Will No. 3 Florida State finish another regular season undefeated, or can Will Muschamp spoil two seasons in his final year with the Gators? The Seminoles host Florida, the last team to beat them way back in 2012, on Saturday afternoon.
How to watch Florida vs. Florida State: Game guide, TV schedule, streaming, odds
Does Will Muschamp have any magic left for his final game with the Gators?
Florida’s rushing offense has come along a bit in November, giving the Gators a way to move the ball while their defense continues to play well. Florida State’s young defensive interior has struggled a bit against the run this season, but Florida hasn’t really shown the ability to put up the number of points required to pull off the upset. That 38-20 win over Georgia, which likely knocked the Bulldogs out of the playoff race, showed promise, but FSU has been studying that tape in preparation for this game.
Florida State pulled out another predictably dramatic win against an unranked opponent, coming back to beat a very solid Boston College team in the final minute. Say what you will about how the Seminoles have done it (and whom they’ve done it against), but they remain 11-0 with an assured spot at a playoff bid if they can win out. That would require a win against the Gators and another against Georgia Tech in the ACC Championship Game.
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How to watch, listen, and stream
Game time: 3:30 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Online streaming: WatchESPN.
The numbers
Rankings and records: Florida State is No. 1 in the AP Poll and No. 2 in the Coaches Poll. Florida is not ranked in either poll. The Seminoles are 11-0 while the Gators are 6-4. Florida leads the all-time series, 34-22-2.
Vegas: Florida State opened as 10-point favorites. The line has since dropped to 7.5 with an over/under of 53, per Odds Shark.
Weather forecast: 53 degrees and clear.
Two things at stake
Florida State needs to win out to stay in the playoff race.
Knocking out Florida State and Georgia from playoff contention in one year might help some Florida fans get over the last two seasons of Gators football.
One big matchup
Florida secondary vs. Jameis Winston. The Gators’ best shot is forcing turnovers from Florida State’s suddenly erratic quarterback. If Vernon Hargreaves III can make a big play or two, giving Florida’s offense advantageous field position (or points), this one could stay close.
Further reading
For more on Florida, head to Alligator Army. For full coverage of Florida State, check out Tomahawk Nation.
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