This year’s Florida State-Florida matchup is not one of the most important games on this week’s college football schedule in terms of conference or national title implications, but it is far from a meaningless game. FSU and Florida are both 5-6 heading into their Sunshine State rivalry showdown, but that similar means different things for each team.
The Gators entered this season seemingly with a bright future and expecting to contend for the SEC East, but last week’s loss to Missouri resulted in coach Dan Mullen being shown the exit door. Will the team pick themselves up for this game, or will it play out like much of the season has?
The Seminoles are hardly impressive but they do not appear to have not quit on the season. After starting the season 0-4, they are 5-2. They go to Gainesville with wins in their last two games and an unexpected shot at earning bowl eligibility.
Florida State Seminoles (5-6) vs Florida Gators (5-6), ESPN, 12:00 p.m. ET
Florida State Seminoles vs Florida Gators College Football Betting Odds
Spread
- Florida State Seminoles +2.5 (+104)
- Florida Gators -2.5 (-128)
Total
- OVER 58.5 (-115)
- UNDER 58.5 (-105)
Moneyline
- Florida State Seminoles +130
- Florida Gators -160
College football betting odds for Florida State Seminoles vs Florida Gators are via FanDuel Sportsbook as of Saturday, November 27, 2021 at 10:50 a.m. ET.
Florida State Seminoles vs Florida Gators Betting Preview
You never know what you are going to get with the Noles this season. They almost blew the game last week against Boston College, giving up 13 points in the 4th quarter. Until they get a defense that can start looking like what we expect at FSU, they are always going to be a tough handicap.
On the offensive side, quarterback Jordan Travis has become a nice story for FSU, however. He has not thrown an interception since October 2. They need him to play smart to get the win over the rival Gators and secure a bowl berth. Getting to a bowl is a low bar for one of the proudest programs in college football, but given where they started this season, it would be a positive achievement.
While FSU is unpredictable, it is impossible to know what to expect from Florida this week. It’s possible that they could play with some pride and purpose and a little extra juice with Mullen gone. But they have been mailing it in for a while, so who knows what we will see? The Gators have a pretty balanced offense, though a lot of that running comes from the quarterback position. They have two QBs who can really run, and it will be interesting to see how they deploy them in this game (and what it means for the future). The defense has been questionable all season long.
Florida State Seminoles vs Florida Gators Best Bet
Over 58.5
This is the last game of the season and a rivalry matchup, but I doubt we are going to see much defensive intensity. Neither team has shown much of that this season, so to expect that to change in the finale is unlikely. I am looking for two teams to play pretty loose and go up and down the field against each other. The last team with the ball probably wins in a game where I expect both teams to score in the 30s.
