Florida vs. Virginia Odds, Betting Picks: Spread, Prediction for 2019 Orange Bowl
Streeter Lecka, USA Today Sports. Pictured: Bryce Perkins
- Florida as a 14.5-point betting favorite over Virginia for the 2019 Orange Bowl, a spread that has been on the rise since games were announced earlier this month.
- The Gators had an excellent second season under Dan Mullen, while the Cavaliers finally broke out and won the ACC Coastal under Bronco Mendenhall.
- See our experts' picks for the Orange Bowl below.
Florida vs. Virginia Odds, Pick
- Odds: Florida -14.5
- Over/Under: 54.5
- Time: Monday, 8 p.m. ET
- TV: ESPN
- Location: Miami, Fla.
Florida vs. Virginia odds via FanDuel, where Action Network users get a risk-free bet up to $500.
Virginia had a fourth-year breakout under coach Bronco Mendenhall, going 9-3 and winning the ACC Coastal before losing to Clemson in the ACC title game.
Florida continued its ascension under Dan Mullen, losing only at LSU and to Georgia in a 10-2 campaign.
Will the Gators cover this big spread against a banged up Cavaliers team? Let's dive in.
Orange Bowl Line Moves
Bettors have been lining up non-stop to back the Gators, who are getting nearly 70% of the bets. That makes them one of the most popular teams this bowl season, though the line hasn't moved much — just from -14 to -14.5.
Nearly 70% of money on the total is on the over, moving it from 54 to 54.5. — Steve Petrella
UVA Needs Monster Effort from Perkins
Virginia struggled on both sides of the ball against Clemson in the ACC Championship. That's not anything new for teams facing the Tigers, but the Cavs have looked especially vulnerable on defense since losing star cornerback Bryce Hall.
Without Hall anchoring their secondary, the Cavaliers will need a monster game out of do-it-all quarterback Bryce Perkins to keep close to the Gators. The problem is that Virginia is at its best when Perkins has time and space to create, but Florida has excelled at limiting those things on defense this season.
The Gators rank fifth in havoc and seventh in sack rate on defense, so keeping Perkins upright will be an uphill challenge for Virginia's offensive line.
And even if the Cavs do piece together some plays, Florida's defense ranks sixth in finishing drives, so points shouldn't be easy to come by for Virginia.
Kyle Trask, the Best Quarterback You Don't Know Much About
The Gators' offense is a one-sided attack. Florida has struggled to find any success on the ground, ranking 113th in rushing success rate and 102nd in line yards. With no run game to speak of, the burden will fall on quarterback Kyle Trask's shoulders and the junior quarterback has answered the bell since taking over for the injured Feleipe Franks.
The Gators boast the ninth-best passing success rate in the country this season, so expect to see a lot of Trask in the Orange Bowl.
Virginia's defense does a good job getting to the quarterback, ranking sixth in sack rate and 29th in havoc, but the injuries in the secondary should open up a defense that has otherwise been strong against the pass in 2019.
Our projected line for this game is Florida -16.5, so I'm looking for Gators -14 or better to get involved in this one. — Collin Wilson
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