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

By Adam Silverstein
November 18, 2017
Florida vs. UAB: Prediction, pick, line, odds, live stream, watch online, TV channel, game preview
Football

Fresh off five straight losses, the Florida Gators take the field as for an late kickoff on Saturday at home as they host the UAB Blazers. UAB is back after spending two years in college football exile, while Florida is reeling and on the precipice of possibly the worst season in program history.

Here’s what you need to know and how you can watch Gators-Blazers.


Viewing information

Date: Saturday, Nov. 18 | Time: 4 p.m. ET
Location: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium – Gainesville, Florida [Capacity: 88,548]

TV: SEC Network (David Neal, Matt Stinchcomb, Dawn Davenport)
Live stream:WatchESPN.com | Watch ESPN apps
SiriusXM: N/A | Radio: Gator Radio Network [Affiliates]

Live Updates:@OnlyGators on Twitter

Tale of the tape

Florida Gators UAB Blazers
Head coach Randy Shannon Bill Clark
Record 3-6 7-3
Conference Southeastern Conference USA

Three things to know

1. Home again: Florida will be looking for its first win since Sept. 30 while playing its first home game since Oct. 15. The Gators have a two-game homestand to end the season and are looking to shake some of the stank off with a victory on Saturday afternoon. With so much attention being paid to the coaching search, football has been able to skate under the radar this week, so perhaps less pressure will put these players in a better mindset to go out and get a W.

2. Walking wounded: UF winning on Saturday would be quite an effort as it enters the UAB game down 30 percent of its scholarship players due to suspension (nine) and injury (16+). That includes two one-time starting quarterbacks, two starting defensive backs, planned starters at running back and wide receiver, a starting defensive lineman and two starting offensive linemen. Florida entered the season with a “deep” quarterback room that only has one scholarship player active for the game as the other four have suffered some form of injury.

3. What a season: After two years of not playing football, UAB is back and better than ever. Its two most recent losses have come by a combined four points on the road, but it has also achieved some blowouts this season 952-21 over Rice, 30-12 over Southern Miss). Clark has done an outstanding job with a Blazers roster he had to scrap together with a lot of JUCO parts, and UAB looks to be a Conference USA contender in years to come.

Prediction and analysis

Spread: Florida -10.5 | O/U: 48

Florida’s season may be over for all intents and purposes, but there is still pride on the line for the Gators on Saturday. And while the Blazers are 7-3 — a truly incredible feat considering it’s their first year back from college football self-imposed exile — the truth is that they have not faced a Power Five opponent all season to this point. UAB has shocked even its own fans under Clark, but it will be on the road in The Swamp in a late-afternoon kickoff. This is a team that has been outscored a combined 90-3 in its two previous meetings with UF.

Unlike Georgia Southern a few years ago, UAB does not bring in a unique offense that will throw Florida’s defense off kilter. That team did not complete a pass in the game on three attempts and rushed for 429 yards and four touchdowns led by current Vikings starting running back Jerrick McKinnon. The Blazers are talented and do have a top-30 rushing offense, but they throw the ball even worse than the Gators. So I do expect Florida to win … even if it doesn’t cover whether due to a backdoor score by UAB late or simply a close game throughout. This could be similar (but flipped) from the South Carolina game last week, so 28-20 seems perfect, but ill err on it going slightly over.

2017 records: ATS picks 4-5 | O/U picks 8-1

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 (1): ATH Kadarius Toney (shoulder)
Questionable (4): DB C.J. McWilliams (hamstring), DB Shawn Davis (undisclosed), LB Kylan Johnson (hamstring), DL Elijah Conliffe (undisclosed)
Doubtful (1): QB Malik Zaire (knee)
Out (15): OL Antonio Riles (undisclosed), DL Jachai Polite (shoulder), QB Jake Allen (back), DB Quincy Lenton (knee), LB Nick Smith (knee), WR James Robinson (heart), OL T.J. McCoy (leg – season), OL Brett Heggie (knee – season) RB Malik Davis (knee – season), DB Nick Washington (shoulder – season), DE Jordan Sherit (hip – season), DB Garrett Stephens (knee – season), QB Luke Del Rio (collarbone – season), DB Marcell Harris (Achilles – season), QB Kyle Trask (foot – season)

Game notes

» Florida is 2-0 all-time against UAB with the Gators outscoring the Blazers 90-3 in those two games. UF has never lost to a Conference USA opponent at home (17-0), winning those games by a combined 494-83.
» The Gators recently gave up 42+ points in consecutive games for the first time since 1917, and they are allowing more points per game than they have in any season since 1946. They are off to their worst start since 1979.
» Florida is 214-13 since 1990 when an opponent scores 21 points or fewer in a contest, including 19-2 over the last 2+ seasons.
» Since 2014, the Gators are 18-5 against unranked opponents and 4-8 against ranked opponents. UF is 16-1 when outrushing an opponent, 18-5 when scoring first, 16-3 when leading at half and 10-2 when winning the turnover battle. UF is 9-3 in one-possession games and 13-11 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 370 straight games, the longest active streak in the nation and longest streak all-time.

Uniforms

Florida will wear blue jerseys, white pants and white helmets on Saturday.

Join The
Discussion

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Top
WordPress Appliance - Powered by TurnKey Linux