Even though they are two high caliber programs located in the same state, Saturday’s Miami vs Florida matchup is just the fourth head to head contest since 2008. The Gators have won two of those previous three meetings, but find themselves home underdogs on Saturday afternoon in Gainesville.
Before Betting on Week 1 Miami vs Florida
Miami is ranked #9 in the preseason poll so they are expecting big things this year under Mario Cristobal. The Hurricanes were a disappointing 7-6 in 2023, but there are high hopes of returning glory to “The U” in 2024. Miami is moving on from QB Tyler Van Dyke – who led the team to the #2 total offense in the ACC – but many think this unit will be even better under Washington State transfer Cam Ward.
Ward just put together back-to-back 3,200+ yard seasons with the Cougars, averaging 24 TD passes the past two years. Oregon State’s Damien Martinez also comes to campus to solidify the running game coming off 1,100+ yards with the Beavers in 2023.
Wisconsin transfer Graham Mertz had a somewhat quietly good season last year for the Gators, showing a great grasp of Billy Napier’s offense as he completed 72.9% of his passes with 20TD to just 3 INTs. He does lose his top target Ricky Pearsall (65 rec, 965 yards) however as he was a first round pick by the 49ers. The Gators brought in transfers from Wisconsin and Arizona State who could get significant targets in the passing game.
Hurricanes vs Gators Offshore Betting Odds
| Offshore Sportsbook | Moneyline | Total | Point Spread |
|---|---|---|---|
| BetOnline | CANES (1.72) | GATORS (2.18) | 54 |
CANES -2.5 (1.88) | GATORS +2.5 (1.94) |
| MyBookie | CANES (1.71) | GATORS (2.15) | 54.5 | CANES -2.5 (1.91) | GATORS +2.5 (1.91) |
| SportsBetting.ag | CANES (1.72) | GATORS (2.18) | 54 | CANES -2.5 (1.88) | GATORS +2.5 (1.94) |
| XBet | CANES (1.71) | GATORS (2.15) | 54.5 | CANES -2.5 (1.91) | GATORS +2.5 (1.91) |
Week 1 Miami vs Florida Prediction & Pick
Florida’s run defense is a big liability in this game. They gave up 320+ yards on the ground to Kentucky in a game last year and there was a run where 6 out of 7 teams had at least 150 rush yards. Miami’s coach Cristobal is an offensive line guru, and he’s had a whole offseason to exploit this matchup.
Pick: Hurricanes -2.5
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