Just a couple of hours before the kickoff between No. 5 Texas football and the Florida Gators, the anticipation is building for the first game after the bye week last week for head coach Steve Sarkisian's squad.
Texas is facing a Florida team that has been battle tested this season, and can't be taken lightly. Sarkisian and the Longhorns opened up for this game as a pretty sizable favorite by over two touchdowns.
Since the lower-body injury happened to freshman Florida quarterback DJ Lagway last week in the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party against the Georgia Bulldogs, the Gators have slipped in the betting odds for the Texas game even further.
Texas. Florida. Tune in 🤘
— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) November 9, 2024
⏰ 11 AM CT
📺 ABC
📻 @KVETFM
💻 https://t.co/aSgGpDCxnk pic.twitter.com/Ej8DDQKgzH
Here's a look at the final betting odds and game prediction for the Week 11 matchup between No. 5 Texas and Florida at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, TX, on Nov. 9 at 11 a.m. CT.
Texas football vs. Florida odds
Texas is a 21.5-point favorite against Florida a couple of hours before kickoff in Week 11. And the Longhorns are favored in the money line (-3000) over the Gators (+1200), per FanDuel. The over/under is 47.5 points.
The betting line has remained steady in the past few days, favoring the Longhorns by 21.5-points consistently throughout the latter portion of this week.
Texas football vs. Florida prediction
If Florida is without Lagway for this game, Napier and the Gators will be down to their third-string quarterback, redshirt freshman Aidan Walker.
Texas should be prepared to face either Lagway or Walker. But the obvious dual-threat ability and arm talent Lagway brings would be a much more difficult matchup for the Longhorns defense against Florida's offense compared to if he's not able to go today.
During ESPN College GameDay this morning, Kirk Herbstreit alluded to Texas still being in the running with Georgia for which teams leads the way for the SEC's top tier entering the regular season's final month.
As long as the Longhorns come out of the bye week prepared and ready to go, not to mention getting some key starters back from injuries on both sides of the ball, they should be able to take care of business at home against Florida.
This weekend will be an important game for the Longhorns to build momentum for the final stretch run, and to keep their hopes alive for the SEC Championship Game and the 12-team College Football Playoff.