ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt (SVP), host of the nightly show SportsCenter, has taken Florida (plus-3) to cover in their season opener against Utah on Saturday night. Our partners at Tipico Sportsbook currently have Florida as a 2.5-point underdog at plus-100 odds. The Gators’ money line is listed at plus-122.
SVP’s pick is one that the nation will be looking at closely. Utah is coming off a Pac-12 championship and has emerged as a legitimate College Football Playoff contender heading into the season. Meanwhile, the Gators are one of the biggest question marks in the country. It seems like [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] has done everything right this off-season and the energy around the Florida program is at its highest in 18 months.
Here is what SVP had to say about his Florida pick:
It’s a little early for a hold-on-to-your-butts game, but I’m hanging on for dear life Saturday night in the Swamp. This game is legitimately fascinating — The Utes are a top-10 team, they are rugged, and they are not afraid. But certain spots just speak to me and this one whispers… Gators.
The article also notes that SVP is 7-3 all-time when picking SEC non-conference games.
If the Orange and Blue can cover, or even win, it’ll be a positive sign for the rest of the season. There are a lot of unknowns regarding how the Gators will play and Napier’s first-season win total. A close game against a consensus top-10 team would be a step in the right direction and would maintain the positive momentum Florida and its fan base have had this offseason.
The Gators open the 2022 season Saturday against Utah on ESPN. Kick-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. EDT.
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