Florida vs. Utah Prediction, Odds & Betting Picks
Week 1 of the college football season is here! This week’s marquee action begins with a highly-anticipated matchup between the Florida Gators and Utah Utes on Thursday night. Kickoff is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. EST on ESPN.
In our Florida vs. Utah betting preview, we break down the rosters for both teams, make a prediction for the game, and deliver a free pick.
Florida vs. Utah Odds
| Florida Odds | +6.5 |
| Utah Odds | -6.5 |
| Over/Under | 44.5 |
| Date | Thu, Aug. 31 |
| Time | 8:00 p.m. |
| TV | ESPN |
Let’s take a deeper look at the matchup and some college football betting tips as we try to find value at sportsbooks in this contest.
Florida Gators
Mertz replacing Richardson at QB
This past summer, the Florida Gators lost their 2022 starting quarterback to the NFL Draft when Anthony Richardson was selected with the fourth overall pick by the Indianapolis Colts. Replacing Richardson is Graham Mertz. Mertz is 19-10 in his career as a starter, but he lacks the ability to create plays with his legs, which Richardson did so well last fall. In 2022, Richardson ran for 654 yards. Mertz has negative 21 rushing yards for his career. Adding insult to injury, the offensive line only has one returning starter, Kingsley Eguakun. According to Pro Football Focus, Eguakun graded worse than the league average at his position last fall, both as a run- and pass-blocker. The running back room is full of talent, but not enough talent to win one-dimensional football games.
Gator defense
According to Phil Steele, head coach Billy Napier feels that “the front seven is the strength of the team.” Playing in their second year with Napier’s system, the unit should be improved from what we saw last year, but they are still a long way away from being formidable. Each of their top-five tacklers are gone from 2022, which includes a lot of NFL-caliber athletes. Florida lost each of last year’s starting linebackers and have nowhere near enough talent coming in from the transfer portal to make up for those missing pieces.
Utah Utes
Will Rising take the field?
Utah’s starting quarterback, Cameron Rising, is still recovering from an ACL tear in January’s Rose Bowl and seems increasingly unlikely to play on Thursday night. Per the Salt Lake Tribune, Bryson Barnes is listed as QB2 on the depth chart and will see the first action of the evening against Florida. Barnes went 37-for-57 in 2022, throwing for 430 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions. In recent weeks, head coach Kyle Whittingham has emphasized that he trusts multiple signal callers on his roster and that he feels the team will be in good shape until Rising returns. Whittingham also explicitly commented that Nate Johnson will see action in this contest, either as a traditional quarterback or in special designed packages.
Best front-seven in college football?
Utah enters 2023 with nine returning starters on defense and boasts one of the best front sevens in all of college football. The Utes allowed only 4.0 yards per carry on the ground last season and return nearly all of their top tacklers for this fall. In the secondary unit, Cole Bishop will be back alongside Sione Vaki to form a dynamic safety tandem. Overall, this group has the potential to be one of the best defenses of any school in the country.
Florida vs. Utah Prediction and Betting Picks
It is certainly concerning that Utah still, allegedly, does not know who will start at quarterback on Thursday evening. The indecision is particularly concerning given the fact that each of their three options are very different players, which means that the offensive game plan will differ significantly based on who gets the nod.
Nevertheless, it is difficult to overlook the sheer dominance of the Utes’ defense entering 2023. The Gators have only one returning starter on the offensive line against one of the best defensive lines they will see all season. If Rising suits up, this game could get ugly. Even if Rising doesn’t take the field, Utah has enough skill and depth to take care of business in front of their home fans to begin the year.
FREE PICK: Utah -6.5 (-110, Fanatics Sportsbook)