Florida vs. Oregon State live stream, watch online, TV channel, prediction, pick, Las Vegas Bowl odds, spread
Florida and Oregon State will meet for the first time in the Las Vegas Bowl
•
4 min read
Sin City serves as the scene for the first matchup between two Power Five conference programs when No. 14 Oregon State takes on Florida in the Las Vegas Bowl on Saturday. It's the first-ever meeting between these two in football and only the second time ever an SEC team has taken part in the Las Vegas Bowl, which was first played in 1992.
This is the third appearance for Oregon State in the Las Vegas Bowl, which has maintained a relationship with the Pac-12 since 2001, with the Beavers winning in 2003 against New Mexico and falling to BYU in 2009. This also marks the first time Oregon State has been in a bowl game in back-to-back seasons since 2012 and 2013, as Jonathan Smith and last year's squad snapped an eight-year bowl drought with their appearance in the LA Bowl.
While Florida's appearance in this game is notable for its rarity as an SEC school, it also comes as a result of the Gators going 6-6 in Year 1 under Billy Napier. Florida got off to a strong start with a win against reigning (and eventual) Pac-12 champion Utah in the season opener, prompting a surge in the rankings and rapidly raised expectations, but as the schedule unfolded the Gators failed to find some consistency with their performances. They enter the Las Vegas bowl having lost four of their final six games, concluding with back-to-back defeats to Vanderbilt and rival Florida State.
How to watch Las Vegas Bowl live
Date: Saturday, Dec. 17 | Time: 2:30 p.m. ET
Location: Allegiant Stadium -- Las Vegas, Nev.
TV: ESPN | Live stream: fuboTV (Try for free)
Florida vs. Oregon State: Need to know
Beavers enter the bowl game on a roll: Oregon State went 6-1 in the final seven games, a stretch in which the defense has shown great improvement. Across the final seven games of the season, the Beavers held opponents to an average of 17.3 points and 331.0 yards per game. According to Oregon State, both marks are the best in the Pac-12 in that span. The six wins included a thrilling comeback victory against rival Oregon in the regular season finale and solidified the program's first nine-win season since 2012. With a victory against Florida, Oregon State could claim their 10th win for just the third time in school history. Of note: the first-ever double-digit win season came in 2000 when current head coach Jonathan Smith was the team's quarterback
Florida without its star QB (and several other notable contributors): Starting quarterback Anthony Richardson will not play in the Las Vegas Bowl as he begins his preparation for the NFL Draft. He will be joined by starting tackle O'Cyrus Torrence, starting linebacker Ventrell Miller and starting wide receiver Justin Shorter in the decision to sit out the bowl game. Plus, there are additional absences from the regular season depth chart because of injuries and the transfer portal, leaving the Gators with several notable absences. There are two ways to read this: either the lack of regular contributors -- which no doubt has contributed to Florida being a double-digit underdog in the game -- will cost Florida a chance to finish with a winning season in Year 1 under Billy Napier or the program's player development will be on full display as the Gators' backups give themselves a chance to finish the season on a winning note.
Gators powered by their ground game: While Florida's offense will be lacking its star quarterback and future NFL Draft pick at tackle, there are underclassmen in the backfield who have generated excitement for the future here in 2022. Trevor Etienne leads all true freshman FBS running backs (who have at least 100 carries) with his 6.4 yards per carry average and he's one of just eight true freshman running backs with over 700 yards on the season. That season total is even more impressive when you consider Etienne was splitting touches and rushing attempts with both Anthony Richardson and fellow running back Montrell Johnson, who leads the team with 827 yards on the season. The team as a whole is currently averaging 213.7 rushing yards per game, good for 10th in program history.
Las Vegas Bowl prediction, picks
While the oddsmakers have adjusted Florida's rating to take all the absences into consideration, I'm siding with the SEC talent and an explosive rushing attack that should still be in place with Johnson and Etienne on the field. Oregon State may hang on for a victory, but I think Florida will be able to move the ball enough to keep it close. Prediction: Florida +10
Which college football picks can you make with confidence during bowl season, and which underdogs will win outright? Visit SportsLine to see which teams will win and cover the spread -- all from a proven computer model that has returned almost $2,500 in profit over the past six-plus seasons -- and find out.
