No. 15 Florida travels to Tallahassee on Saturday night to face No. 14 Florida State, and despite both teams being ranked, the stakes are actually pretty low. The Gators have already clinched the SEC East, and the Seminoles are out of the running for the ACC Atlantic. Neither team is going to get into the College Football Playoff, either, so there's nothing left to play for, technically.
Florida vs. Florida State 2016: Start time, live stream, TV schedule, and 3 things to know
This would be a big win for both programs, even if there isn’t much to play for.
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
That is, outside of program perception and bragging rights in the state of Florida, which is massive when you consider how cutthroat the recruiting landscape is there. The Gators have not been aesthetically pleasant to watch, but they're mostly effective thanks to a good running game and an excellent defense. Jordan Scarlett has put together back-to-back 100 yard games, and was instrumental in Florida's win over LSU last week.
It hasn't quite been a rebuilding year for Florida State, but the Noles took a step back. Freshman quarterback Deondre Francois has struggled at times, but he's shown both that he's the real deal, and that he's incredibly tough. FSU has given up 34 sacks in 11 games this year, and Francois has muscled through.
How to watch, stream and listen
TV: 8 p.m. ET, ABC
Radio: Florida | Florida State
Online streaming: WatchESPN
Spread: Florida State is favored by 7.5 points.
Make friends: Get to SB Nation’s team blog chats for this game at Alligator Army for Florida fans and Tomahawk Nation for Florida State fans.
Three big things to know
1. Florida State’s senior class can finish undefeated for their careers against Florida and Miami if they win this game, which is a powerful goal to have when there isn’t much on the line in terms of actual stakes.
2. Florida’s defense has been excellent all year, and famously snuffed out LSU with a massive goal line stand to preserve the 16-10 win last week. The Gators are only allowing 3.31 yards per carry this year, but they should have their hands full with Dalvin Cook. Cook is averaging over 6 yards per carry this year, and has come back strong after a quiet start to the season.
3. Florida State has won three straight in this series, and five of the last six. Both teams are in the midst of good seasons, but not good enough to meet their fans’ high expectations. A win here would be huge for stopping some offseason grumbling before it starts.
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