Florida is looking for its second straight win over No. 14 Utah in a showdown Thursday night in Salt Lake City. This season-opening tournament is one of the headline games of the five-day extravaganza known as college football’s opening weekend. That means it’s time to tighten your chin straps and prepare for the 2023 season in style.
This is a big test for the Gators, who are looking to put a difficult 2022 season behind them in coach Billy Napier’s first season at the helm. Quarterback Anthony Richardson is gone and so is Graham Mertz, who transferred from Wisconsin to take the snaps in an offense that desperately needs a boost.
The Utes are fully in contention for the national title, according to the preseason rankings, and have back-to-back Pac-12 titles under their belt to prove their worth on the national stage. Coach Kyle Whittingham has established the program’s identity as a hard-nosed juggernaut that will punish opponents on the front line.
Let’s break down one of Week 1’s most anticipated matchups and pick straight up and against the spread.
Follow LIVE as Florida takes on Utah on Thursday
How to watch Florida vs. Utah live
Date: Thursday, August 31st | Time: 8 p.m. ET
Location: Rice-Eccles Stadium – Salt Lake City
TV: ESPN | Live broadcast: fubo (Try for free)
Florida vs. Utah: What you need to know
Rising Health: Utes star quarterback Cam Rising’s status is uncertain as he recovers from a knee injury suffered in the Rose Bowl in January. The 6-foot-2, 220-pound senior threw for 3,034 yards and 26 touchdowns last year and added 465 rushing yards and six touchdowns on the ground. He said he’s “doing pretty darn good right now” this week (via: 247Sports), so it seems like things are trending in a positive direction. If Rising is unable to participate, backup candidates Bryson Barnes and Nate Johnson will be the two candidates who will get the starting nod. Whittingham said Monday that Johnson will play “no matter what,” meaning there will be speed in the backfield that exceeds anything Utah has had in the past.
Can Mertz be a star? If this turns into a quarterback shootout, it will be interesting to see if Mertz can keep up. The redshirt junior had his best season last year, but threw for just 2,136 yards, 18 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 12 games. He arrived in Gainesville, Florida, with hopes of jump-starting an offense that was woefully inconsistent, even though Richardson was widely considered one of the best quarterbacks in the country. His experience was something Napier was impressed with during fall camp.
“I think the biggest thing that impressed me is just his ability to learn the system, translate what he knows and apply it to our system,” Napier said in announcing Mertz as the starting quarterback. “And then just, you know, relentless in the approach. He probably worked as hard as any player on our team. Probably as tough as a lot of other players I’ve been with, you know, as far as the unseen hours go, right? That’s what I’m talking about specifically, and the self-discipline of having a system, a process, a routine, working, engaging with players, asking very intelligent questions and anticipating problems.”
Fight in the Trenches: As with most matchups, it will be fascinating to watch the battle in the trenches, especially with Florida on offense. The Gators lost four of five starters from last year’s squad, and this group will need to come together quickly to keep Mertz clean and create holes for the Gators’ dynamic rushing attack. On the other side of the ball is an experienced and versatile Utah defensive front. The Utes led the Pac-12 in tackles for loss per game (6.43) and sacks per game (2.93) last season, and that has become a hallmark within the program. The winner of this battle will likely take home the victory.
Florida vs. Utah prediction, tips
SportsLine consensus odds
It doesn’t matter if Rising plays, because Utah’s defense will keep the Gators’ offense in check for a full four quarters. Yes, Florida’s running back duo Montrell Johnson Jr. and Trevor Etienne are great, but the Utes’ defense will attack them and force Mertz to beat them with his arm. He is not able to do that. The Utes’ offense will do enough to control them from the start and pull out a double-digit win in the fourth quarter. Prediction: Utah (-6.5)
What college football picks can you make with confidence in Week 1? Visit SportsLine to see which teams will win and cover the spread – all using a proven computer model that has returned nearly $2,500 in profit over the last seven-plus seasons – and find out.