Gators Online Gameday predictions: Florida vs. Florida State

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — In a rare Florida Friday game, the 6-5 Gators travel to Tallahassee to take on the 8-3 Florida State Seminoles, who are ranked 16th in the nation.

Following four straight drubbings of Georgia Tech, Miami, Syracuse and Louisiana, the ’Noles are rolling as they come into the game. Across that four-game span, FSU allowed only 39 points.

On the other hand, the Gators hit a major roadblock last week as they fell to Vanderbilt in Nashville for the first time since 1988. If the Gators want to have a chance against the ’Noles, they’ll need a stellar offensive outing.

Here is how Gators Online predicts the game.

Gators Online predicts the Florida-Florida State game

Zach Abolverdi: If the Gators were looking for bulletin board material against FSU, they just had to pull up the betting line for Friday’s game. Florida is 9.5-point underdogs vs. the Seminoles, who have won their last four games by a combined score of 173-39. Of course, the UF coaching staff didn’t have time to worry about the line this week.

They were too busy researching for Ventrell Miller’s appeal and scrambling to find enough receivers for Friday. Miller is expected to miss the first half against FSU for his targeting ejection at Vanderbilt, while Florida’s offense will be without five wideouts including starters Xzavier Henderson and Justin Shorter. I don’t see the Gators winning with so many key losses.

Florida State, 34-28

Corey Bender: While linebacker Ventrell Miller will be sidelined for the first half, UF will also be without the majority of its go-to targets at wide receiver. It’s also worth noting that Ricky Pearsall is listed as questionable, meaning the Gators’ rushing attack, and that includes Anthony Richardson, needs to step up in a major way. However, the Seminoles rank 20th nationally in total and scoring defense. Finding success on that side of the ball, especially for an evening kickoff inside Doak Campbell, will need to be earned, but UF will make plays throughout the evening to keep it close.

On defense, however, is where the Gators need to play one of their better games this season. There is no doubt they have improved their play in recent weeks, but FSU’s offense behind Jordan Travis ranks top 25 nationally in both scoring and total offense. It’s going to be a hostile environment for the Gators. This is a huge game for both programs that will likely go back and forth until the very end. Give me the school playing at home.

Florida State, 31-24

Nick de la Torre: It may be the 103 fever I had on Tuesday night, but I’m going with the Gators in this one. I’m not buying the last four games for FSU. Billy Napier might need to find some students to play receiver in this game given the current state of that room in regard to injuries, but that should allow Florida to lean on its running game.

The ’Noles have a pedestrian, at best, rush defense, and the Gators should be forced to run the ball. If Anthony Richardson, who I expect to declare for the NFL Draft after this year, isn’t making business decisions and decides to make FSU “feel this 240 pounds”, this is a game the Gators can win. 

Florida, 38-35

Donavon Keiser: After a deflating loss to Vanderbilt last week, I don’t see how the Gators bounce back against an up-and-coming FSU team. With Florida linebacker Ventrell Miller out in the first half, the ’Noles could jump out to a fast start behind star quarterback Jordan Travis and their stable of backs. They have just as good a rushing offense that UF does, as they sit one spot above the Gators (No. 15) nationally.

Jordan Travis only has two games under 60 percent passing this season and takes care of the ball with only four interceptions. If Florida doesn’t put pressure on him early, he’ll get comfortable and pick the Gators apart. Florida will need an unbelievable game out of Anthony Richardson, which could be his last in the Orange and Blue. With five wide receivers out and Ricky Pearsall still banged up, I don’t see how the Gators can pull out a victory.

Florida State, 35-24

Pat O’Donnell: Forget what you saw a week ago when the Gators played Vanderbilt. It’s rivalry week. Anything can happen. UF will look to go to the ground, but the Seminoles are letting up just 138 rushing yards per game.

It’s also bad news for Florida that this game is at night, on a short week and FSU hasn’t beaten the Gators since 2017. Without five receivers, Anthony Richardson will be asked to do too much. It should be a fight to the end, but Jordan Travis will have plenty of success against Florida’s defense. Give me the ’Noles to get the Black Friday win.

Florida State, 34-24

Tracking our picks

Writer	Record	Utah	UK	USF	Tenn	EWU	Mizzou	LSU	UGA	A&M	SC	Vandy
Bender	7-4	UF ✅	UF ❌	UF ✅	Tenn ✅	UF ✅	UF ✅	UF ❌	UGA ✅	A&M ❌	UF ✅	UF ❌
Abolverdi	7-4	Utah ❌	UF ❌	UF ✅	Tenn ✅	UF ✅	UF ✅	UF ❌	UGA ✅	UF ✅	UF ✅	UF ❌
O’Donnell	6-5	UF ✅	UF ❌	UF ✅	UF ❌	UF ✅	UF ✅	UF ❌	UGA ✅	A&M ❌	UF ✅	UF ❌
Keiser	6-5	Utah ❌	UF ❌	UF ✅	UF ❌	UF ✅	UF ✅	UF ❌	UGA ✅	UF ✅	UF ✅	UF ❌
de la Torre	5-6	Utah ❌	UF ❌	UF ✅	UF ❌	UF ✅	UF ✅	UF ❌	UGA ✅	A&M ❌	UF ✅	UF ❌