Florida Gators vs #14 Utah Utes Game Prediction

Irish Breakdown makes predictions for the upcoming matchup between the Florida Gators and the 14th-ranked Utah Utes

The first full week of the 2023 college football season kicks off on Thursday, and the marquee matchup of the day is between the 14th-ranked Utah Utes and the Florida Gators.

Florida won a hard fought 29-26 game in Gainesville last season thanks to heroics from quarterback Anthony Richardson. The Utes will look for payback this season in a Pac 12 vs SEC matchup.

Where: Rice-Eccles Stadium (Salt Lake City, Utah)
When: Thursday - August 31st
Time: 8:00 PM ET
Network: ESPN
Line: Utah -4.5, O/U: 44.5

Irish Breakdown has made its picks for this matchup.

BRYAN DRISKELL, PUBLISHER

Prediction: Florida 27, Utah 21

I've been back and forth on this game for weeks, but I'm going with the Gators due to the questions about quarterback Cameron Rising being able to play while he continues to recover from the knee injury he suffered in the Rose Bowl against Penn State.

There are other reasons I have considered going with Florida heading into the game. Utah lost some significant weapons last season, and none bigger than cornerback Clark Phillips. Utah could have a tough time covering Ricky Pearsall and the talented young Florida receivers. Losing Mohamoud Diabate and Gabe Reid hurts the Utah pass rush.

Utah has also struggled outside of the Pac 12 in recent seasons. The Utes are 4-7 against FBS opponents outside of the Pac 12 going back to the 2018 season, and the wins came against Northern Illinois (twice) and BYU (twice). BYU won the last meeting between the two teams, which was 2021.

My final reason is Graham Mertz. Yeah, I know he struggled at Wisconsin, but he's better suited for a shotgun based offense and I think he'll thrive with the quality weapons he has around him this season. Combine that with Utah's shaky secondary and I'm going with the Gators.

VINCE DEDARIO, FOOTBALL ANALYST

Prediction: Florida 28, Utah 24

I had all but forgotten that Graham Mertz transferred to Florida in the off season but alas he did. He has some big shoes to fill in Anthony Richardson and he has to do it on the road against a Utah team that returns 8 starters on defense and led the PAC 12 in sacks and rush yards. While I’m not a believer in Mertz the QB situation for Utah is even worse with injuries. I will begrudgingly take the Gators in this one.

RYAN ROBERTS, RECRUITING DIRECTOR

Prediction: Utah 31, Florida 17

In last year’s matchup, Florida came out on top in a great game. This year’s contest has a much different feel. There are three certainties in life: death, taxes and a Kyle Wittingham team is rock solid. That consistency is something you can depend on going into the first game of the season. With Cam Rising still recovering from injury, they lean on running back Ja’Quinden Jackson for a big game.

On Florida’s side, a talented defense keeps the game close for a while. The problem is that Graham Mertz and his crew leave a lot to be desired offensively. It feels like it could be very tough early on to start the year. 

SEAN STIRES, STAFF WRITER

Prediction: Florida 27, Utah 24

The Gators won by a field goal when these teams opened the season in The Swamp last year. Utah quarterback Cam Rising is still not fully recovered from a knee injury he suffered in the Rose Bowl and backup Brandon Rose was also injured during training camp. Wisconsin transfer Graham Mertz gets the QB nod for the Gators. I'll take the quarterback experience on the road in the opener. 

ANDREW MCDONOUGH, IB CONTRIBUTOR

Prediction: Utah 20, Florida 3

After losing a heartbreaker in The Swamp in the opener last year, you can bet that Kyle Whittingham and the Utes have had this one circled for awhile. QB Cameron Rising will likely miss this game due to an ACL injury suffered in the Rose Bowl, and in his absence the Utes will turn to a combination of Bryson Barnes and Nate Johnson. Even without Rising, the Utes will prove too tough for the Gators in Salt Lake City. This Utah squad plays with a chip on its shoulder, because despite two straight Pac-12 titles, the Utes have still been flying under the radar in preseason polls this season. 

The win over Utah last season catapulted Gator QB Anthony Richardson into a household name and eventual first-round pick in last year's NFL Draft, but now Billy Napier is forced to turn to Wisconsin transfer Graham Mertz in what could be a pivotal second year in his tenure in Gainesville. Even though the Utes have to replace CB Clark Phillips, Mertz, who completed only 57.3% of his passes for the Badgers last season, does not offer enough of a threat to what still figures to be a stout Utah defense. Utah leans on its defense to close this out and avenges last season's loss. 

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