Alabama vs Florida prediction and game preview. Saturday, September 18
Alabama vs Florida prediction and game preview.
Alabama vs Florida Broadcast
Date: Saturday, September 18
Game Time: 3:30 ET
Venue: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Gainesville, FL
Network: CBS
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Alabama (2-0) vs Florida (2-0) Game Preview
Why Alabama Will Win
For all of the great things Florida has done so far in blowout wins over Florida Atlantic and USF, it’s still a rebuilding team.
The offense has been able to move, but it hasn’t been razor-sharp so far even with all of the production.
The running game might be amazing – it’s No. 2 in the nation early on – but the passing attack is still coming into place. The interceptions have to stop – four so far – and there can’t be any more misfires in the red zone.
Swarm around the Gator quarterbacks and keep them from taking off, and you stop the offense – for now.
On the flip side, Bryce Young has been nothing short of perfect throwing the ball.
There might be a few missed reads here and there, and he’s not adding anything to the running game, but considering he’s a young player being thrown into one of the most pressure-packed positions in all of football, 71% for 571 yards and seven touchdowns and no picks is pretty good.
Yeah, there are a few problems for a team that’s been all but handed the national championship already, but they’re mostly the cute kind, like too many penalties and a lack of overall consistency.
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Why Florida Will Win
It’s Alabama. It’s obviously amazing, and it obviously has a ton of talent ready to go off to the next level, but are you really so sure that this is a be-all-end-all No. 1 team just because it blasted an – we’re adults here; we can say it – overloved Miami team and Mercer?
Nick Saban is wee bit right with his rants about how his team smells – at least by the unfairly high standards of Alabama and how the world perceives this team.
There really are too many penalties, a few too many plays are being allowed in the backfield, and the running game has been a giant bag of whatever.
Yes, stop Florida QBs Emory Jones and Anthony Richardson from getting into space, and there’s a problem here, but it doesn’t help the cause to be without NFL LB Christopher Allen – to what appears to be a season-ending foot injury – and with next-level hybrid pass rusher Will Anderson hobbling with a knee problem.
The Gators should be able to turn the pass rush loose on Young, there really should be explosion from the running game, and this might just be the moment when Jones rises up and rocks on the national stage.
However …
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What’s Going To Happen
We’re not lucky enough to get a repeat of the thrilling 52-46 Alabama SEC Championship win over the Gators.
These are two almost completely different teams – at least at the offensive skill spots – from December, but there are still too many soft spots for Florida to pull this off.
The defense hasn’t been good enough on third downs. the passing game isn’t hitting enough throws, and the secondary that melted down in 2020 is too shaky.
That doesn’t mean this won’t be fun.
Florida will hang around – the running game will work – and the defense will take its game to another level of energy in the super-charged environment, but Young and the passing attack will hit the big plays that Jones and his guys won’t.
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Alabama vs Florida Prediction, Line
Alabama 38, Florida 30
Line: Alabama -15, o/u: 58.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 3
Must See Rating: 5
5: Steve is proud of you
1: Ordinary Joe
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