Napier sees plenty of positives in playing in the Gasparilla Bowl

(Gator Bait Photo by Chris Spears)

Conventional thinking says the Florida Gators are going to the Catfish Bowl. Catfish are bottom feeders and the Gasparilla Bowl in Tampa is considered bottom rung on the overall bowl rankings, just one step above Birmingham in terms of the Southeastern Conference.

In terms of prestige, the Gators (7-5) are scraping the bottom of the pond when they play Tulane (9-4) next Friday (3:30 p.m., ESPN2) at RayJay. Florida is a 14-point favorite and the spread is probably going to grow as bettors come to the realization that Tulane’s three scholarship quarterbacks are in the transfer portal. Number two QB Tyler Thompson has agreed to take time out from his busy transfer schedule to lead the Green Wave in the bowl game. How magnanimous of him.

Amid all these negatives, Billy Napier sees a slew of positives that he believes weigh heavily in Florida’s favor.

For one, there is the matter of timing.

“For me, the timeline is a blessing to some degree,” Napier said on a Zoom press conference call Thursday. “We play on the 20th, our players and our staff will be at home for Christmas, and then we get a couple weeks off prior to coming back and understanding that we have to kind of work to do to prepare for next year. So we want to keep the momentum we have, and I think to do that, we have to focus on what's next, and that's getting ready for this bowl game.”

There is that matter of momentum. The Gators come into the game on the heels of a 3-game winning streak that ended the regular season. Wins over LSU and Ole Miss torpedoed their playoff possibilities. The win over Florida State helped to seal a recruiting class that went from 51 to 11 in the span of a month.

A win over Tulane in the bowl game would give the Gators eight, the most wins since the 2020 season. Perceptions are a big deal in college football and the Gators will be perceived as a very hot team heading into 2025.

“Momentum is key, and we've got some now,” Napier said. “We need to keep it and certainly this ball game is one of the next steps in that regard.”

The combination of a win and the practices leading up to the bowl game could have a very positive impact on visiting prospects from the transfer portal. Napier probably will be signing 10-12 transfers and many of them will get to see the Gators practicing and how they handle game week preparation.

“So, I think one of the cool things about this window is that we are practicing, we are having meetings, we are lifting weights, we're running,” Napier said. “So, I think the players that are in on visits, not only the portal players, but a lot of '26 recruits that have been on campus, they get a little bit of an inside look at what that workload looks like, that culture, you know, the format of practice, the attention to detail, the discipline, and then they get to be around the players.

“You know, we can not only sell the University of Florida to them, but we also can evaluate them and get them around our players, get our players opinions on them as people as fits here. But yeah, I think it's a great time to have people in. I think especially players that maybe are a little bit older, that, you know, the football is the main part of the decision. I think it's really healthy for them to see us practice.”

SEC FOOTBALL: PORTAL DEPARTURES/ARRIVALS

Alabama: LB Keanu Koht (RJR) to Vanderbilt; CB Jahlil Hurley (FR); WR Kobe Prentice (JR); DL Jehiem Oatis (JR); WR Kendrick Law (JR); OT Miles McVay (FR); WR Caleb Odom (FR); OT Naquil Betrand RFR); DL Hunter Osborne (FR); TE Danny Lewis Jr. (SO); QB Dylan Lonergan (RFR); LB Braylon Chatman (SO)

Arkansas: WR Jaedon Wilson (RJR) to UCLA; QB Malachi Singleton (FR); TE Tyrus Washington (SO); TE Var’keyes Gumms (JR); OG Patrick Kutas (JR) to Ole Miss; TE Luke Hasz (SO); S Nico Davillier (JR); WR Kamron Bibby (SO); LB Kaden Henley (SO); LB Alex Sanford (SO); WR Davion Dozier (RFR); S Dallas Young (FR); P Sam Dubwig (FR); RB Emmanuel Crawford (FR); LS Eli Stein; S Tevis Metcalf (SO); CB TJ Metcalf (FR); LB Carson Dean (FR); RB Isaiah Sategna (RSO); OG Joshua Braun (RSR); DL Ty’kieast Crawford (SR); EDGE Brad Spence (SO); OG Addison Nichols (RSO); OT Jac’Qawn McCray (FR) from Oregon

Auburn: DL Gage Keys (RJR); TE Grant Hidalgo (RJR); QB Holden Geriner (RSO); OG EJ Harris (SO); P Gabe Russo (FR); WR Camden Brown (JR); TE Micah Riley (SO) to Texas A&M; EDGE T.J. Lindsey (FR); S Caleb Wooden (JR); QB Hank Brown (RFR); CB Antonio Kite (SO); WR Horatio Fields (RJR) from Wake Forest; QB Maalik Murphy (RSO) from Texas; LB Phoenix Jackson (RJR) from Fresno State;

FLORIDA: DE Justus Boone (RJR); OL Mike Williams (RFR); EDGE Quincy Ivory (RJR); EDGE Bryce Capers (SO); WR Andy Jean (RFR); CB Ja’Keem Jackson (SO); DL Kelby Collins (SO); OG Christian Williams (RSO); TE Arlis Boardingham (RSO); LB Deuce Spurlock (RSO); QB Parker Leise; EDGE Jack Pyburn (RSO); TE Gavin Hill (RFR)

Georgia: CB Julian Humphrey (SO); WR Nitro Tuggle (FR); David Daniel-Sisavanh; WR Michael Jackson III (SR); DL Jamaal Jarrett (SO)

Kentucky: DL Keeshawn Silver (RJR); LS Walker Himebauch (SO); CB Avery Stuart (FR); WR Dane Key (JR); LB Jayvant Brown (SO); EDGE Tommy Ziesmer (FR); TE Khamari Anderson (SO); TE Tanner Lemaster (FR); OT Courtland Ford (SR); WR Barion Brown (JR); WR Anthony Brown-Stephens (SO); OT Ben Cristman (RJR); EDGE Noah Matthews (SO); EDGE Tyreese Fearby (RSO); QB Gavin Wimsatt (RJR); S Jarard Mosely (JR); RB Chip Trayanum (RSR); EDGE Caleb Redd (FR); WR Brandon White (RSO)

LSU: WR London Ibieta (SO); QB Rickie Collins (RFR); WR CJ Daniels (RJR); S Kylin Jackson (FR); WR Shelton Sampson JR (FR); LB Xavier Atkins (FR); CB JK Johnson (JR); PK Nathan Dibert (JR); S Jordan Allen (RSO); CB Jalailin Johnson (RJR); TE Ka’Morreun Pimpton (SO); CB Bernard Causey (FR); DL Jay’viar Suggs (RSR); S Sage Ryan (; DE Da’Shawn Womack (SO) to Ole Miss 

Mississippi State: QB Chris Parson (RFR); WR Creed Whittemore (SO); WR JJ Harrell (FR); CB Jayven Williams (SO) from Kennesaw State; EDGE Ty Cooper (JR); LB John Lewis (RJR); OT Makylan Pounders (JR); LB Tabias Hinton (FR); WR Antonio Harmon (JR); LB Marcus Ross (JR); WR Mario Craver (FR); CB Raydarious Jones (SR); CB Khamauri Rogers (SO); CB Brice Pollock (SO); DL Gabe Moore (FR); LB Jarvae Gilmore (RSO); DL Eric Taylor (SR); Christopher Keys (RSR); QB Michael Van Buren Jr.; EDGE Redd Hibbler (SR) from North Carolina State; S Jahron Manning (JR) from Old Dominion; CB Kevin Coleman (JR) to Missouri; EDGE Nevaeh Sanders (RJR) from Northern Illinois; WR Brenen Thompson (JR) from Oklahoma

Missouri: LB Brayshawn Littlejon (FR); P Will Safris (FR); WR Mekhi Miller (JR); PK Brody Boehm (FR); P Orion Phillips (SO); S Phillip Roche (SO); IOL Jack McGarry (RSO); EDGE Jaylen Brown (FR)CB Kevin Coleman (JR) from Mississippi State; EDGE Williams Nwaneri (FR) to Nebraska

Oklahoma: WR Jaquaize Pettaway (SO); QB Jackson Arnold (SO); RB Kalib Hicks (FR); WR Nic Anderson (SO); RB Emeka Megwa (JR); TE Bauer Sharp (JR); CB Makari Vickers (SO); RB Chapman McKown (FR); CB Kani Walker (RJR); OG Geirean Hatchett (SR) to Washington; CB Jayden Rowe (SO) to Kansas State; OT Kenny Wermy (RFR); IOL Joshua Bates  (RFR); WR JJ Hester (RSR); WR Jalil Farooq (SR); S Makari Vickers (SO); WR Andrel Anthony (SR); TE Josh Fanuiel (RSO); LB Phil Picciotti (RFR); QB Brendan Zurbrugg (FR); WR Brenen Thompson (JR) to Mississippi State; S Dasan McCullough (JR)

Ole Miss: S Key Lawrence (RSR); QB Walker Howard (RSO) to Louisiana; OT Cam East (RSO); OT Mana Taimani (RSR); OT Jack Mills (SR); LB Rodney Groce Jr. (SR); OT PJ Wilkins (RFR) from Charlotte; EDGE Da’Shawn Womack (SO) from LSU; OG Patrick Kutas (JR) from Arkansas  

South Carolina: LB Bangally Kamara (RSR) to Kansas; LB Mohamed Kaba (RSR); WR Tyshawn Russell (SO); TE Connor Cox (SO); TE Nick Elksnis (RJR); WR CJ Adams (RFR); QB Robby Ashford (RJR); DL Jamaal Whyce (RSO); DL Elijah Davis (SR)

Tennessee: OG Vysen Lang (FR); RB Khalifa Keith (SO); WR Kaleb Webb (SO); CB Jordan Matthews (RFR); LB Jalen Smith (RFR); WR Chas Nimrod (SO); QB Ryan Damron (FR); WR Nathan Leacock (FR); TE Luke Shouse (RSR)

Texas: WR Johntay Cook II (SO); DL Jaray Bledsoe (RSO); DL Aaron Bryant (SO); LB Derion Gullette (FR); EDGE Tausill Akana (FR); DL Tiaoalii Savea (SR); CB Jay’vion Cole (JR); P Jack Bouwmeester (RJR) from Utah

Texas A&M: DL Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy (SO); QB Conner Weigman (RSO) to Houston; WR Cyrus Allen (JR); TE Jaden Platt (FR); QB Jaylen Henderson (JR); OT Aki Ogunbiyi (JR);OT Hunter Erb (SO); CB Kevin Longstreet Jr. (FR); EDGE Malick Sylia (JR); LB Martrell Harris Jr. (JR); WR Micah Tease (SO); OG TJ Shanahan (FR); P Keegan Andrews (JR); LB Chantz Johnson (SO); OG Cam Dewberry (JR); EDGE Josh Celiscar (RSR); QB Jacob Zeno (RSR) from UAB; WR Jake Bostick (RSO); CB Donovan Saunders (; EDGE Enai White (JR); WR Jacob Bostick (RSO); DL Samu Taumanupepe (RFR) to Baylor

Vanderbilt: LB Jeffrey Ugochukwu (JR); QB Nate Johnson (JR); EDGE BJ Diakate (JR); LB Steve Sannieniola (JR); DL Devin Lee (SR); OT Gunnar Hansen (SR); CB Alan Wright (SR); EDGE Darren Agu (JR); TE Tyler Fortenberry; PK Will Faris (SR); WR Ezra McAllister; CB Alvin Williamson Jr. (FR); EDGE Evan Hermann (SO); EDGE Callahan Blair (FR); LB Keanu Koht (RJR) from Alabama