Orange Bowl preview – Florida vs. Virginia: Key matchups, odds, predictions

Dan Mullen and the No. 9 Florida Gators are set to face off against Bronco Mendenhall and the No. 24 Virginia Cavaliers. Here’s what you need to know about the upcoming Orange Bowl.

In year two of the Dan Mullen era of Florida football, the Gators have won 10 games (so far) and are headed to the Orange Bowl. Sure, falling short against LSU (who is in the playoffs) and Georgia (who won the SEC East) stings, but the Gators have plenty to be proud of, and the chance to win a New Year’s Six bowl game is something to celebrate.

Virginia is also at the end of a season worth noting. The Cavaliers, a team far from being a college football powerhouse, accomplished plenty this season in a wild and wacky ACC. Getting to this point with nine wins is respectable and now Virginia has an opportunity to truly make a name for itself with the chance to upset the Gators.

But Florida won’t be so easily beat.

While Mullen is still building and developing this program into one that will be successful and sustainable in the long run (like he did in Starkville, Mississippi), the Florida Gators are still a legitimately good team right now. And they’ll be more than just some challenge for the Cavaliers.

The game will be broadcast on ESPN on Dec. 30 at 7 p.m. Central Time. And while it’s technically a neutral site location, the game is in Miami, so it wouldn’t be a shocker if Florida has far more fans present at the Orange Bowl than Virginia does.

Key Matchups

Bryce Perkins vs. Florida’s secondary

If Virginia is going to have a chance in this game, quarterback Bryce Perkins will need to be a precise and accurate passer. Perkins is a talented dual-threat quarterback who has shown his potential as both a runner and a passer, but the Cavaliers will need his arm to be able to move the ball on the Gators’ defense.

Florida allows just 109.6 rushing yards per game and the Gators are almost certainly preparing for Perkins’ running ability. He’s completed 64 percent of his passes this season for 3,215 yards and 18 touchdowns. Perkins has shown he can move the ball around through the air. He’ll need to do it again against Florida.

Lamical Perine vs. Zane Zandler

While Lamical Perine hasn’t been the most dominant running back in the Southeastern Conference, he has become a complete offensive weapon in Mullen’s offense. His ability to run and catch makes him dangerous, and he’s scored eight total touchdowns this year, but it’s yet to be seen if he can routinely escape, or run through, Virginia linebacker Zane Zandler.

He has proven himself capable of disrupting offenses and has plenty of tackles for loss on his resume. In total, he’s racked up 93 tackles this season, leading the Cavaliers, and has 11.5 tackles for loss. There’s a good chance that Perine and Zandler collide several times as this game progresses on.

Odds

The Gators, unsurprisingly, are a solid favorite over the Cavaliers in this game, according to The Action Network. At the time of publishing, Florida is a -14.5 favorite over Virginia. The over/under is set at 54.5 points and the moneylines are set at -650 for Florida and +425 for Virginia.

Predictions

Expect Florida to come out on top of this contest. While Virginia has accomplished quite a bit relative to preseason expectations, the Gators have a more talented roster and a dominant defense. Perkins will almost certainly be challenged and pressured throughout the evening and Florida’s defense should be able to carry the Gators to a solid victory.

Pick: Florida 35, Virginia 17

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