The weekly Ugly Underdog column got its first cover of the season last Saturday thanks to Wyoming’s valiant effort on the road against Texas.
It was a very difficult situation for the Longhorns, who had an emotional win over Alabama last week, and it was reflected in the box score, where the game was tied at 10-10, but in the fourth quarter, Texas He scored 21 points against the Cowboys. .
Although they are a worse team than Wyoming, they will eliminate another big favorite in a similar position this coming Saturday.
In college football, things can change in the blink of an eye.
Just three weeks ago, Florida looked like it was going to have a rough season, losing 24-11 to Utah (which was missing its starting quarterback) in its opening game.
A win over McNeese State a week later didn’t move the needle much, but the atmosphere around the Swamp changed when Tennessee came in in Week 3.
The Gators were slightly behind against Volante at home, but took control in the first half and never looked back.
They had Vol on the ropes and never let him off the mat.
This is a big win for Billy Napier and the Gators, who are looking to move in the right direction after back-to-back six-win seasons in 2021 and 2022.
Florida will look to carry that momentum into Week 4 against Charlotte in the Swamp on Tom Petty Day.
As of this writing, the Gators are a 28-point favorite to win.
Similar to last week’s game against Texas, this will be a tough sandwich for the Gators.
Not only did they come off a come-from-behind victory over an SEC rival in the Swamp, but they also have a trip to Lexington to take on Kentucky on deck in Week 5.
But that spot isn’t the only one that’s a good bet for Charlotte to keep this game within four touchdowns. There are also some signs in the numbers that give the 49ers value here, even on the road.
Florida’s defense has done the heavy lifting to get the Gators to 2-1, but there are still some concerns on the offensive side of the ball.
Graham Mertz was effective against Tennessee, but he’s not the type of quarterback who can make explosive plays when you need to cover a 28-point deficit.
Mertz went 19-for-24 against Tennessee, but only threw for 166 yards and one touchdown. Most of the damage was done on the ground by Trevor Etienne and his 172 yards rushing.
Charlotte’s attack, on the other hand, is exactly the opposite.
The 49ers rely on explosiveness and should be able to take a hit or two against a defense that, despite its strengths, tends to allow too many big plays.
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Another sign for Charlotte is that neither offense is playing with tempo.
The Gators rank 85th nationally in seconds per play, while Biff Pogge’s 49ers currently rank as the 105th-fastest offense in the FBS.
The clock should be running, which is a good thing when you’re rooting for a big loser like Charlotte.
I’m sure a lot of people are looking at the University of Florida vs. Tennessee performance and thinking about jumping on the bandwagon, but that’s often the best time to go in a different direction.
Bring Podge and the boys back and keep this somewhat respectable in the swamp.
The Pick:UNC-Charlotte +28 (-110, FanDuel)
