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Boom: Will Muschamp "dismissed" by Florida, will coach final two games, per reports

Will Muschamp has been "dismissed," but will coach the Gators through the end of the regular season.

By Andy Hutchins
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Will Muschamp has been dismissed by Florida, Sports Illustrated's Andy Staples reports on this Sunday morning.

Muschamp's Gators lost a 23-20 game to South Carolina on Saturday, falling in inexplicable and excruciating fashion after leading 17-10 with under a minute to go. A blocked punt — which came after a blocked field goal squandered a chance to go up 20-10 — gave the Gamecocks the ball in Florida territory, and Steve Spurrier's club scored touchdowns in the final seconds and in overtime to end Florida's bid to win the SEC East.

Muschamp, who has compiled a 27-20 record over his four years in Gainesville, will leave Florida without ever winning the SEC East, and with broken streaks and ignominious defeats strewn in his wake.

It's unclear what Florida will do from here, but Muschamp's dismissal likely means the Gators will have an interim coach for some portion of the 2014 season, possibly as soon as for this Saturday's Senior Day game against Eastern Kentucky: Charlie Strong served as Florida's interim coach for the Peach Bowl after Ron Zook's firing in 2004, and Steve Addazio was set to be interim coach for the Gators in 2009 after Urban Meyer's abrupt first "retirement," before Meyer reversed field.

Update: ESPN's Brett McMurphy reports that Muschamp will coach Florida's final two regular games against Eastern Kentucky and Florida State.