Florida State Seminoles quarterback Tate Rodemaker (18). Alicia Devine/Tallahassee Democrat / USA TODAY NETWORK

NCAAF Week 13: Florida Gators vs. Florida State Seminoles betting picks, preview

By Jack Dougherty | Last updated 11/24/23

There's no better time on the college football calendar than Rivalry Week, and one of the featured matchups is going down Saturday night when Florida hosts Florida State in a Sunshine State showdown. Let's break down the matchup and find a winning bet for the rivalry game.

Florida Gators vs. Florida State Seminoles betting odds, preview

Spread: Florida State -6.5, Over/under: 49, Moneyline: Florida State -245 | Florida +198

The biggest story leading up to Florida-Florida State involves a player who won't be on the field Saturday night. FSU quarterback Jordan Travis suffered a season-ending leg injury last week against North Alabama, so backup QB Tate Rodemaker will take over and attempt to lead the undefeated Seminoles to the College Football Playoff.

Rodemaker went 13-23 for 217 yards and two touchdowns in relief of Travis last week. The junior has completed 64.5 percent of his pass attempts this season with five touchdowns and no interceptions.

As for Florida, it has lost four straight games to fall to 5-6 on the season. The Gators need a win this week to qualify for a bowl game, so they still have plenty of motivation in what's been a disappointing season for Billy Napier's squad.

Florida vs. Florida State betting picks

Over 49 (-110 DraftKings)

This total is lower because Travis won't be running Florida State's offense, but even a backup quarterback can put up points against this Florida defense.

The Gators rank 131st in the country in yards per play and 94th in points allowed per game. They've given up 33, 52, 36, 43 and 39 in their last five games. Keon Coleman and Johnny Wilson can dominate this Florida secondary as long as Rodemaker has the confidence to push the ball down the field. This is a dream matchup for Rodemaker's first start.

Florida has scored at least 33 points in five of its last six games, and the only time the Gators fell short was against Georgia. The might need to score only 20 points to get this over the total.

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