Florida plays host to No. 4 Miami as the Gators hope to rebound after a series of disappointing performances. The program is 1-2 for the second straight season after falling to South Florida in Week 2. Last week, quarterback DJ Lagway threw five interceptions in a 20-10 loss against No. 3 LSU.
Conversely, Miami is playing like a serious national championship contender in Mario Cristobal’s fourth season. The Hurricanes beat then-No. 6 Notre Dame in the opener and then crushed No. 18 South Florida 49-12 behind a monster rushing effort. Miami ran for 205 yards and held the Bulls to only 40 yards on 27 carries one week after the Gators allowed 128 to the same opponent.
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Miami holds a 30-27 record against the Gators all time, including a 41-17 destruction of Florida last season. Lagway came off the bench and threw for 31 yards and an interception.
Florida vs. Miami: Need to know
Beck’s resurgence: Miami quarterback Carson Beck has been sensational in his first games since transferring from Georgia. The senior is completing 79% of his passes for 812 yards and seven touchdowns on 9.9 yards per attempt through three games. While he threw two interceptions against USF, it was still enough to finish with a 205 passer rating because of his 340 yards and three touchdowns. Beck’s belief in himself has paid off.
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Disappointing start: Expectations for Florida quarterback DJ Lagway were off the charts after he came to Gainesville as the No. 1 quarterback in the Class of 2024. In limited opportunity, he has not looked anywhere close to the future star that was promised. Lagway threw five interceptions against No. 3 LSU in a devastating loss and has averaged only 6.3 yards per attempt. He missed much of the offseason recovering from injuries and the rust has been obvious.
Good on good: While Beck has received the majority of the attention during Miami’s rise back to prominence, the defensive line has been a breakout star. After going out with an injury last season, Rueben Bain Jr. has established himself as national DPOY candidate with three TFLs, 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble and an interception. Sidekick Akheem Mesidor also has two sacks of his own. Florida’s offensive line, led by All-American center Jake Slaughter, is one of the best in the SEC. Are they up for the challenge?
Where to watch Florida vs. Miami live
Date: Saturday, Sept. 20 | Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Hard Rock Stadium — Miami Gardens, Florida
TV: ABC | Live stream: Fubo (Start watching, save $20!)
Florida vs. Miami prediction, picks
Florida is a talented roster, but the Hurricanes have built up advantages at nearly every single position group. Miami’s offense is rolling behind quarterback Carson Beck and the aggressive defensive line will cause problems for Florida quarterback DJ Lagway. The Gators will fight hard in the first half to try and save Billy Napier’s job, but the gap between these two programs is only widening. Pick: Miami -7.5
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