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News Bot
Several readers have emailed me this week asking me — no, actually pleading with me — to pick Florida State to win Saturday night’s game because I picked Florida to lose the last two games (South Carolina and LSU) and the Gators won both.
So, I’m picking the Seminoles. Not just to make the readers (who are always right) happy, but because I really think FSU is going to win this game. It’s not a great match-up for the Gators on either side of the ball — and UF has not had much success in Tallahassee going all the way back to 1990.
UF is now down five starters on defense and the Gators are facing the nation’s most explosive player in tailback Dalvin Cook and a balanced offense that, like LSU’s, will go up and down the field. The difference is the Seminoles will have better success in the red zone than the Tigers and will put up enough points to beat the offensively challenged Gators.
Florida’s matchup on offense isn’t very encouraging, either. The line could be without its best player — starting left guard Martez Ivey — and is facing the nation’s best pass-rushing defense, statistically. The Seminoles lead college football in sacks with 41, and they surely will come hard and fast at Austin Appleby, especially if the Gators lose first and second down and find themselves in a lot of third-and-longs. Florida will have to have some success in the running game with Jordan Scarlett, and I think the Gators will. But I don’t know it’s going to be enough to set up consistent success in the passing game. And, if the Gators are one-dimensional, it’s going to be a long night.
Overall, I see FSU scoring 20 points or more. I just don’t feel confident that the Gators can do the same.
Prediction: Florida State 28, Florida 17
You’re welcome, readers.
The post OK, OK, I’ll pick FSU appeared first on Robbies Playbook.
Source: GatorSports.com - Robbie's Playbook
