Florida Football: Given injuries to Gators, point spread rapidly shrinking

When the initial Vegas odds came out, Florida football was favored by six points over Arkansas. It was an already tight line, considering that the Gators are at home and Arkansas is 2-6.

But given the injury of starting linebacker Shemar James, along with the unknown status to a couple of other key members of the defensive line, the money has been flowing toward Arkansas at such a rate that the line is getting closer and closer to being a push.

Florida Football: Follow the money

Because the city of Jacksonville doesn’t know how to lay down sod properly, James is out for the season with a dislocated kneecap. Also listed on the injury report for Florida football are defensive linemen Cam Jackson and Tyreak Sapp. Both are listed as questionable with upper-body injuries.

So, even though Arkansas has one of the worst rushing attacks in the country, there are some potential major red flags on the defense for the Gators. As a result, the line has dropped to 3.5 points in favor of Florida.

Likewise, Florida started as a -240 favorite and is down to a -185 favorite, while Arkansas has gone from +200 to +150.

So, in one regard, Gator fans can take solace that Florida is still favored.

But Florida is only 4-8 in their last 12 games at home at covering the spread. If the line were still 6.5 points, there would be room for error to win but not cover. At 3.5 points, that margin for error is gone.

And Vegas is probably envisioning a scenario similar to what happened against USF last season when the Gators got shredded by an awful rushing attack because they didn’t have Ventrell Miller in that game.

It will be a tight one in The Swamp in a game the Gators have to win to keep this season afloat.

May the odds forever be in their favor.