Miami Hurricanes vs Florida Gators Betting Pick & Prediction 8/31/24

ABC will be covering the season opener between the Miami Hurricanes and Florida Gators, scheduled for 3:30 ET on Saturday, August 31st. Miami is on the road for this non-conference matchup, being played at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville. The Hurricanes are the slight -2.5-point favorites on the road, with the over/under line set at 53.5 points.

MIAMI HURRICANES VS FLORIDA GATORS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Florida Gators +2.5

This game will be played at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at 3:30 ET on Saturday, August 31st.

WHY BET THE FLORIDA GATORS:

• We have the Florida Gators winning this one by a score of 31 to 27
• Not only do we have the Florida Gators winning straight-up, we have them covering the spread at +2.5
• Look for this game to go over the line of 53.5 points

Will The Miami Hurricanes Pick Up A Win On The Road?

Miami is currently 23rd in our power rankings, with a 90.4% chance of being bowl-eligible this season. Last year, the Hurricanes finished with a 7-6 record, going 2-3 on the road and 5-3 at home. They were favored in seven of their 13 games, finishing 4-3 as the favorite and 2-3 as the underdog.

This season, Miami has a 9.9% chance of winning the Atlantic Coast Conference, and our projections give them an 18.2% chance of making the college football playoff and a 1.9% shot at the National Championship. In the futures market, the Hurricanes are listed at +410 (20%) to win the Atlantic Coast, which is the 3rd best odds among conference teams.

Miami’s offense was 32nd in the country last season, averaging 31.5 points per game. The Hurricanes were 36th in passing yards per game, averaging 258 yards, and 44th in rushing yards, averaging 173.8 yards per game. Last season, Miami was 21st in completion percentage at 65.1% and 20th in passing yards per attempt, averaging 7.7 yards.

This season, Miami has brought in quarterback Cameron Ward, who threw for 3736 yards last year at Washington State, and he has the 9th best odds to win the Heisman Trophy. The Hurricanes also added running back Damien Martinez, who rushed for 1185 yards last season and has the 4th best odds to win the Doak Walker Trophy. Miami’s top returning receiver is Xavier Restrepo, who had 1092 receiving yards last season.

Miami’s defense last season was good at limiting the run, allowing just 106 rushing yards per game, which ranked 20th in the nation. However, they finished 34th in points allowed, giving up 22.8 points per game. The Hurricanes’ pass defense was a weakness, ranking 80th in passing yards allowed. Overall, they held opponents to a 56.4% completion percentage and a passer rating of 78.7 (35th).

Will The Florida Gators Win At Home Over The Miami Hurricanes?

Florida is 20th in our pre-season power rankings after finishing last season with a 5-7 record. The Gators were 3-5 as the underdog and 2-2 as the favorite. They also went 1-4 on the road and 4-3 at home. Despite their 5-7 record, we are giving them a 58.2% chance of being bowl-eligible this season.

Heading into the season, the Gators have the 12th best odds out of 16 teams in the Southeastern Conference to make it to the Conference final. Our power rankings give them a 0.7% chance of winning the conference, while the futures market places them at +11100 to win the Conference and +3500 to make it to the Conference final.

Florida’s offense last season was led by quarterback Graham Mertz, who threw for 2,878 yards and 20 touchdowns, while completing 72.8% of his passes. The Gators were 54th in the country in scoring, averaging 28.4 points per game. They were also 75th in rushing yards and 56th in passing yards per game. Per completion, the Gators were 41st in the country, averaging 11 yards.

Montrell Johnson Jr. returns as the top running back for Florida, coming off a season in which he rushed for 817 yards and five touchdowns. The Gators also added wide receiver Elijhah Badger, who had 713 receiving yards last season. Last year, Florida was 85th in third-down conversion percentage, converting on just 36.7% of their third down chances.

Florida’s defense allowed 27.6 points per game last season, ranking them 50th in the country. They struggled against the run, giving up 157.6 rushing yards per game, which put them 100th in the nation. In the passing game, the Gators allowed 226.7 yards per game, placing them 97th. Opposing quarterbacks had a passer rating of 98.2 and completed 59.4% of their passes against the Gators last season.