Florida is hosting South Florida on Saturday afternoon of Week 2. The game will take place at 4:15 p.m. ET in Gainesville, Florida. South Florida started its season strong with a ranked win over Boise State, and will look for a second one against Florida, who have College Football Playoff aspirations.
The Gators are 18.5-point home favorites in this game on DraftKings Sportsbook, with the total set at 56.5 points. This is a preview, prediction and pick for this South Florida-Florida non-conference matchup.
South Florida vs. Florida Preview
South Florida Preview
South Florida had one of the biggest wins of Week 1 in college football. The Bulls started their season with a win over a ranked Boise State team. The Broncos no longer have Ashton Jeanty, but they were still the betting favorite to be the Group of Five representative in the College Football Playoff again this season. South Florida held Boise State to just seven points, and its quarterback, Byrum Brown, put on a show. Brown threw for 210 yards and rushed for 43 more, scoring two touchdowns on the ground. Chas Nimrod is a deep-threat wide receiver who will be tough on opponents all season. This is the second-straight game against a ranked opponent for the Bulls. While Florida is much better than Boise State on paper, South Florida will be fearless and confident heading into The Swamp after Week 1.
Florida Preview
Florida has its eyes set on the College Football Playoff. It has one of the best rosters in America on paper, but its brutally difficult schedule and poor quarterback play have held the team back over the last couple of years. The Gators still have one of the hardest schedules in America, but with DJ Lagway at quarterback, they are hoping they can finally get back to the top tier of the college football world. Lagway came in as a freshman last season and went 4-0 as the starter in Florida’s final four games of the season. He helped the Gators beat two of the best teams in the nation, LSU and Ole Miss. He came into this season as one of the potential breakout stars in the sport. Florida played Long Island University, one of the worst D1 teams in the nation, so there isn’t too much to glean from that game. The Gators are still big favorites, but South Florida will be Lagway’s first chance to put on a serious show this season.
South Florida vs. Florida Pick
My best bet is for South Florida to cover the three-score spread. South Florida will be confident coming into this game after its big win over Boise State. The Bulls want to run the ball, especially with their quarterback, which should slow down the pace of play and limit the total number of possessions. Florida should be able to move the ball through the air with Lagway, but while he can create explosive plays, he has also been liable to turn the ball over. While the Gators should come ready for this game, they have a massive game against LSU next week. That means that if they are up 14-21 points late in the game, they should sit on the ball or even put in backups, allowing South Florida to get within the number. Brown should be able to create a couple of special plays to get his team the cover in Gainesville.
