Florida Gators vs. Tennessee Volunteers Betting Odds, College Football Pick

The Florida Gators own the Tennessee Volunteers as of late, winning the last 11 matchups in a row and going 7-3-1 against the spread. In a big game in the SEC East the Gators battle the Vols on Saturday afternoon at Neyland Stadium.

Point spread: The Volunteers opened as 7.5-point favorites, according to sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark. (Line updates and matchup report)

College football pick, via Odds Shark computer: 28.6-23.8 Volunteers (college football picks on every game)

Why the Florida Gators can cover the spread

Florida is 3-0 on this new season after blanking North Texas last week 32-0. The Gators carded a safety two minutes into the game, led 19-0 at the half and eased home from there against an overmatched Mean Green outfit. Unfortunately, a failed two-point conversion cost Florida a shot at the cover as a 33-point favorite. UF out-gained North Texas on the night 471-53.

Florida starting quarterback Luke Del Rio left last week's game after taking a hit to the knee and will miss this one. But backup Austin Appleby, a senior grad transfer who started 11 games for Purdue over the previous two seasons, directed the Gators to a pair of fourth-quarter touchdown drives in relief last week.

Through three games the Gators defense has allowed a total of just 14 points and 389 yards.

Why the Tennessee Volunteers can cover the spread

Tennessee is also 3-0 following a 28-19 victory over Ohio last week. The Vols scored a touchdown on the first drive of the game with a Joshua Dobbs-to-Josh Malone connection, and later put the game away on another Dobbs-to-Malone scoring pass. It wasn't exactly all chicken and biscuits in between, but the Bobcats aren't bad, rating as one of the favorites to win the MAC this season.

For the day Tennessee out-gained Ohio 404-318, and out-rushed the Bobcats 201-88. Stretching back to last season the Vols now own a nine-game winning streak.

Tennessee may have lost 11 straight in the series with Florida, but it's had its chances recently. Two years ago the Vols led the Gators 9-0 through three quarters only to give up the last 10 points of the game, and last year they led Florida 27-14 with just five minutes left before allowing two late touchdowns, the second on a 63-yard, 4th-down catch-and-run by the Gators' Antonio Callaway.

Smart pick

Tennessee is a popular pick to click out among the betting public this season, but it struggled in beating Appalachian State in the season opener and Ohio last week. Meanwhile, Florida looks like it might have another monster of a defense. The Vols will be all fired up to snap that losing skid in this series, but sometimes that can work against a team. The smart money here, regardless of the quarterback situation, goes with the Gators.

Betting trends

Florida is 11-0 SU in its last 11 games against Tennessee.

Florida is 10-4 ATS in its last 14 games against teams with winning records.

The total has gone UNDER in seven of Florida's last 10 games.

All college football betting lines and point spreads data courtesy of Bleacher Report’s official odds partner, Odds Shark. All quotes gathered firsthand unless otherwise noted. Check out Twitter for injury and line movement updates and Odds Shark YouTube for picks and analysis, or download the free odds tracker app.