No. 4 Ole Miss Opens as Underdog at No. 21 Florida
The short version
- No. 4 Ole Miss is a 3.5-point underdog at No. 21 Florida on Saturday.
- It would be the fifth time since 1978 a top-five team is an underdog to a team outside the top 20; the previous four lost outright.
- Rebels running back Kewan Lacy is a game-time decision with an upper-body injury.
- Betting action has been overwhelmingly on Ole Miss to cover.
Oddsmakers have made the fourth-ranked Rebels 3.5-point underdogs against the 21st-ranked Gators in Saturday's game in Gainesville.
No. 4 Ole Miss enters Saturday's road game against No. 21 Florida as a 3.5-point underdog, despite its ranking and a 32-24 win over Lane Kiffin's team last weekend. Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss starred in that victory, completing 33 of 48 passes for 363 yards and three total touchdowns, a performance that moved him to the top of the Heisman odds board.
If the line holds, it would be only the fifth time since 1978 that a top-five team is an underdog against an opponent ranked outside the top 20, according to ESPN research. The previous four top-five teams in that situation lost outright.
Oddsmakers pointed to several factors. BetMGM's lead college football trader Seamus Magee cited a difficult emotional spot for Ole Miss, traveling to Gainesville the week after what he called a Super Bowl-type win, plus improvement in Florida's market value behind an offense that looked strong with Aaron Philo and Jadan Baugh at Auburn.
Ole Miss running back Kewan Lacy is a game-time decision after leaving the LSU game with an upper-body injury. X-rays on his shoulder were negative. Caesars oddsmaker Joey Feazel added that the line reflects an even matchup rather than the rankings, noting Florida is a tough place to play.
Bettors have heavily backed Ole Miss, with multiple sportsbooks reporting mostly one-way action on the Rebels, particularly on the moneyline. Florida coach Jon Sumrall joked he was surprised to learn his team was favored.
