Florida football will battle in its first in-state matchup of the season with UF set to host South Florida.
The Gators and Bulls kick off on Saturday, Sept. 6 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at 4:15 p.m. The game will be aired on the SEC Network.
UF comes off a 55-0 win over Long Island University, while the Bulls came away with a dominant 34-7 victory over No. 25 Boise State.
The matchup will feature one of the best quarterback battles this week. UF’s DJ Lagway opened the year by throwing for 120 yards and three touchdowns, while USF’s Byrum Brown threw for 210 yards and ran for 43 yards and a pair of scores.
Here are predictions, picks and betting odds for Florida vs. USF.
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Florida vs South Florida odds, money line, over/under
Despite USF coming off an impressive season-opening win over No. 25 Boise State, Florida should still be the heavy favorite. Not to mention, UF can’t afford to overlook USF as the Bulls have proven in recent years that they can hang in big games. But the Bulls’ defense surrendered 378 yards in total offense last week, which the Gators should capitalize on. USF gave up 256 passing yards and 27 pass completions to set up a potential big game for quarterback DJ Lagway. However, the Gator defense will have their hands full with dual-threat quarterback Byrum Brown. Given how dominant UF’s run defense performed last week the Gators should eventually take away part of Brown’s game. This game should set up to be a close first half, but Florida likely pulls away big later in the game.
Odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook as of Wednesday afternoon.
Spread: 17.5
Over/under: 56.6
Moneyline: (+600) South Florida, (-900) Florida
Florida vs South Florida predictions, picks for college football Week 2
Andrew Abadie, The Gainesville Sun
Florida 38, USF 21: This game will be close in the first half with both defenses being the cause. However, unlike the victory against Boise State, the Bulls’ mistakes on defense will eventually be taken advantage of by the Gators and quarterback DJ Lagway. As is the case between most games between a Power Five and Group of Five matchup, Florida will wear down the Bulls in the second half and take advantage of its roster depth. Not to mention, this will be a prime test for Florida’s defense as the Gators take on USF quarterback Byrum Brown.
Kevin Brockway, The Gainesville Sun
Florida 28, USF 17: The Bulls will stay in the game through three quarters before UF pulls away in the fourth quarter, similar to how the Gators beat LSU and Ole Miss in The Swamp last season. Look for Florida quarterback D.J. Lagway to make the throws he needs to late in the game and for running back Jadan Baugh to continue to carry UF’s ground game.
Noah Ram, The Gainesville Sun
Florida 37, USF 17: A slow start from DJ Lagway will cause some fear from the fans at the Swamp, but the offense will blast forward in the second half. Running backs Jaden Baugh and Ja’Kobi Jackson — in a bounce back game — will be the catalysts. On the other side, talented Bulls quarterback Byrum Brown will create some issues for the Gator defense, but ultimately, they’ll batten down the hatches and help deliver a solid non-conference win before the meat of the schedule begins in Baton Rouge.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Florida vs South Florida predictions, picks, odds: Who wins Week 2 college football game?
Reporting by Andrew Abadie, Gainesville Sun / The Gainesville Sun
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