Cotton Bowl Score Predictions: Florida Gators vs. Oklahoma Sooners
The No. 7 Florida Gators' hectic, yet enjoyable, 2020 season comes to its close on Wednesday night with a Cotton Bowl matchup against the No. 6 Oklahoma Sooners at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. It marks the third New Year's Six Bowl appearance for Dan Mullen's UF team in as many years since he was named head coach.
For Florida, the two days prior to the Cotton Bowl met the first part of that description: Hectic. Numerous players have opted out of the bowl game which has swung the spread by 9.5 points, from Florida to Oklahoma's favor.
OddsShark now favors Oklahoma by 7 points over Florida, with the over/under set at 66. We have edited this post twice since it was published on Tuesday afternoon, as the line was set at OU -3 at that time.
How does the Sports Illustrated-AllGators staff see Florida's final game of the year going? Remember, our picks are not against the spread.
Zach Goodall (9-2): Oklahoma 38, Florida 31
Yikes.
The days leading up to the Cotton Bowl didn't treat Florida very nicely, as the Gators have seen four of their top five pass-catchers announce that they will miss the game, due to either opting out or COVID-19.
This game was set to be a display of offensive fireworks, from both squads. Now that Kyle Trask will be without a combined 174 catches, 2,778 yards, and 34 touchdowns of his Heisman-caliber production, paired with Florida's unproven run game and sloppy defense, there's little reason to be confident that the Gators can keep up with the Sooners.
Trask is good enough to overcome the offense's losses, and the score will reflect that in the end, but it'll feel and look like a two-score game until Florida heats up while playing from behind as the second half stretches on.
Demetrius Harvey (9-2): Florida 42, Oklahoma 35
The No. 7 Florida Gators look to take on the No. 6 Oklahoma Sooners in the Cotton Bowl, the program's third New Year's Six bowl game in a row under the Dan Mullen-era. The Gators will enter the contest without several of its key contributors on offense, including tight end Kyle Pitts, wide receivers Kadarius Toney and Trevon Grimes, who have all decided to opt-out of the game, entering the 2021 NFL Draft.
Florida will also be without its redshirt sophomore receiver in Jacob Copeland, who announced on Monday that he tested positive for COVID-19 multiple times and will not be able to suit up on Wednesday.
The Gators are entering the matchup hobbled and bruised, accounting for only 60 scholarship players, however, with Kyle Trask playing and the team's offense as a whole, Florida ought to be able to defeat Oklahoma. While the Gators will win, the score could be a close one.
Brandon Carroll (9-2): Florida 38, Oklahoma 34
In their final action of the 2020 season, Florida will be without a major portion of their offensive production against a vastly improved Oklahoma defense compared to recent years. In the absence of Kadarius Toney, Trevon Grimes, Jacob Copeland and Kyle Pitts, the Gators will need to find new weapons to utilize in order to go blow for blow with the high-powered attack of Lincoln Riley’s Sooners. As a result, the Gators success in this year's rendition of the Cotton Bowl rests on the play from the future of the UF receiving corps.
While I do believe Oklahoma puts Florida to the test throughout the game, the Gators find a way to come out on top, avoiding their fourth loss of the season and ending the season on a high note. Kyle Trask’s last dance in blue and orange results in a Florida win and another impressive performance for the Manvel (Tex.) native.
Donavon Keiser (9-2): Florida 35, Oklahoma 31
In a brawl down to the last minute of the game, Florida squeaks out its third NY6 bowl win in three years under Dan Mullen. Despite all of the team's opt-outs, Florida should come hungry to send out its special senior class for one last ride as a unit.
Florida will still have Heisman candidate Kyle Trask at the helm, even though Florida will miss their top four receivers in Trevon Grimes, Jacob Copeland, Kyle Pitts, and Kadarius Toney. The offense will see some changes in their approach, as they should rely on the run with Dameon Pierce and Nay’Quan Wright.
On defense, there are countless question marks for the Gators, but there are plenty of hungry underclassmen who will get their shot and should make plays, in what I expect to be a relatively simple game-plan on the defensive side of the ball.
Although he is talented as any QB in the nation, Spencer Rattler has struggled with turnovers (seven interceptions, five fumbles) throughout the year and is almost guaranteed to give it up at least once in the Cotton Bowl.
Florida wins on the last drive, sending Kyle Trask off the right way as he scores to solidify his stellar career at the University of Florida.
Michael Knauff (9-2): Florida 37, Oklahoma 28
Long term, it’s actually good that a lot of younger, skill position players will have to play significant roles in the Cotton Bowl for Florida. Between opt-outs (Toney, Pitts, Grimes) and COVID-19 issues (Copeland), plenty of second and third-string receivers will get some game action. On top of that, it’ll be interesting to see how Emory Jones is used, as those will be the weapons he has in 2021 when Trask leaves (presumably) for the NFL.
Oklahoma isn’t the offensive juggernaut they have been over the last three seasons, but they’ve shown the ability to score in chunks when Spencer Rattler is rolling. Nonetheless, Florida should be able to outscore the Sooners over four quarters.
Graham Marsh (8-3): Florida 35, Oklahoma 27
I like a really good game. Oklahoma isn’t really good and most of Florida’s top weapons are not playing. That fact alone will keep it close, plus, there is a very high possibility of an SEC Championship hangover and a struggle to get motivated for the Gators.
But in the end, the veteran leader in Kyle Trask will pull his team through for one final victory in orange and blue and leave a sweeter taste in the mouths of Gator fans heading into the offseason.
