Florida vs. Utah football preview, prediction

Your look at the Utah vs. Florida clash in Week 1 of the college football schedule

Week 1 of the college football schedule brings us a very interesting matchup between the defending Pac-12 champions and a traditional SEC power down on its luck.

No. 7 Utah travels across the country to square off against Florida and first-year coach Billy Napier in a game that will tell us a lot about where these teams are going.

Can the Pac-12 match up against SEC speed? Can Florida beat a quality, non-conference opponent and kick off the Napier era on the right foot?

Here's what you need to know about the Utah vs. Florida matchup in the Swamp.

Florida vs. Utah preview, prediction

How to watch

When: Sat., Sept. 3

Time: 7 p.m. Eastern

TV: ESPN network

Streaming: fuboTV

Florida vs. Utah odds

Line: Utah -2.5

Moneyline: UT -140, UF +120

O/U: 50.5

FPI pick: Florida 52.1%

Florida vs. Utah: What to watch

1. Utah's 1-2 punch. Cameron Rising and Tavion Thomas are a very tough combo to beat. Rising was a 64% passer last season with 20 TDs and just five picks, while Thomas added a school-record 21 rushing touchdowns, third-most in the FBS last season, with a 5.4 ypc average. Returning that core, which tortured Ohio State's D in the Rose Bowl, is vital in a cross-country road opener, especially against an improved Gator front.

2. The Anthony Richardson experience. Florida's quarterback put the ball in the air 64 times a year ago, completing 59.4% of those passes, compiling 930 total yards of offense, including 401 rushing and 529 passing. He looked great in the spring game, scoring twice with his arm and once with his legs, having just a few incompletions, over 200 passing yards, and no turnovers. AR is a dynamic dual threat who is already getting high NFL Draft grades and can emerge as one of the SEC's best players this season.

3. Utah can play defense. Losing linebackers Devin Lloyd and Nephi Sewell is important, but don't discount the rest of the Utes' stoppers, especially after adding Florida transfer Mohamoud Diabate at LB. Add in some huge interior linemen and a fast-moving secondary, and, aside from Georgia, this might be the best D the Gators play this year.

Utah vs. Florida: Fast Facts

+ Florida has won four straight season openers coming into this year's game

+ Utah is 77-50-1 all-time in season openers, but have lost just two in the last 15 years

+ Florida owns the longest active season-opening home win streak in FBS (32) since 1990

+ Utah ranked No. 8 in college football in third down conversions and seventh in first down offense

+ Florida ranked fourth in FBS with 5.5 yards per rush last season

+ 32 of Utah's 61 offensive TDs (52%) came on drives 70 yards or longer

+ Florida QB Anthony Richardson ranked 9th among FBS passers with 57.3 rushing yards per game and his 7.9 ypc was ranks fourth

+ Utah was one of three FBS teams with three RBs who had 450+ yards

+ Florida was one of 4 Power Five teams to average over 460 yards per game and 200 rushing yards per game

+ Utah scored over 30 points in 11 of 14 games last fall, including 35-plus points in eight of its last nine

+ Florida allowed just 14 total sacks in 2021, the fifth fewest in FBS

+ Tavion Thomas ranked third in FBS with 21 rushing touchdowns and was one just 6 backs with 20-plus rushing scores

+ Florida out-sacked opponents by a plus-23 margin, and Utah by plus-29

+ Utah's O-line ranked fourth nationally allowing 0.93 sacks per game and 13 sacks total

What happens?

Utah is the trendy pick of the preseason after its 10-win outing as Pac-12 champions, and it's difficult to get a line on what Florida is right now.

Usually in games like this, you hear a lot about "SEC speed." As you should, considering the league's abundance of fast, agile skill players, even on its middle-tier teams, that always show out in these non-conference games.

Utah has the superior defensive unit and a vastly more proven offensive attack, but you could argue that the Gators have the superior athletes — and that's who wins games.

Utah should be the more dominant presence at the line on either side, but the Gators have a battery of targets to use on short and medium plays, including a well-stocked and talented group of pass catching backs, combined with Richardson's athleticism and pace, who can all throw the Utes off schedule.

A West Coast team far from home, in an unfriendly climate — and one that hasn't performed well on the road against winning teams recently — could find itself in a much closer game than it anticipated.

College Football HQ prediction: Florida 30, Utah 27

College football rankings

According to AP Top 25 poll

1. Alabama
2. Ohio State
3. Georgia
4. Clemson
5. Notre Dame
6. Texas A&M
7. Utah
8. Michigan
9. Oklahoma
10. Baylor
11. Oregon
12. Oklahoma State
13. NC State
14. USC
15. Michigan State
16. Miami
17. Pittsburgh
18. Wisconsin
19. Arkansas
20. Kentucky
21. Ole Miss
22. Wake Forest
23. Cincinnati
24. Houston
25. BYU

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