Florida's Billy Napier Discusses Rivalry Game Against FSU, Backup QBs Taking Center Stage
After a game of highs and lows against the North Alabama Lions, the Florida State Seminoles find themselves 11-0 for just the sixth time in program history as they head into the final week of the regular season with a familiar foe awaiting them.
Since 1958 the Seminoles and Florida Gators have faced off on an annual basis (the only exception was in 2020 with the game canceled due to COVID-19). While the Gators have gotten the best of the ‘Noles in the all-time head-to-head series with a 37-27-2 record, FSU won the last matchup in 2022 with a final score of 45-38 inside Doak Campbell Stadium.
As the Seminoles prepare to head to Gainesville for the annual Sunshine State rivalry, both teams must prepare for what is arguably the worst-case scenario. Each squad lost their starting quarterback to season-ending injuries last weekend.
Ahead of the highly anticipated game for fans and players of both teams, Florida head coach Billy Napier commented on the contest as well as the Gators' mentality going into a sold-out primetime matchup.
"It's a special week for a lot of reasons. Obviously, you know, one of the more historic rivalries in all of college football, and I think it's a privilege to have the opportunity of that, for not only our players but the entire organization," Napier said in his opening statement. "This is a game that matters 24/7, 365. We're certainly excited about being in The Swamp Saturday night, a sold-out crowd, I think that's five straight for Gator nation so we're very thankful for that."
With Travis out for the season after an injury to his left leg in the first quarter against the Lions, the Seminoles' offense lies in the hands of redshirt junior Tate Rodemaker, who has started only one game despite being on the squad since 2020. Napier commented on the skill of Florida State's new starter as well as his ties to the Rodemaker family
"I've got a long-standing history with (Tate) Rodemaker, his dad is a long-time friend of my dad's and when I was growing up heck, Coach Rodemaker was always around at different events and camps that we would go to. I think we even started the recruiting process a little bit at Louisiana," Napier said. "He's a coaches son, he's very bright, this is his fourth year in the system, he got there in '20, so I mean he's acquired reps throughout his time there, and you have a good grasp of what they do."
"He's a little bit different of a type of player but certainly he's got his strengths and they've got terrific skill around him. There will be an element of experience, I think that's the big thing," Napier continued. "He's played, I think if you go back to the Louisville game last year, he had to step in there and play and certainly he's played a lot when the games have been in control, they've put him in there, so there's a pretty good sample size of him playing."
Napier added to the topic of Rodemaker being named the starter with the fact the Gators will start redshirt freshman Max Brown at quarterback after starter Graham Mertz fractured his collarbone against Missouri. He noted that this game will force both offenses to adjust to the new players, and how that will impact the game.
"I think we take every offense you have evolves based off of what the quarterback is really good at, and certainly Max is a little bit different of a type of player. They're going from Jordan Travis to Rodemaker and we're going from Graham Mertz to Max Brown, so there's an element of change for both teams and certainly that's a part of the strategy relative to the game."
In addition to a sold-out crowd, the game will celebrate the senior athletes on the team in a pregame senior night ceremony. The Gators will also honor former Florida quarterback, Heisman winner, and two-time national champion Tim Tebow as he is a member of the 2023 College Football Hall of Fame class.
Napier commented on how that could factor into Florida's response as the team enters the contest on a four-game losing streak. On the flip-side, the Seminoles have been ranked in the top 5 for 12 consecutive weeks.
"All of those are external, but they have impact, I think when you lose a couple in a row, you're looking for buttons to push. I think this week provides some of that. We haven't had that problem, so I think for me, that's one of the blessings about this team is that we don't necessarily have that issue, I'm not looking for some secret formula to get them to play hard," Napier said. "I think there's some intangibles and loyalty that's been developed. They want to do their job to do their best for each other, so we just need to do our job a little bit better, that's the key."
The Seminoles and Gators will face off on Saturday, November 25th in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. With an undefeated regular season on the line for FSU, the Gators will fight for bowl eligibility as they currently sit at 5-6 in the regular season. The game will be broadcast on ESPN with kickoff scheduled for 7 PM.
READ MORE: Rodemaker's Road: Getting To Know FSU's New Starting QB For The Remainder Of 2023 Season
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