The Florida Gators will head to Knoxville to take on the Tennessee Volunteers on Saturday night. After a shaky start to the season, the Gators have won two straight. The Volunteers will look to bounce back at home after a tough loss last week. They are currently 14.5 point favorites and this Florida vs. Tennessee matchup kicks off at 7:00 p.m. ET.
Game Matchup & Betting Odds
Florida Gators (+14.5) at Tennessee Volunteers (-14.5) o/u 57
7:00 p.m. ET, Saturday, October 12, 2024
Neyland Stadium, Knoxville, TN
TV: ESPN
Public Betting: Public Bettors Backing Gators
As of this writing, our CFB Public Betting page shows that 56% of bets are on Florida. That said, this page is updated frequently so make sure that you click on the link provided so that you’re getting the most updated information.
Florida Gators
The Florida Gators have found themselves on a two game win streak after starting the season 1-2. Graham Mertz was put under a lot of pressure by freshman backup DJ Lagway but he has responded. In a 45-28 win over Mississippi State, he completed 19 of his 21 pass attempts for 201 yards and 3 touchdowns. He also ran one in. In their 24-13 win over UCF last week, Mertz completed 19 of his 23 pass attempts for 179 yards and a touchdown. The rush attack averaged 5.2 yards per carry in those 2 matchups. Against UCF, the defense had 5 sacks, 7 tackles for loss, and one interception. For clarity: Mississippi State is currently 1-4 on the season. UCF is 3-2 with 2 of those wins coming to an FCS school and a CUSA program.
Tennessee Volunteers
The Vols dropped their first game of the season last week in Arkansas, falling by a score of 19-14. Nico Iamaleava completed 17 of his 29 pass attempts for 158 yards. He didn’t throw a touchdown or an interception. Running the ball was also a struggle for young Nico, rushing for just 17 yards on 11 carries. He was sacked 4 times and made a freshman mistake at the end of the game, running out of bounds after time had expired instead of getting up a last chance shot at the end zone from the Arkansas 20. A bright side for the Vols offense was Dylan Sampson who rushed for 138 yards on 22 carries for 2 touchdowns. The defense allowed 2 touchdowns, although one may or may not have been allowed in on purpose late in the game. They had 2 sacks and didn’t force any turnovers. The Tennessee offense has slowed way down since entering SEC conference play, scoring 25 points and 14 points in their last 2 games. Following this week’s matchup with Florida, the Vols will have a date with the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Florida vs. Tennessee Betting Trends
Florida is 17-2 SU in their last 1 games against Tennessee
The OVER is 5-0 in Florida’s last 5 road games
Tennessee is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games
The OVER is 5-5 in Tennessee’s last 10 games
Florida vs. Tennessee Prediction:
Take Tennessee to cover the 14.5 points at home on Saturday night. The Vols return to their home field after 2 straight road games. The offense has struggled a bit the last 2 games, scoring 25 and 14 points. This is a great chance for them to get back on track against a Florida defense ranked 86th in the country allowing 28.8 points per game. One part of the offense that has seen success even in the loss to Arkansas is the rushing attack of Dylan Sampson. He has cleared 100 yards in all but one game this season (92 against Oklahoma). The Gators are 110th in rushing yards allowed at 200.5 per game. The Gators offense has seemed to have gotten going the last few games, scoring 45 on Mississippi State and 24 on UCF. Mississippi State has the 119th ranked defense in the country allowing 37.8 ppg. UCF is just a bit better, ranked 89th and giving up 30 ppg. Tennessee is still rocking with one of the best defenses in the country, allowing just 11 points per game.
Florida vs. Tennessee Prediction: Tennessee -14.5