Florida vs. Georgia: Prediction, pick, line, odds, live stream, watch online, TV channel, game preview

Football

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It’s time for the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party as the Florida Gators take the field as the home team against the rival No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday. Both teams are fresh off a bye week with Florida healthier than it has been in three games, but it is Georgia that’s the heavy favorite entering this year’s showdown.

Here’s what you need to know and how you can watch Florida-Georgia.

Viewing information

Date: Saturday, Oct. 28 | Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Location: EverBank Field – Jacksonville, Florida [Capacity: 82,871]

TV: CBS (Brad Nessler, Gary Danielson, Allie LaForce)
Live stream: CBSSports.com | CBS Sports apps
SiriusXM: 138, 190 | Radio: Gator Radio Network [Affiliates]

Live Updates: @OnlyGators on Twitter

Tale of the tape

Three things to know

1. Not all quarterbacks are created equal: A pair of freshmen will go head-to-head in this year’s Florida-Georgia game, though it is the Gators'< strong>Feleipe Franks who is a bit older coming off a redshirt year. You would not know that when comparing their statistics. Franks has thrown 15 fewer passes than the Bulldogs’ Jake Fromm, who did not even open the season as a starter, and has only compiled 800 yards (7.55 yards per attempt) with four touchdowns on the season. Fromm, meanwhile, has racked up 1,162 yards (9.60 per attempt) with 12 touchdowns through seven games. Florida’s defensive backs talked some trash to Fromm this week, but chances are it will be them getting trashed by the talented freshman on Saturday.

2. Special for the wrong reason: In a showdown where every phase of the game truly matters, the Gators’ putrid special teams may cost them the game even if they manage to stay in it on offense and defense. Despite having arguably the best pair of specialists in the nation, Florida has gotten absolutely nothing from its return teams while giving up chunk yardage in coverage on punts. UF is on pace to not score on a return this season for the first time in more than a decade, and it rarely appears to be in position for a potential block on a punt or field goal. If the Gators want to win on Saturday, they’re going to need special teams to do something for a change, though there’s been no indication that’s possible.

3. The tide could turn: Georgia is already recruiting incredibly strong and looking like the new kings of the SEC East, and a win Saturday will only help ensure that becomes a fact. But it’s how that victory comes about that will determine how devastating the loss is for Florida. If the Bulldogs absolutely rout the Gators, it will certainly set UF back in a massive way and throw more hot coals on McElwain’s suddenly hot seat. A close win for Georgia will actually create some doubt nationally about whether it can contend with Alabama, and it will show that Florida may not be as far away this season as many believe it is at this time.

Prediction and analysis

Spread: Florida +14.5 | O/U: 43

This game can go one of two ways, and unfortunately for Florida fans, neither ends with the Gators winning. Either Georgia absolutely blows the doors off Florida in a rare WLOCP beatdown from the Bulldogs, or the Gators hang tight as they usually do — win or loss — in this game. UGA’s last three wins over UF in Jacksonville have come by an average of five points per game. All of Florida’s games since the opener have been within 14 points, but Georgia has not had a game closer than 25 points since its one-point win over Notre Dame in Week 2. Something’s got to give here.

Coming off the bye week, I expect the Gators to put up a fight at least through halftime on Saturday. The Bulldogs will be prepared for their wrinkles, but I don’t know that they are going to be throwing in too many of their own offensively as what they do already works so well. It’s for that reason that I lean toward Florida covering a spread of over two touchdowns, but I’m more confident that this game will go over the total one way or another.

2017 records: ATS picks 3-3 | O/U picks 5-1

Injuries and absences

Suspended (9): WR Antonio Callaway, RB Jordan Scarlett, DL Keivonnis Davis, DL Richerd Desir-Jones, DL Jordan Smith, WR Rick Wells, LB James Houston IV, LB Ventrell Miller, OL Kadeem Telfort

Probable (4): WR Tyrie Cleveland (high-ankle sprain), ATH Kadarius Toney (shoulder), DE Jabari Zuniga (ankle), LB Jeremiah Moon (undisclosed)
Questionable (1): CB C.J. McWilliams (hamstring)
Doubtful (1): WR Josh Hammond (back)
Out (5): DB Nick Washington (shoulder) WR James Robinson (heart), DE Jordan Sherit (hip –
season), QB Luke Del Rio (collarbone – season), DB Marcell Harris (Achilles – season)

Game notes

» Georgia owns a 49-43-2 all-time record against Florida with a 44-40-1 mark in Jacksonville.
» The Gators have won seven of the last 11 meetings and 21 of the last 27 against the Bulldogs, including three straight victories from 2014-16.
» Since 2008, Florida has won its six games by an average of 20.3 points, while Georgia has won its three contests by 5.0 points.
» Florida is 214-13 since 1990 when an opponent scores 21 points or fewer in a contest, including 19-2 under McElwain, who lost his second such game two weeks ago.
» Also under McElwain, the Gators are 18-3 against unranked opponents and 4-7 against ranked opponents. UF is 16-1 when outrushing an opponent, 18-5 when scoring first, 16-3 when leading at half and 10-1 when winning the turnover battle. UF is 9-3 under him in one-possession games and 13-8 in games decided by eight points or more.
» Florida owns the nation’s longest streak of returning either a kickoff or punt for a touchdown, doing so in 12 consecutive seasons. It has yet to do so in 2017.
» The Gators have the second-most wins in the nation since 1990 (261).
» Florida has scored in 367 straight games, the longest active streak in the nation and longest streak all-time.

Uniforms

Florida will wear blue jerseys with white pants and its standard orange helmets. Georgia is going away from wearing a colored jersey after the teams brought back the old tradition and will wear white jerseys on Saturday.