This is a massive game for both these teams tonight. It not only has a playoff in the balance but bragging rites to the State. Miami and Florida both come into this match-up wanting to win and win big. Miami wins and is into the playoffs. Lose? They are out and Auburn will take their place. Florida has struggled as of late but showed last week against TCU how to pull out a win. They would love nothing more than starting this rivalry off with giving Miami a loss and no postseason. Kingston Fox and Jose Bueno face each at the QB position and both want to be known as the best in the state. Clash of these two young bucks should be exciting and I’m sure the fireworks will fly.
MIAMI
Let’s start with Jose Bueno he has been very impressive at times this season. Not only does he have a strong arm but his speed makes him a threat to take off and run at any moment. He is fourth in the league in passing and one of the top fifteen rushers in the country. His receivers in Nigg Bagg, Maximillian Mack, and King Twixx are all explosive and love to pull off the big catch. Both Bagg and Mack are also in the top ten in receiving yards to boot. Your factory in tight-end Jacoby Willey and you have an airshow waiting to happen. The Caines running game is just as dangerous with the talented halfback Speedy Love. Points will be needed from this group if they have hopes of playing in the postseason.
Defensively, they may be in a tough spot, but last week showed they are always game. Kingston Fox is a dangerous player and these Caines will have to recreate what they did last week against Texas. That means turnovers, corners Shane Paige and Alex Dawson will need to be on their game and shut down the big players in the air. Safety Buster Bates is a tackle monster in his own right and will need to be the foundation tonight and be one of the leaders in tackles. Holding it down in the middle will fall on Linebackers Jesse Horrigan and Justin Tyme both very capable of doing the job. Will it be a turnover chain kinda night? We will see.
FLORIDA
The Gators are coming off a big win versus TCU and the momentum should be in their favor. Playing in the swamp doesn’t hurt either. Kingston Fox is a stud, and that is why he was the prize of recruiting this season for the Gators. Like Bueno, he has the ability to not only make big plays passing down the field but can pull it down and run with the best of them. Runningback Avery Jordan will help to take some of the load off with his ability to not only break tackles but break off long runs. It also doesn’t hurt that he is one of the most sure-handed backs too, with only one turnover this year. The speedy receiving corps is lead By Nick King, Darren Pegues, Cole King, and TE Jonathan Taite. Keep an eye out for Taite Florida uses him a lot and he may be the x-factor for this game.
On the other side of the ball, Florida is one of the best teams in the country in sacks with eighteen. Jose Bueno has been sacked forty-five times. That is not a typo, DE Mohammed Dmour has to be chomping at the bit for this game. Linebackers Xavier Halle and Marcin Olesniewicz will want to be part of this party also. By the end of the night, we could see the aforementioned QB from south of the state with over fifty times on his back for the season. Florida rounds out there defense with one of the best secondaries in the country and CB Dakota Wolf and FS Elliot Wells a few of them to watch for.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
Jose Bueno against the Gator defense. If the Miami offensive line doesn’t find a way to protect Bueno for at least a little this is going to be a very long night. As mentioned above Keep an eye on Dmours sack total. But if Miami’s receivers can get open fast enough for there QB to fling it Miami may not only have bragging rights to the state but a trip into the playoffs.
PREDICTIONS
This is such a tough one to pick, but I think the Jose Bueno comes up big tonight and the Caines sneak into the playoffs.
Miami 37 Florida 35
