Florida Player Suspensions Change Line Against Michigan
Scott Morris | August 15, 2017
The Florida Gators have suspended seven of their players for the opening game of the season versus the Michigan Wolverines.
The Gators were hoping to forge an upset of a top 10 opening week opponent at Michigan, but the odds of doing that now are less likely after seven players were given one-game suspensions.
One of those players is Antonio Callaway the talented wide receiver for the Gators. The Gators are No. 16 in the coaches preseason poll, and were supposed to give the No. 9 ranked Wolverines a big test.
Both programs have a number of questions coming in to the opening game, but odds makers had the game close with Michigan as 2.5-point chalk.
However, several sportsbooks moved that spread up to -4 for Michigan once the announcement was made of the suspensions.
Jim McElwain the Florida head coach said a group of players made extremely disappointing choices and will sit out the first game of the season as a learning experience.
The lengthening of the odds by only 1.5 points shows that odds makers still believe the game will be tight, as it is believed Michigan could be overrated.
Michigan will return its starter at quarterback Wilton Speight, but the offensive line has been rebuilt with only three starts amongst the six players who will start in front of Speight.
While some believe Michigan to be overrated, others are quite confident in their ability. The Wolverines have the fifth most money bet on them to win the national championship on several online sportsbooks.
Alabama has the most money while USC, Ohio State and Florida State are not far behind and the only four teams with more money than Michigan.
Florida is undecided about its starting quarterback with Malik Zaire a graduate transfer from Notre Dame battling with Feleipe Franks a redshirt freshman and Luke Del Rio a redshirt junior.
Regardless of the starter, the Florida offense will face one of the nation’s best defenses and without Callaway at wide receiver will be minus one of their best skill position players.
