See who The Athletic thinks will come out on top during the rivalry showdown in Gainesville.
It’s finally rivalry weekend in college football as in-state and neighboring rivals gear up to challenge their biggest foes and possibly fight for post-season eligibility.
The Florida Gators are on the verge of missing a bowl game for the first time since 2017, but the undefeated Florida State Seminoles are knocking on the door and vying for a spot in this year’s College Football Playoff.
The Athletic made their picks for each major rivalry matchup this week, including the showdown between FSU and Florida. Despite starting quarterbacks Graham Mertz and Jordan Davis both going down with major injuries, the Seminoles are still favored to come out victorious by 6.5 points.
Senior columnist Stewart Mandel is sticking by the spread and is expecting a double-digit Seminoles win in The Swamp, 31-20.
“How do you forecast a game in which both teams will be playing without their quarterbacks?” Mandel wrote. “At least Jordan Travis’ replacement, Tate Rodemaker, has meaningful experience. Florida’s Max Brown is green. And FSU still has weapons in running back Trey Benson and wide receivers Johnny Wilson and Keon Coleman. They’ll be facing Florida’s 129th-ranked defense.”
Brown is a sophomore and making his first start for the Gators on Saturday. Prior to taking over the offense in the Missouri loss, Brown hadn’t taken a snap since the Vanderbilt blowout on Oct. 7.
The Florida Gators and Florida State Seminoles will kick off at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday and the game will be broadcast on ESPN.
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Pat Forde took a look at the rivalry matchups lined up this Saturday with the UF-FSU game headlining the cohort.
The final game of the college football regular-season schedule is this weekend and the annual rivalry game between the Florida Gators and Florida State Seminoles in the Swamp looks to be a good one.
Before the Week 13 action, Sports Illustrated’s Pat Forde took a look at the rivalry matchups lined up this Saturday with the UF-FSU game headlining the cohort.
“The Seminoles (11–0), thrust into unexpected adversity with the season-ending injury to star quarterback Jordan Travis, are suddenly the most vulnerable of the five undefeated College Football Playoff contenders,” Forde began.
“The Gators (5–6) are trying to stop the bleeding after four straight losses, earn a bowl bid and ruin a rival’s season. In terms of building some goodwill with the fans, second-year coach Billy Napier could sure use this one.”
He then continued, “Is backup FSU QB Tate Rodemaker good enough to exploit a Florida defense that has collapsed over the last month? Rodemaker led Florida State to a win at Louisville last year coming off the bench, so there is reason to think he can do it.”
Forde ultimately chose the ‘Noles to prevail on the road, 28-21.
The Florida-Florida State game will take place inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 25, with the kickoff slated for 7 p.m. ET and the game broadcasted on ESPN.
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The six respondents were split right down the middle — much like the Gators Wire expert predictions.
The final week of the 2023 college football regular season is nearly upon us as the unranked Florida Gators and No. 4 Florida State Seminoles prepare for their annual showdown. This year, the two programs face off in the Swamp, which could play a large role in the outcome of this game.
Ahead of the gridiron gruel between two in-state rivals, the USA TODAY Sports staff converged to give their takes on who will emerge victoriously on Saturday night. The six respondents were split right down the middle — much like the Gators Wire expert predictions — with Jace Evans, Paul Myerberg and Dan Wolen picking the Orange and Blue.
On the other side, Scooby Axson, Erick Smith and Eddie Timanus picked the Garnet and Gold to remain undefeated.
The Florida-Florida State game will take place inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 25, with the kickoff slated for 7 p.m. ET and the game broadcasted on ESPN.
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Everything you need to know about The Game. #GoBlue
One team looked incredible through three-quarters of the season, the other struggled to get by. One team got an early ranked win on the road, the other got a late one. The past two weeks have changed some narratives, none bigger than for the program that employs Jim Harbaugh, who will not be roaming the sidelines in Ann Arbor.
The Game is nearly upon us, and what was long looked at as a formality for Michigan is back to being a pick ’em. And given the nature of this rivalry, there’s no telling what will happen.
The stakes have never been higher. Both teams are undefeated. A win for Michigan football, fair or not, validates what the Wolverines have done. Also fair or not, a loss invalidates it. A loss for Ohio State could be potentially catastrophic, upending the current regime, especially since the maize and blue will have an interim coach on the sidelines. There are multiple storylines off the field that heighten what’s already the greatest rivalry in sports.
So what will it be? Let’s dig in a little more.
Michigan offense vs. Ohio State defense
Photo: Isaiah Hole
The Buckeyes brought in defensive coordinator Jim Knowles to right the wrongs from the loss in The Game in 2021. However, after the OSU defense looked vastly improved for the first 11 games in 2022, the result was similar, just with a different script.
The 2023 iteration likely relies heavily upon Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy, whose ability to extend plays and use his legs provides a different element his rival on the other side cannot match. McCarthy has shown pinpoint accuracy up until the Purdue game (besides the Week 3 contest against Bowling Green). He was accurate against Penn State (7-for-8 for 60 yards) but wasn’t the star of the show. Michigan will likely need him to be this game. His health has been a concern since the tilt in Happy Valley, but he and acting head coach Sherrone Moore have insisted that he’s moving well and as healthy as he can be. However, his errancy at Maryland is giving many pause.
For the first time in this rivalry, both running backs Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards are fully healthy. Neither has looked the part they played a year ago, and that’s in part to an offensive line that hasn’t been quite as dominant. There have been struggles when teams load the box, and there have also been struggles in pass protection of late. Ohio State’s edges are more of the power variety than speed (like Penn State’s Chop Robinson) but the Buckeyes are stout inside as well. The linebackers are good but not elite, so it will be incumbent for the Michigan O-line to get to the second level.
The secondary is also much improved since last year, and Ohio State has only given up one play over 40 yards all season (by contrast, the Michigan defense has given up five). A big mismatch here are the Wolverines’ tight ends duo, but with OSU’s stoutness in the red zone, the maize and blue will need to make long drives and finish if they’re to come out on the other side with a win.
The Gators Wire gang assembled to provide their respective takes on the Week 13 affair between Florida and Florida State.
Florida football gets one last chance to earn its sixth victory of the 2023 campaign — a victory that would both assure a .500 regular-season record along with a bowl game berth that gives the team one more chance to play afterward.
Standing in the way of that goal are the Florida State Seminoles, who travel to Gainesville to face the Gators in Week 13. FSU comes in ranked No. 4 in the US LBM Coaches Poll with a perfect 11-0 record. However, this week brings a bit of a wrinkle to a rivalry game that always has surprises in store.
Both programs will be without their starting quarterbacks. For the Noles, Heisman Trophy candidate Jordan Travis is done with his collegiate career after sustaining an ugly leg injury; for the Gators, Graham Mertz is sidelined with a broken clavicle.
Ahead of the in-state rivalry matchup inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, the Gators Wire gang assembled to provide their respective takes on the Week 13 affair. Take a look below at what each of us think along with the composite prediction below.
Ross Tucker predicted that the #Chiefs will win against the #Eagles on Monday Night Football in Week 11.
Former offensive lineman Ross Tucker has become one of the most beloved members of the NFL media and offered fans his prediction for the Kansas City Chiefs’ Week 11 tilt against the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football.
Though Tucker qualified his prediction by saying that the Eagles have an opportunity to upset Kansas City at Arrowhead Stadium, he chose the Chiefs to win with a final score of 23-20.
My official prediction for tonight’s Eagles vs Chiefs game: 😳
Though Andy Reid’s brilliance off the bye week will work in Kansas City’s favor, the Chiefs won’t be able to let their foot off the gas if they intend to win their Super Bowl LVII rematch against Philadelphia.
Tucker’s prediction seems logical, given all of the variables at play, though in the modern NFL, anything can happen.
With mere hours until Kansas City takes the field, fans will have to wait to see if Tucker is proven to be correct in his assertion that the Chiefs have the upper hand heading into this highly anticipated matchup.
Another college football analyst from The Athletic is confident in their pick for the showdown between the Florida Gators and Missouri Tigers on Saturday night.
The Florida Gators are set to take on the Missouri Tigers in SEC action on Saturday night, and the college football experts are making their predictions ahead of kickoff.
Another staff member from renowned sports publication The Athletic put in their pick and, once again, the Gators are being looked down upon when it comes to the matchup in Columbia, Missouri.
Senior writer Bruce Feldman thinks Mizzou has a clear advantage at home, as the Gators have been struggling to find their footing and hold a 1-3 record while playing on the road.
“The Tigers offense is playing with a ton of confidence right now and RB Cody Schrader is really cranked up,” Feldman said. “The hunch here is the visiting Gators who have been really bad on the road this season (1-3 with only a 41-39 win at a bad South Carolina team) won’t be able to slow down the Mizzou attack. UF has allowed 555 rushing yards the past two games and now they face the top RB in the SEC in Schrader.”
The Florida Gators and Missouri Tigers are slated to kickoff at 7:30 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast on ESPN.
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Here are the College Sports Wire picks for Florida at Missouri.
The Florida Gators travel to Columbia, Missouri, on Saturday for a Week 12 matchup with the Missouri Tigers on a cold midwestern night in what is the final game of the Southeastern Conference schedule for 2023.
Ahead of the action, the College Sports Wire gang submitted their picks for the final meeting between the two programs for the foreseeable future. Unfortunately, the committee consisting of Patrick Conn, Tyler Nettuno, Nick Schwartz and Patrick Sturgeon unanimously picked the home team, which is favored by 11.5 points.
Meanwhile, the SEC is the only conference with a title game set. The Georgia Bulldogs will take on the Tennessee Volunteers in Knoxville before facing the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets to wrap up the year. The Alabama Crimson Tide gets a cupcake matchup with Chattanooga before the Iron Bowl against the Auburn Tigers in Week 13.
The Tigers host the Gators on Nov. 18 inside Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m. ET and the game can be watched on ESPN.
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Not a lot of confidence coming from USA TODAY Sports ahead of the Missouri matchup.
Billy Napier and his Florida football program have two more chances to earn a spot among the bowl-eligible teams as the regular season winds down. The first of those two opportunities comes this weekend on the road against the No. 11 Missouri Tigers.
The Gators should have clinched a berth against the Arkansas Razorbacks, but some poor sideline coaching resulted in a defeat and a difficult hill to climb to get into December. This Mizzou squad is one of the best in recent memory and will have the cold weather on its side Saturday night.
USA TODAY Sports’ panel of six experts comprised of Scooby Axson, Jace Evans, Paul Myerberg, Erick Smith, Eddie Timanus and Dan Wolken unanimously chose Missouri over Florida in their Week 12 predictions.
The Tigers host the Gators in Columbia on Nov. 18 inside Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m. ET and the game can be watched on ESPN.
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The Athletic made its pick for this week’s Florida-Missouri matchup.
The Florida Gators are traveling for the second week in a row to take on the Missouri Tigers for the final road game of the season.
The teams will battle on primetime television and the Gators are fighting against the ropes, hoping to win a game before the conclusion of the regular season and gain bowl eligibility.
Senior columnist and editor-and-chief of The Athletic Stewart Mandel made his selections for Saturday’s slate of games. Mandel is picking the Tigers to win in Columbia, Missouri by a double-digit margin, 42-24.
“The Tigers are finally getting the respect they deserve after giving Georgia a scare in Athens, then thumping Tennessee the following week,” Mandel said. “Now, QB Brady Cook, RB Cody Schrader and WR Luther Burden get to face a Florida defense that just allowed a program-record 701 yards to LSU and is on its heels as the Gators must turn around and play another primetime SEC road game.”
Mandel makes a good point about the Florida defense needing a dire turnaround after its lackluster performances the last two weeks against LSU and Arkansas. Gators QB Graham Mertz is capable of utilizing the weapons around him and keeping his team close, but the defense has given up more than 39 points in the last four contests.
The Gators and Tigers will kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast on ESPN.
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