Two Florida teams meet in Gainesville Saturday night as the Florida Gators host the Florida Atlantic Owls to open their seasons in a Week 1 college football matchup at the Swamp.
All eyes will be on Florida’s new head coach, Jon Sumrall, as he looks to bring the Gators back into the college football spotlight after a disappointing 4-8 season that saw former head coach Billy Napier get fired midway through the year. Sumrall posted a 20-8 record in his two years with Tulane, including an 11-3 mark in 2025 that featured a College Football Playoff appearance and a No. 18 finish in the AP Poll.
The Gators will feature plenty of new faces compared to last year’s team, including at quarterback, as DJ Lagway is now at Baylor while Georgia Tech transfer Aaron Philo takes over with just 102 career passing attempts to his name. Florida could lean more on its run game after Jadan Baugh rushed for 1,170 yards and eight touchdowns during his sophomore season last year, with Cincinnati transfer Evan Pryor and his career average of 6.3 yards per carry also joining the mix.
Florida Atlantic is entering Year 2 under Zach Kittley, and while the Owls finished 4-8 last year, they did feature the No. 1 passing offense in FBS college football in Kittley’s explosive system. Quarterback Caden Veltkamp returns alongside star wide receiver Easton Messer, who recorded 1,052 receiving yards and six touchdowns while leading the American Conference with 104 receptions a season ago. Veltkamp must, however, clean up his mistakes after leading all FBS quarterbacks with 17 interceptions last year.
Florida Atlantic vs. Florida Odds
Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook lists Florida as a massive home favorite over Florida Atlantic for Saturday night’s matchup at the Swamp:
Florida Atlantic vs. Florida Predictions
It’s the first full Saturday slate of the college football season, so make sure to get in on the football betting action at Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook and make picks for games such as Florida Atlantic vs. Florida like the one below:
Florida vs. Florida Atlantic Best Bet: Over 58.5 (-115)
As mentioned above, Florida Atlantic featured the top-ranked passing offense in 2025 and will have the continuity of its quarterback, top wide receiver, and head coach all returning this season. There are plenty of question marks surrounding Florida’s offense, with a new head coach, offensive coordinator, and quarterback all entering the equation, but the Gators should still offer a dynamic run game while also featuring an intriguing wide receiver trio of Eric Singleton Jr., Dallas Wilson, and Vernell Brown III.
- Florida vs. Florida Atlantic Total Pick for Sept. 5: Over 58.5 (-115)
Florida Atlantic vs. Florida Betting Splits
Here’s how the action is trending at Hard Rock Bet for Saturday night’s Week 1 matchup:
- Florida is drawing almost all of the moneyline support, with 97.59% of bets and 95.09% of the handle.
- The Gators are also attracting the majority of support on the spread, with 84.86% of bets and 86.75% of the handle.
- The Over accounts for 53% of bets and 62.19% of the handle on the total.
Florida Atlantic vs. Florida Game Info
- đź“Ť Where: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Gainesville, FL
- đź“… Date: Saturday, Sept. 5
- ⏰ Kickoff: 7:45 PM ET
- đź“şđź’» TV/Streaming: SEC Network
Referenced odds are subject to change.
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