The 2023 college football season is here, and there are several big games on the schedule in Week 1. The Utah Utes will host the Florida Gators in one of those matchups, and this is a rematch of a game from a season ago.
The NCAAF odds for this matchup are going to slightly favor the home team, and Utah has higher expectations as well. None of that will matter once the ball is put in play on Thursday night, as Florida will be looking to pull an upset.
Here is some of the key information that will help you make a Florida vs Utah prediction for this matchup on Thursday night.
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Overall Game Info & Outlook
Florida Gators vs Utah Utes
Location: Rice-Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City, UT
Date & Time: August 31 at 8:00 PM EST
Florida finished 2022 with a record of 6-7. Utah went 10-4 a season ago, including a perfect 6-0 at home.
Florida Gators at Utah Utes Betting Preview
Florida Gators Preview
The Florida Gators were near the bottom of the NCAAF standings in the SEC a season ago, and they are trying to bounce back in a big way. Head coach Billy Napier is now in his second season with the Gators, and he believes that his team will be more competitive this year.
Florida is going to have to put up better NCAAF stats on the defensive side of the ball if they are going to win this one, but this will be a huge test. That defense struggled mightily a season ago, and they are facing a great offense in this game.
- Florida beat Utah by a score of 29-26 last season to begin the year
- Gators have scored at least one point in an NCAA record 436 consecutive games.
- Florida finished the 2022 season by losing three straight games.
- Gators gave up at least 30 points in the final three games of the 2022 season.
Anthony Richardson carried Florida on offense a season ago, but now it will be Graham Mertz who is leading the Gators on offense. Mertz threw for over 5,400 yards and 38 touchdowns at the University of Wisconsin, and he is a very accurate passer.
It will actually be the Florida defense that determines how well the Gators play this year, and that unit is going to be receiving a huge test right away. The Gators are going to have to slow down the tempo in this one and then hope that Mertz is able to hit on some big plays.
Utah Utes Preview
Utah is one of the favorites to win the Pac-12 Conference this season, but they are going to have to prove that they can get it done on the field. Quarterback Cam Rising is expected to play at some point this season, but his status for this game is up in the air.
The Utes should feature one of the best offensive attacks in the country this season, and they are also loaded on the defensive side of the ball. Expectations are high for Utah as they look to win the Pac-12 again.
- Utah has won 14 straight home games and 25 of their last six games.
- Utah won the Pac-12 Championship a season ago
- Utah scored at least 42 points in three of their final five games in 2022
- The over hit in the last five games that Utah played in 2022
It’s not going to be easy to make a Florida vs Utah prediction until the status of Cameron Rising is known, but Utah is preparing to win the game without their star. Not having Rising would have a huge impact on the offense in this game, but they still have enough talent to get it done.
You also want to look at home-field advantage when making NCAAF picks, and Utah should get a big boost from their crowd. Utah will try to take advantage of an inexperienced Florida defense in this matchup.
Top Sportsbooks Odds
Finding the top NCAAF betting sites is going to be extremely important when making a bet on this game, as that is where you are going to get the best overall College Football odds. Shopping around for odds is just as important as knowing how to bet on college football.
Here is a look at the spread and the odds that you will see from five of the top sportsbooks.
BetNow: Utah Utes -4.5 (-115)
BetOnline: Utah Utes -4.5 (-110)
BetUS: Utah Utes -4.5 (-110)
Bovada: Utah Utes -4.5 (-105)
MyBookie: Utah Utes -4.5 (-110)
Florida Gators at Utah Utes Odds & Picks
Odds for this Matchup:
| Florida Gators | Utah Utes |
| +170 | -200 |
Recommended Pick: Utah Utes -4.5
Now that you have taken a closer look at each team, it should be easier to come up with a Florida vs Utah prediction. This should be one of the better NCAAF matchups when looking at the entire Week 1 NCAAF schedule, and some team is going to get a big win.
Florida would be catching a huge break if Utah was without Cameron Rising in this game, but the Utes are still the team with more talent. Eventually, that talent is going to take over in this matchup, as it will be Utah that wins and covers the spread.
You should also bet the over 44.0 points in this matchup, as the Utah offense will take control and have the Florida defense on its heels the entire night.
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