JACKSONVILLE – You expect hostility from fans.

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

We expect pessimism from sports journalists.

They are cynical, jaded, they reflect the mood.

We might even expect cannon fire from the administration.

They are worried, they are impatient, they listen to the boosters.

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

Florida was flirting with one of the biggest upsets in program history 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 get injured by chance.

Leading at halftime, tied in the last five minutes, the Gators finally ran out of good humor and lost to Georgia, No. 2, 34-20. Today, for the first time since 1980-83, Florida lost four straight games to the Bulldogs.

“We knew there would be momentum in the game that would test the team’s resiliency, and that certainly was the case,” Florida coach Billy Napier said. “We felt like we understood the mission and had the men to carry it out. This group is very united, its unity is powerful.

“Over the last few weeks, this group started to believe that they could play with anyone and beat anyone. Obviously there’s a lot of football here that could be improved.

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

The Gators led 10-3 when redshirt freshman Aidan Warner, who transferred from Yale earlier this year and had thrown three passes during his college career, took over the offense. Considering the game plan revolved around Lagway’s passing and running ability, Warner was not positioned to step in without notice.

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

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

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

And yet, there was a sense of optimism at the end of Saturday’s game. Unlike September, when the Gators were blown out by Miami and Texas A&M, this team is playing with more confidence and determination. They have been understaffed for many weeks, but they are no longer in the way.

The defense finally collapsed, but it stymied 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 in the third quarter with a 51-yard field goal attempt, but a low shot went past the holder and put Georgia at the Florida 36. But even after the Bulldogs took the lead , the Gators came back with a game-tying game with 7:29 left.

Napier could have relied on quarterback injuries as well as the loss of starting running back Montrell Johnson Jr. and several members of the secondary to explain the failure to pull off the upset, but instead praised the players who intervened.

“There have always been injuries in this game. Every team in the country has injuries,” he said. “One thing I can say is that we have built a team that has some 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 unanimous that Napier’s future in Gainesville was in serious jeopardy.

So, are these escapes enough to rethink your future? Is his popularity in the locker room a sign that better days are ahead?

Maybe, but the numbers still work 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, he may only be left not enough goodwill in Gainesville to save it.

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

“I’m proud of Aidan. I have confidence in Aidan,” Napier said. “He’s done a great job since he started doing reps a few weeks ago, and for him to do what he did (Saturday), I think there’s something to say about it. He will continue to improve. Think about it, just a few weeks ago he was eating ice cream.

“Then all of a sudden, Graham Mertz is down and (he’s) No. 2. Then, there we go, two weeks later, it’s Florida-Georgia and (he’s) trotting on the field.”

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

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