The Florida Gators and Oregon State Beavers are in Vegas for the Las Vegas Bowl at Allegiant Stadium on Saturday afternoon. This is the biggest bowl game from the opening Saturday of bowl season. We have our latest Florida vs. Oregon State predictions and best bets in the desert this weekend.
Florida will see what they can do in a bowl game where they are without their first and second-team quarterback. Anthony Richardson is opting out of the Las Vegas Bowl to prepare for the NFL. His backup, Jalen Kitna, was arrested and dismissed from the football program.
.@GatorsFB meet @BeaverFootball. 🤝 #LVBowl | #GoGators | #GoBeavs pic.twitter.com/MnPxApFD6B
— SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl (@LasVegasBowl) December 14, 2022
via@LasVegasBowl
Along with the quarterback situation for the Gators, they are limping into the Las Vegas Bowl after a 6-6 season. Florida lost their final two games of the season to Vanderbilt, 31-24, and Florida State, 45-38. In the most recent win, Florida beat South Carolina on November 12, 38-6.
Oregon State is entering with a lot more confidence following a 38-34 win over the Oregon Ducks in the Civil War. The win for the Beavers was more than a rivalry win. That performance stopped Oregon from going to the College Football Playoff.
The Beavers are on a three-game winning streak and have won six of their previous seven outings. This has to be a much bigger game for Oregon State than it is for the Gators. Florida might just want to get this season done as fast as possible.
Head below for our best Florida vs. Oregon State betting pick and Las Vegas Bowl predictions for December 17, 2022.
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Florida Gators vs. Oregon State Beavers Las Vegas Bowl Live Betting Odds:
| Teams | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida Gators | +9 (-110) | +260 | Over 53 (-110) |
| Oregon State Beavers | -9 (-110) | -320 | Under 53 (-110) |
| Team Data | Florida Gators | Oregon State Beavers |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Record | 6-6 | 9-3 |
| ATS Record | 7-5-0 | 10-2-0 |
| Away/Home Record | NEUTRAL | NEUTRAL |
| ATS Away/Home | NEUTRAL | NEUTRAL |
| Yards Per Game | 440.5 | 400.2 |
| Yards Against Per Game | 417.0 | 342.3 |
| Passing Yards Per Game | 277.5 | 200.4 |
| Rushing Yards Per Game | 213.0 | 199.8 |
Florida vs. Oregon State Predictions
Anthony Richardson passing on the Las Vegas Bowl does not come as a surprise after he declared for the 2023 NFL Draft. He is a raw NFL prospect that will need the right situation in the NFL.
The plan was for the Gators to start backup Jalen Kitna with Richardson preparing for the NFL. However, Kitna was put in cuffs and was in front of a judge, leading to his removal from the program.
Florida backup quarterback Jalen Kitna was dismissed from the team Friday, sources confirmed to ESPN, following his arrest this week on child pornography charges.
— ESPN (@espn) December 2, 2022
via@espn
The Gators are on their third-team quarterback for the Las Vegas Bowl. Ohio State transfer, Jack Miller, is up for his first career start at Allegiant Stadium on Saturday. It’s a tough first assignment for Miller against the 17th-ranked Beavers.
Miller Has Little Experience
The first-year Gator spent two years with the Buckeyes. He did not see the field in his first season in Columbus. Miller passed for 101 yards on 7 of 14 completions at Ohio State last year.
This is a huge step forward for Miller against a formidable Oregon State defense. There are hold some good offenses in the Pac-12 that had tough times moving the ball on the Beavers. It is unlikely that Miller is going to move the meter for Florida in the Las Vegas Bowl.
The entire Florida offense was Richardson running the ball. Florida is 16th in the nation running the ball because of Richardson as a mobile quarterback. They finished 69th through the air, with 227.5 passing yards per game.
The absence of Richardson will severely diminish what Florida wants to do offensively. Miller is not going to run like him, and the passing game was not that great, to begin with. Expect the 31st-ranked Oregon State defense to hold up well.
Oregon State Will Be Excited To Be In Las Vegas
Motivation is a key factor in handicapping bowl games. Oregon State will play hard at Allegiant Stadium. The Beavers just need a decent game out of Damien Martinez to win this game.
Martinez is coming off a big game against Oregon to close out the regular season. He ran for 103 yards and 6.9 yards per attempt to help Oregon State erase a 28-10 deficit. Jamious Griffin also had a big game, with 75 yards on 9.4 yards per carry.
2022 #Pac12FB Freshman Offensive Player of the Year, presented by @Nextiva: Damien Martinez 🦫
Full release ➡️ https://t.co/PRdgEovUpW#GoBeavs | @BeaverFootball pic.twitter.com/YT80u77sqP
— Pac-12 Conference (@pac12) December 6, 2022
via@pac12
The Beavers are averaging 199.8 yards per game on the ground. They’re 26th in the nation running the ball this season. Pounding the ball is going to work out well against the Gators in this one.
The Gators have allowed 177.3 yards per game for 101st versus the run. This has not been a typical year for the Florida defense. They’ve conceded 28.8 points per game as opposed to 21.4 points per game for the Beavers.
Florida vs. Oregon State Betting Pick:
The unmotivated Gators against a physical Oregon State team probably is not going to go well for them. Florida will be more interested in having a good time in Las Vegas than this football game. Down to a quarterback with no experience, this does not appear like a good situation.
Oregon State is feeling good entering the Las Vegas Bowl after their big win over the Ducks. Beating a team from the SEC will be another good win for the portfolio going into the offseason. It is a pretty big spread, but Oregon State should pull away for a double-digit victory.
Our Florida vs. Oregon State prediction is a 31-17 win for Oregon State in the Las Vegas Bowl.
