Miami Will Hand the Gators a Loss At Their Own Stadium | Week 1 Preview & Prediction

all right Mason let's jump into another matchup we've got the Miami Hurricanes a two and a half Point favorite on the road at benh Hill Griffin Stadium there at Florida this is a highly anticipated matchup and a rivalry game of course uh at you know two instate teams there the over under is set at 55 you got Graham merch returning on offense Billy Napier is on the hot seat a lot you know I guess kind of decide where his career ends up as far as being the head coach of Florida a lot have to do with what happens this season and if Florida stands a chance Mason of making a bowl game and and you know accomplishing some of the goals that they've set out for themselves I think this is a game that they're probably going to have to win this is one of the hardest schedules in the country um it's not a conference game so it doesn't count as a conference loss if you do lose it but um you know this team needs momentum and it's going to be hard to get it here in this first game against Miami who hit the transfer portal and hit it hard brought in cam Moore Damen Martinez you you bring back Xavier Restrepo Jobe George bring in a wide receiver Sam Brown I mean the list goes on and on um you you return it was just an okay offensive line last year for Miami but you return a lot of those guys and a lot of reps um and as we said with with Florida you you bring back Montreal Johnson but you lose etn Georgia um so you feel like maybe there's a little bit of a depth issue there wide receiver you you bring back Eugene Wilson but you lose Ricky Piera from last year a absolute Game Changer and a just a Human Highlight Reel that guy was he goes off to the NFL and I suspect we'll do some good things um but you lose Scooby Williams off of the defense it it just seems like there's a lot to be desired here on this Florida roster and that's a reason why I think a lot of people have them winning you know five or six games this season what do you think about this matchup and we'll kind of talk about the matchups within the matchup right what what do you think kind of changes the game here for Florida or or Miami to be able to pull this game off uh only two and a half points sounds pretty low to me Mason we're we're I'm high on Miami what do you think yeah I think to me what's going to be really interesting is is how this Miami team uh how cam Ward handles the swamp because this is going to be the toughest environment he has ever played in B none I mean this it's going to be rabid uh this is a desperate Florida team A desperate Florida fan base and I think that the the fans of um of Florida atbin Hil Griffin Stadium it they're going to they're going to play a factor in this they're going to be uh an actual 12th man on the field right so um that to me me is is what's really interesting about this football game I think if this game was played on a neutral site this I think that Miami would be a a seven-point favorite you know a touchdown favorite type of that I think that would be where the line is at and and I would still feel pretty good about Miami being able to cover but being played in a hostile environment a rivalry game it it'll be very interesting to see how Miami handles that um I'm I'm really just looking at The Playmakers for Florida look if Florida's going to win this game grah Merz has to be a huge part of it Eugene Wilson also has to be a huge part of it uh he's really the only playmaker that's returning that is healthy we don't know the the status of Montreal Johnson heading into this game he's been battling a little bit of a knee injury um not sure if Sab is going to have to you know take some snaps here excuse me web uh trayon not sure if he's going to have to step up and and make some plays for this team you certainly hope if you're a Florida fan that that you get Montell Johnson because he was a big part of the offense over over a thousand total yards between running and catching the football um that's a huge loss if if he's not able to go so I I think to me the connection between Graham Merz and Eugene Wilson is going to be the Catalyst for this team if they're if they want to beat my Miami especially with with what we know is coming up front for Miami on the defensive line this is this is a team that has completely reloaded on the defensive line they're one of the best in college football and I expect them to be extremely disruptive to Graham MZ the Florida offensive line is although they're pretty good on the left side they're a little bit weak on the right side I want to see how they hold up right this is again Miami's defensive line is going to be rotating guys in and out they're going to be fresh can the offensive line for Florida step up uh and and protect merch because I I do think that they're going to have to win this game over the top at some point um Can can they get Eugene Wilson the ball in in creative ways he's not just going to be a deep threat he's got to get some end rounds um if the if the passing game's not working to working very well um can they get him some wide receiver screens and just just get that get that guy the football he he was great as a true freshman last year I expect him to to do really well um this season as well and then for Miami you know looking at this at this defense I think that they're completely reloaded however I've I've still got questions uh in the defensive back field it it sounds like Miami's done enough to kind of fill that void on the in the defensive secondary it sounds like everything from everything we've heard coming out of fall and spring camp sounds like the defensive back field is ready to play we just got to see it um you know on paper Miami is a better team than Florida nobody's nobody's denying that but Miami's had the better roster for several seasons uh in well the better roster in the ACC I guess or at least a really good roster and they haven't met their own expectations as a program um can they get it done on the field we know Mario Chris Ball and his abilities to recruit but can they finally put it together on the field they're my pick to win the ACC this game will not change that whether they win or lose but I think that Miami winning this game is is going to prove a lot for Mario crystal ball and for the Miami Hurricanes as a program I think that they do get it done and to me it it's going to come down to the defensive line for Miami are they able to get pressure are they able to stop the run I think the answer is yes um how do the DBS hold up right I I mentioned um you know the matchup to me is is Eugene Wilson and these these wide receivers and Graham Merz against the defensive backfield if Miami's able to win that competition I think that they win this football game and then what I want to see on offense is just um an identity being created cam Ward comes over from Washington State he's got really high expectations I do think that he's the best quarterback for Miami in over 20 years um can he prove that in this game I I think I think the answer is is going to be yes he's going to be hitting guys like Xavier uh rreo and also Damen Martinez could be could be getting his legs going in this game although I do think George uh excuse me I do think Florida is going to be pretty good up front on the defensive line particularly in stopping the run a lot of new faces but I I do feel pretty good about them slowing this this uh Miami rushing attack down so I think some of that burden is going to be placed on cam Ward can he rise to to the occas and uh take advantage of a an also kind of weak Florida secondary I think that Florida lost a lot in the transfer portal on the defensive line um and and on the defense as a whole you know a lot of new faces on the defense for for Florida can Miami take advantage of it I think the answer is yes um two and a half points to me is just not enough for for Miami I do think that they cover also 542 feels like a lot for the over under I I would play the under on this one and kind of thread the needle Miami um covers with the two and a half points but the the uh under is the play for me at 54 and a half I don't think that Florida gets above 20 um and then you know Miami could still still score 30 or 33 points um and they would cover you know obviously they would cover the two and a half but also the under would hit give me give me that play here uh I feel really good about Miami I would feel good about Miami at six points even you know at the swamp um anxious to hear your thoughts I'm hearing a lot of a lot of people say that Florida playing at home gives them the edge in this game is certainly an edge I think that Ben Hill Griffin's one of the one of the toughest places to play um you know but when when you compare the rosters we've we've done our homework and and I I invite you all to go back and look at the Miami breakdown that we did but we looked at this roster and it's it's pretty stout all the way through uh really good everywhere except for the the defensive backfield I think they're a little bit thin but um you know at this point all of those guys are healthy so can they can they make some stops on in the defensive back field what are your thoughts on that Mark well we'll talk about the defensive backfield first then can Corman mlan who comes back over he comes over from uh Colorado can he step up I guess he's kind of like an X Factor because you talk about the depth in the in the defensive secondary if if that's a guy that you can rely on then I feel pretty good about this secondary right um you know excuse me he he's coming over to Florida I'm sorry I'm I'm I'm getting my teams mix that fear Forman mlan comes over from Florida that's going to be an X Factor for their def defensive backfield um Miami Hit the transfer portal really really hard for their uh defensive back field you know I I feel better about it but they were 55th nationally last year against the pass so I I'm not like super hot on either one of these secondaries at the moment um but with that being said Mason what threat is Florida's wide receiver room at this point I and understand you know you bring back Eugene Wilson and definitely a playmaker no doubt about it and he's going to have to be for this team uh but I I just don't see a whole lot of answers in that wide receiver room behind Eugene Wilson whereas we look at Miami and we kind of look at their pass game versus the Florida secondary we'll kind of go back to that xaviero jacobe [Music] George per have confidence and uh to be able to put the team on his back if he needs to and get that first down on on Third and 10 or whatever but Dam Ward comes in Aman Martinez it's just too much I think it's just too much for this Florida defense that is reing at this point I mean let's be real Florida hasn't been to a bowl game in a long time at this point um I don't think I I don't think they're making one this year this this team is on the wrong track Miami's on the right track with Florida State losing yesterday as we're recording this um the ACC is wide open for Miami at this point Florida state Florida state is not the team that that the national media wanted to dress them up as to start the year I'm sorry they just weren't and we knew that we talked about that here on the first and Long college football show you know fade fade Florida State and that's what we did in our top 25 to start the year and and they're going to fall out of the top 25 now so my it's wide open for Miami I I understand that this is at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium we this is going to be a hell of an environment and that's part of the attraction for me as a college football fan I want to see you know that that environment I know it's going to be lit and then that's great but I don't think a guy like cam Ward is going to be a guy that's going to be faced by that I just don't this guy is an absolute gamer he's got the it Factor um I feel the same about Restrepo Damen Martinez um we'll see we'll see if this offensive line can perform that's going to you know kind of depend on that's going to you know change the outcome of this game for sure you're going to need the offensive line to get going um which I think is better this year versus last year you returned a lot of talent there so with all that being said Mason I am I am kind of going on a little crazy on this one I think Miami wins this game 42 to 21 I don't think it's even close I I think it's uh I think it's a track meet for Miami early uh I think scor Florida scores a couple of touchdowns there in the second half uh to to make it look maybe not quite as bad but I think Miami is about to stomp Florida that's what I think is about to happen and um I think it's going to be a coming out party for this Miami offense through the air I think they're going to be able to run the football I think they're going to be able to do a lot of whatever they want in this game um I'm fading the Florida Gators I'm not going to play the over I'm just going to play in this game I I feel most confident about the two and a half I'm laying the two and a half here with Miami obviously um I I think they can win this game by at least 10 I think worst case scenario Miami wins this game by 10 points um I I just sorry Florida Gators but I mean this is just not the team this is not the team and I think Miami is a team that's down for the college football playoff in 2024 so I'm anxious to hear Mark do you think that Billy Napier um being in the hot seat you know he takes a loss here against Miami I mean how hot is this thing going to be for Billy Napier is he is he destined to to be fired mid-season Billy Napier was destined to be fired the moment he was hired this is not a this is not this guy's not a good fit for the Florida Gators and honestly Mason right now I don't know what is a good fit for the Florida Gators there's a lot of talk that there has to be some like administrative changes across the board before uh this football team is going to be able to really become a football program um again it's been a long time guys it's been a long time since we've seen Florida you know at the heights that we remember in the you know ' 05 through 08 you know era that that this team is a long long long ways away from that and what's so bad about it is they recruit top 10 every year just about if you go look at their recruiting rankings they they recruit top 10 a lot because of where they're located right there in the State of Florida which is a hot bed for uh High School football so you know the the resources I feel like are there um you know there's lots of turmoil there's a certain quarterback within the SEC that's suing the program right now there's just a lot going on for the University of Florida um and not to mention all the turnover on their roster so to answer your question this this seat is going to be as as hot as it can possibly get but I think for the flig Gators I think you're just kind of stuck with Billy Napier this season I don't think it's I mean who you hiring who are you about to hire right um you know I I think you're best off to try to keep Billy nepp here as long as possible keep some of the recruits committed that that he's you know trying to bring in um and try to keep some of the young guys happy that that he's recruited there um because that at this point you know I I think he might actually be Florida's Best Bet at this at this point I think you need to hold on to him and just hope that the something turns around here but his style as a head coach just doesn't match the Florida Gator fan base they want to score a bunch of points and beat everybody 110 to zero and and he's not going to do that that's not the kind of Coach this guy is he he's more than happy to win uh 23 to 14 and you know 21 to 17 you know and that's just not Florida style but I think they're going to have to hold on to him for now [Music]