Charlotte vs Florida Prediction - College Football Picks 9/23/23

The Charlotte 49ers and Florida Gators face off Saturday in a Week 4 college football showdown at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

How Does Florida Avoid the Letdown?

Florida is riding high heading into this game but they have to do everything in their power to make sure they don’t have a letdown. Florida faced off against Tennessee in the last game and the defense locked down giving up only 16 points and that led to the 13-point victory. Graham Mertz might not be the most dynamic quarterback, but he made winning plays in the last game. He completed 19 of his 24 passes for 166 yards, one touchdown, and zero interceptions. The Gators are averaging 29.7 points while their pitching is giving up 15.7 points per game. 

Florida Betting Trends

• Florida has won each of its last 12 September games against non-AP-ranked teams.
• Florida has failed to cover the spread in 12 of its last 14 games as a favorite.
• Florida has won the first half in 11 of its last 13 games against non-conference opponents at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
• Seven of Florida's last nine September home games against non-AP-ranked teams have gone UNDER the total points line.

Charlotte Needs Defense to be Good

Charlotte needs the defense to step up in a big way here, or this is going to be a long game. The 49ers come into this game with a 1-2 record overall and in the two losses the defense has struggled. Charlotte’s last game came against Georgia State, and the defense really struggled in that game giving up 41 points and that led to the defeat. Charlotte quarterback Trexler Ivey did have a strong game completing 20 of his 28 passes for 257 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.