Georgia vs. Florida Prediction: Can Graham Mertz, Gators Keep It Close Against Bulldogs in Rivalry Battle?
The Florida Gators are the de facto home team in this neutral site rivalry battle against the top-ranked Georgia Bulldogs. Can veteran transfer QB Graham Mertz and the Gators keep this game close in Jacksonville? Krabs breaks down the SEC matchup of "The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party" between Georgia and Florida.
Krabs - October 27, 2023, 4:33 PM EDT
Georgia vs. Florida Prediction: Can Graham Mertz, Gators Keep It Close Against Bulldogs in Rivalry Battle?
Georgia might be undefeated, but ask any college football fan and they’ll tell you this isn’t the same team from last season. Carson Beck isn’t Stetson Bennett, and now that they are without star tight end Brock Bowers, this offense simply doesn’t looks as scary anymore. They’ve still been putting up plenty of points against some some weaker defenses like Vanderbilt, Kentucky and UAB. Tonight, they’ll face a much tougher challenge— the Florida Gators in Jacksonville. Will the Bulldogs stay undefeated and continue their journey to another college football playoff, or will the Gators make this game weird in their home state?
Georgia vs. Florida Date, Time, and Where to Watch
- Date: October 28, 2023
- Game Time: 3:30 pm ET
- Where to Watch: CBS
Georgia vs. Florida Prediction
Don’t get me wrong, Georgia has don’t nothing on the field of late to make you think they aren’t deserving of a CFB playoff spot. Here’s my issue: the Bulldogs have such an easy schedule this year, and after losing their star QB, offensive coordinator, multiple pieces on the defensive side of the ball and now your star TE, somethings gotta give for this team. They can’t win every game, or at least I don’t think this roster is good enough to.
The craziest part is, we don’t even need the Gators to win this ballgame; we just need them to keep it within two touchdowns. This line is a complete overreaction to Georgia’s previous dominance. Don’t be fooled, the team is 1-6 ATS in 2023. You know what the Gators have been doing? They’ve won four of their last five, including an outright win on the road against South Carolina as an underdog. They also had a bye week in between for extra preparation. Yeah, I’ll back the Gators getting two touchdowns. If Coach Napier can’t keep this game close, what did U of F hire him for?
Florida is looking like one of the sharpest plays of Saturday’s early CFB slate. The splits are sharp, and line has come down from +20 to +14, and the Gators should be able to make this game weird in front of their home-state fans. This game might be getting played at a neutral site, but it’s not going to feel like that.
Let’s not sleep on this veteran combo in the backfield at Florida either. Graham Mertz and Montrell Johnson Jr. have looked sharp of late, and Trevor Etienne had a nice bounce-back game before their bye after fumbling against Kentucky the week prior. Does that name sound familiar?
I’m not saying you should bet the moneyline with Florida here, but I do think the spread is the best play in the early-CFB slate. Bet the Gators and watch them keep it close against the best team in the country the last five seasons. This one could go down to the wire…
Georgia vs. Florida Pick
Pick: Florida +14 (-110) Click here to see which sportsbook has the best odds
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