The final weekend of the college football regular season is nearly upon us and as has been the tradition since the 2002 campaign the Florida Gators and Florida State Seminoles will face off in one of the more notable rivalry games in the sport’s history.
Speaking of history, UF holds a 37-28-2 record in the all-time series dating back to 1958. However, FSU has had the upper hand in recent years, winning two straight and seven of the last 10 meetings.
This year, though, the Garnet and Gold limp into their final game with just two triumphs in 11 tries while the Orange and Blue cemented its postseason appearance with a victory over the Ole Miss Rebels last weekend to put it at 6-5 overall.
Ahead of the annual affair, the Gators Wire staff weighed in with their respective takes on what they expect this Saturday inside Doak Campbell Stadium.
Florida should run score up if possible
Back-to-back upsets against ranked teams mean Florida is a heavy favorite to put a smackdown on Florida State on Saturday. The Seminoles might be the most disappointing team in the country this season and are sporting a 2-9 record with wins over Cal and Charleston Southern.
This could be the game that [autotag]DJ Lagway[/autotag] explodes and launches his 2025 Heisman campaign, putting the rest of the NCAA on notice — if they aren’t already. These teams do not like each other, and Florida should run the score up if at all possible. — David Rosenberg
Florida 45, Florida State 16
Give me Florida winning big
What a year it’s been for the Gators. Coming off back-to-back wins against ranked opponents, you already know Florida will come into Tallahassee amped up for this rivalry game. The key for Florida will be controlling the tempo through a strong ground game and limiting turnovers.
If Lagway can continue to play well and the defense can generate pressure, the Gators shouldn’t have any problem. While it’s been an absolute disaster of a season for FSU, rivalry games are notoriously unpredictable, so the Gators need to make sure that they stay focused.
With that being said, I don’t see any way that this is a close game. Give me Florida winning big. — Aidan Gallardo
Florida 37, FSU 17
Difficult to not predict a Florida victory
Florida simply cannot afford to fall into a trap game against their fiercest in-state rivals, but anyone who has followed this series over the years knows that anything is possible. The Gators should easily prevail, but this fan of 47-plus years knows better than to be complacent.
That said, it is difficult to not predict a victory — and victory will be had by the Orange and Blue. However, I do not think it will be a beautiful affair and will likely be closer than most expect.
Florida 35, FSU 21
How to watch UF vs FSU
The Gators will face the Florida State Seminoles inside Doak Campbell Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 30. The game will kick off at 7 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on ESPN 2.
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