Michigan Football: Wolverines look to finish strong in Peach Bowl vs. Florida
After a disappointing finish to the regular season, Michigan football looks to bounce back and finish strong in the Peach Bowl against Florida.
The 62-39 bludgeoning at the hands of Ohio State, Michigan’s seventh straight loss in the rivalry series, put an ugly stain on an otherwise brilliant season in Ann Arbor.
The Wolverines lost the season opener in South Bend to Notre Dame before rattling off ten straight wins and putting themselves in the thick of the Big Ten Championship and playoff race. A dominant defense, a strong ground game, and competent quarterback play from Shea Patterson were the impetuses for Michigan’s step forward.
The loss to Ohio State prevented the Wolverines from playing in the Big Ten Championship Game, and knocked them out of the playoff race, reducing them to a consolation game in Atlanta in what is their second appearance in the New Year’s Six under Jim Harbaugh.
It’s fair to question their motivation for this game, particularly with a couple of key players, stud defensive lineman Rashan Gary and workhorse running back Karan Higdon, skipping the bowl game in order to focus on the NFL Draft.
Florida’s motivation is clear, with the Gators exceeding expectations in Dan Mullen’s first season in Gainesville. The cupboard wasn’t exactly left bare in the swamp, but few expected Florida to be on the precipice of double-digit wins if they can win the Peach Bowl.
Mullen got the most out of Feleipe Franks, the sophomore quarterback showing notable improvement under his tutelage. They were aided by a bruising ground game and an opportunistic defense in their own right. They’ll hope to use this game as a potential springboard as they attempt to challenge Georgia for the SEC East in 2019.
This matchup is a bit stagnant, but still offers plenty of intrigue as Florida looks to exorcise their maize and blue demons. The Gators are 0-4 all time against Michigan, including a pair of blowout losses since 2016.
Can Florida finally overtake Michigan and reach ten wins, or will the Wolverines reassert themselves as one of college football’s best teams of 2018?
Here’s how you can watch the Peach Bowl between Michigan and Florida:
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Date: Saturday, December 29
Time: 12:00 p.m. ET
Location: Atlanta, GA
Venue: Mercedes-Benz Stadium
TV: Channel
Live Stream: WatchESPN | FuboTV
Keys to Victory
In what should be an old-school slobberknocker kind of game, whichever team controls the trenches should be the one coming out on top. For Michigan, even without Higdon, their bread-and-butter is a run-first offense that tries to impose its will on its opposition. Will they be able to run the ball effectively enough to open up their play-action passing game for Patterson? The bulk of the load will go to junior Chris Evans, with fellow junior Tru Wilson also seeing his fair share of carries. Evans is an experience back capable of putting the ground game on his shoulders and having a big afternoon.
Even after being eviscerated by Dwayne Haskins and Ohio State, Michigan still ranks third in the nation in yards-per-play defense. Even without Rashan Gary’s presence on the defensive line, Florida will still likely struggle to run the football. That will mean increased pressure on Franks to make plays down the field, and in order to hit some big plays, the Gators’ offensive line must hold up against the likes of Chase Winovich and Devin Bush, as the Wolverines look to manufacture pressure and make Franks uncomfortable, which could lead to mistakes. Don’t be surprised to see an increased workload from Emory Jones in this game, either, as the true freshman can play in this game and still retain his redshirt year thanks to Mullen’s master manipulation of the new redshirt rule.
Betting Odds
Odds courtesy of oddsshark.com
Point Spread: Michigan -7
Over/Under: 50
Prediction
I felt supremely confident in picking Michigan before Gary and Higdon decided to sit the game out. Without two of their best players, I still think the Wolverines are the better team, but my confidence is a bit shaken as a result. Florida is one of the more overrated teams in the country, the committee choosing to focus on the win over LSU in the Swap more so than anemic performances in home losses to Kentucky and Missouri. Mullen with a lot of time to prepare will come out with a good game plan, but I have trouble seeing Florida consistently moving the ball on this stout Michigan defense.
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Look for a big game off the edge for Chase Winovich in his final game in the maize and blue, and for Chris Evans to find some running lanes leading to Shea Patterson making some plays down the field.
Final Score: Michigan 24, Florida 16