JACKSONVILLE – You expect hostility from fans.

They're angry, they're frustrated, they're tired of losing.

One expects pessimism from sports journalists.

They are cynical, they are jaded, they reflect the mood.

One could even expect cannon fire from the administration.

They worry, they're impatient, they listen to Booster.

But who could have predicted that the heavens would also turn against the Gators?

Florida was flirting with one of the biggest upsets in program history on Saturday when fate threw another banana peel its way. For the second time in three games, the Gators had a chance to beat a top-10 opponent but saw a starting quarterback sidelined due to a fluke injury.

The Gators, who led at halftime and tied in the final five minutes, eventually ran out of good cheer and lost 34-20 to No. 2 Georgia. Now Florida has lost four straight to the Bulldogs for the first time since 1980-83.

“We knew there would be momentum in the game that would test the team's resilience, and that was certainly the case,” Florida coach Billy Napier said. “We felt we understood the mission and we felt we had the men who could accomplish it. This group is very united, their unity is powerful.

“In the last few weeks this group has started to believe that they can play with anyone and beat anyone. Obviously there’s a lot of football here that can be made better.”

After No. 1 quarterback Graham Mertz suffered a season-ending knee injury during a touchdown pass against Tennessee, backup DJ Lagway appeared to suffer a serious hamstring injury when he slipped while running the ball in the second quarter against Georgia.

The Gators led 10-3 when redshirt freshman Aidan Warner, a walk-on who transferred from Yale earlier this year and had thrown three passes in his college career, took over the offense. Considering the game plan revolved around Lagway's passing and running skills downfield, Warner was ill-suited to step in without notice.

He completed 7 of 22 passes for 66 yards, two sacks and one interception.

“What I like best about him is that he’s a competitor,” receiver Chimere Dike said. “He wasn’t afraid of that big moment and we tried to rally around him. Obviously we needed to do a better job offensively.”

The Gators are now 4-4 overall and 2-3 in the Southeastern Conference and could be headed for their fourth straight losing season with upcoming games against No. 6 Texas, No. 16 LSU and No. 19 Ole Miss.

Still, there was a sense of optimism as the game ended Saturday. Unlike in September, when the Gators were eliminated by Miami and Texas A&M, this team is playing with greater confidence and purpose. They were outnumbered for many weeks, but they are no longer embarrassing themselves.

The defense collapsed in the end, but it thwarted the Bulldogs for most of the afternoon. Florida intercepted Georgia quarterback Carson Beck three times and added two sacks. The Gators had a chance to regain the lead with a 51-yard field goal attempt in the third quarter, but a low snap slipped past the keeper, putting Georgia at the Florida 36. But even after the Bulldogs had taken the lead , the Gators came back with a game-winning drive with 7:29 left.

Napier could have leaned on the quarterback injuries as well as the loss of starting running back Montrell Johnson Jr. and several members of the secondary as an explanation for the inability to complete the upset, but instead he praised the players who stepped in.

“There were always injuries in this game. Every team in the country has injuries,” he said. “One thing I can say is that we have built a squad that has a certain level of competitive depth and that has proven to be beneficial. You play in this league, the level of competition, the explosive players, the height, length and speed of the game, the physicality of this game, you’re always going to need depth.”

A month ago, the college football world seemed to agree that Napier's future in Gainesville was in serious jeopardy.

So are these close calls enough to reconsider his future? Is his popularity in the locker room an indication that better days lie ahead?

Maybe, but the numbers are still against him. The Gators are now 2-13 against ranked teams in his three years at the helm, and if they can't pull off an upset against one of the next three opponents, there may not be enough goodwill left in Gainesville to save him.

It certainly won't help that Lagway, who is scheduled to have an MRI on Sunday, will likely miss the next game and possibly more.

“I'm proud of Aidan. I have confidence in Aidan,” said Napier. “He's done a great job since he started taking reps a few weeks ago, and for him to do what he did (Saturday), I think there's something to be said for that. He will continue to get better. Think about it: Just a few weeks ago, he was standing around eating ice cream.

“Then suddenly Graham Mertz is on the ground and (he) is number 2. Then it starts, two weeks later it's Florida-Georgia and (he) is trotting across the field.”

John Romano can be reached at [email protected]. Follow @romano_tbtimes.

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