The No. 5 Florida Gators have been on a roll to open the 2017-18 season and will face their toughest test at home yet when they host the rival Florida State Seminoles on Monday night.
Here’s what you need to know and how you can watch Gators-Noles.
Date: Monday, Dec. 4 | Time: 9 p.m. ET
Location: Stephen C. O’Connell Center – Gainesville, Florida [Capacity: 10,133]
TV: ESPN2 (Tom Hart, Sean Farnham)
Live stream:WatchESPN.com | Watch ESPN apps
SiriusXM: 135/190 | Radio: Gator Radio Network [Affiliates]
Live Updates:@OnlyGators on Twitter
No. 5 Florida Gators | Florida State Seminoles | |
Head coach | Mike White | Leonard Hamilton |
Record | 5-1 | 6-0 |
Conference | Southeastern | Atlantic Coast |
Prediction and analysis
Spread: Florida -9 | O/U: 165
Florida State has looked good early this season, but Florida has been on another level. Taking out the Gators’ late-game collapse against No. 1 Duke, Florida has covered four of five and done so in impressive fashion. Nine points seems like a lot against a rival, but the Gators are rested after a long trip out West and ready to thrive in their home opener against a Power Five opponent. I’m not sure Florida will match its recent high point totals, however, so I’d err on the under.
Geoff Johnson, owner at Mytopsportsbooks.com, vets the books himself and always has his eyes on the power rankings. This is his prediction for Monday night: “The Seminoles’ (5-0) loss column will get its first entry when FSU travels to Gainesville to face their in-state rival and the No. 5 team in the nation, Florida (5-1). Not only will this be Florida State’s first true road game, but the Gators already own wins over Gonzaga and Stanford, plus a three-point loss to No. 1 Duke, a game they led by as many as 17. FSU’s toughest game to date came against Colorado State, the 169th-ranked team on KenPom.”
2017-18 records: ATS picks 0-0 | O/U picks 0-0
Out (2): C John Egbunu (knee), C Isaiah Stokes (knee)
» Florida is 43-25 all-time against Florida State on the hardwood, but the Seminoles have won three straight over the Gators.
» UF is averaging a nation-high 99.5 points per game.
» Florida already has four 100-point games this season, one shy of a program record for most in a single season. UF accomplished four 100-point games in a five-game span for the first time in program history.
» The Gators were mixing and matching starting lineups all last season and are doing that once again with four starting fives in their first six games.