The Florida Gators have not made it to the College Football Playoff, but if they need some fuel to inspire them at the Orange Bowl, they just have to think that they have a chance to finish with 11 wins for the first time since 2012. As for the Virginia Cavaliers, they are looking to head into the offseason with their heads high despite flubbing on their opportunity to win the ACC title.
Betting on the Florida Gators (10-2 Overall / 6-2 Conference)
The Gators wish they could be playing in a bigger bowl game this time of the college football season, but they will have to settle with this one. Considering that the Gators will not take this game for granted and will play to their full strength, they should be hard to stop for a Virginia team that went just 1-2 straight-up against ranked programs this season. The Gators’ defense poses a huge threat to the Cavaliers’ offensive line which could end the game with bruised bodies and egos because of Florida’s high-end group of linebackers/defensive ends that include NFL-bound Jonathan Greenard and Jabari Zuniga. Greenard is the Gators’ leader in sacks with 8.5 quarterback takedowns to go with 14.5 tackles, while Zuniga has three on the season. The Gators are 10th in the FBS with just 17.3 points allowed per game and 13th with 315.3 total yards surrendered per contests.
The Gators are 3-0 against the spread (ATS) in their last three games overall.
Betting on the Virginia Cavaliers (9-4 Overall / 6-2 Conference)
The Cavaliers were made to look like a high school team by the Clemson Tigers in the ACC Championship Game, as they lost to Dabo Swinney’s squad, 62-17. As what the score suggests, the Hoos had a tough time on both ends of the field. Dual-threat quarterback Bryce Perkins went 27 for 43 for 266 passing yards and a couple of touchdowns but also threw two interceptions. He led the team on the ground with 58 rushing yards on 17 carries. Perkins was pretty much the entire offense of the Cavaliers in that game. Relying on Perkins just as much could also just be the best chance of the Cavaliers to beat Florida. Perkins is a fantastic playmaker, who can wiggle out of broken plays to get first downs. Of course, it’s going to be easier said than done for the Cavaliers’ offensive line to fend off the Gators’ pass rush, but who knows if Florida would really exert full effort in a bowl game they don’t consider as the main goal in the first place.
The Cavaliers are averaging 30.8 points per game. They over is 5-0 in the Cavs’ last five games.
