JD PicKell predicts Florida will defeat Utah in Week 1

On Thursday, Florida and Utah will go to war. On3’s JD PicKell just revealed who he expects to emerge triumphant from the grueling battle.

“I think we actually see Florida win a close one in this game,” PicKell said. “Florida ends up winning. I think they find a way to make a few plays late, and I think they win this football game 27-24.”

PicKell’s prediction is nearly identical to the outcome when the two programs squared off last season. In 2022, the Gators defeated the Utes 29-26 to kick off Billy Napier‘s time at the helm of Florida. While UF defeated Utah in the season opener, the rest of its 2022 campaign wasn’t nearly as impressive.

Florida ultimately posted a 6-7 record and a 3-5 mark in the SEC. Meanwhile, Utah finished the season 10-4 and won its second-straight Pac-12 title. The Utes’ success was largely due to the outstanding play of QB1 Cam Rising; the same QB1 who is questionable in Utah’s season opener.

Will Utah have Cam Rising?

“A lot of [my prediction], again, is predicated on if you get Cam Rising at all, and what version of him you get. I don’t know enough about that right now. None of us do,” PicKell said. “If we’re getting a healthy Cam Rising in this game, I think you take Utah, no problem.”

Rising isn’t the only Utah standout returning from injury. Rising’s No. 1 option, tight end Brant Kuithe, also tore his ACL in 2022. For Utah to stand a chance against the Gators, it will needs the talented duo to be at full strength.

A quarterback battle

While most fans are focused on Rising’s condition ahead of the intense matchup, PicKell isn’t overlooking the man behind center for the Gators.

“Think about what [a win] does for Graham Mertz,” PicKell said. “I know there there’s a lot of talk about what he hasn’t done and what he wasn’t at Wisconsin, but if he goes out and leads this team on the road to a win over Utah, I think you can kind of drop the mic if your Graham Mertz and say, ‘Alright, we done talking now?'”

Mertz joined UF this offseason after finishing with 2,136 yards, 19 touchdowns, 10 interceptions and a 57.3% completion percentage at Wisconsin in 2022. Despite the respectable statistics, Mertz remains a question mark for many college football enthusiasts.

PicKell is sold and he can’t wait to see if his prediction is correct.

“I’m excited to watch this one,” PicKell said. “We got Florida winning this game. Utah’s a 6.5-point favorite so it goes without saying we have Florida covering that number.”

The two programs will face off at 8 p.m. ET on Aug. 31. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.