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CBS Sports released its picks against the spread for every SEC game this coming weekend, and reporter Barrett Sallee likes UF to win big against South Carolina in its second game of the season.
The Gators are 17.5-point favorites over a Gamecocks team that is coming off a close loss against Tennessee.
Sallee thinks that Florida’s defense will improve on Saturday against a weaker South Carolina offensive attack and that the Gators’ offensive performance against the Rebels was no fluke.
South Carolina at No. 3 Florida (-17.5): The Gators’ defense was atrocious against Ole Miss … but Lane Kiffin is going to do that to a lot of defenses. Gamecocks quarterback Collin Hill doesn’t exactly have the talent or weapons that Rebels’ signal-caller Matt Corral has. Florida will make the Gamecocks have to score 40 to have a chance, and that won’t happen. Kyle Trask and Kyle Pitts have monster days en route to a win. Pick: Florida (-17.5)
Meanwhile, Georgia opens as 6.5-point favorites against Auburn despite trailing at halftime against Arkansas before pulling away to a 37-10 win. The Bulldogs had to pull starter D’Wan Mathis in favor of Stetson Bennett, and Bennett’s presence gave the offense a bit of a spark.
But still, Sallee was not convinced. He didn’t just pick the Tigers to cover the spread; he chose Auburn to win outright.
No. 7 Auburn at No. 4 Georgia (-6.5): The wrong team is favored here. I don’t buy that JT Daniels is 100% following his knee injury last season or that he has the same ceiling as he did prior to it. Whether it’s Daniels or Stetson Bennett IV, Auburn’s defense won’t be threatened by an offense that struggled to find its sea legs. Auburn has its work cut out for it on offense, though. Quarterback Bo Nix looked better after some halftime adjustments last week, and there’s no doubt that coach Gus Malzahn and offensive coordinator Chad Morris held back much of the offense against Kentucky. Take those points, but you won’t need them. Auburn will win this game outright. Pick: Auburn (+6.5)
If Sallee is right, the Gators have an opportunity to take control of the driver’s seat of the SEC East early in the season.
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