Week 8

The Gators host the Bulldogs inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 18, for their annual homecoming game. The action begins at 4:15 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast on the SEC Network.

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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Florida football predicted to beat MSU, Billy Napier fired in Week 8