Vegas might as well move the decimal place one digit to the right. Michigan feels more like a 35-point lock than a 3.5-point favorite over Florida heading into the AdvoCare Classic at AT&T Stadium.

A few weeks ago this was as good an opening week matchup as any, Alabama-Florida State aside. It was a guaranteed slobber-knocker, the type of physical game we’ve come to expect from the upper echelon of the B1G and SEC. This had the potential to be an instant classic.

Then Florida head coach Jim McElwain started talking.

Forget about all of the harmless preseason chirping. While McElwain’s “we’re going to beat the heck out of Michigan,” comment certainly made the rounds on social media, it was a statement blown out of proportion. The Gators head coach was trying to infuse a little energy and excitement into his fan base at a school pep rally a few weeks prior to kickoff. Most coaches have made a similar statement at some point in their career. That’s not too concerning.

Here’s a statement that is a little concerning, though: “We haven’t gotten into Michigan prep at all. When you guys get their roster let me know who we’re playing.”

McElwain made that comment earlier this week at his weekly press conference. He’s referring Michigan’s outdated roster, as the Wolverines still haven’t posted the 2017 edition. It’s been Harbaugh’s most recent ploy to rattle the cages of the college coaching fraternity. It’s already working on his first opponent.

Sure, McElwain followed his remark with the typical “we’re focused on us” rhetoric that’s become common coach-speak. Focusing on yourself is all well-and-good, but preparing for an opponent – and one that won 10 games a year ago – should probably be pretty high on the priority list.

The Gators should also have a starting quarterback in mind, or at least trimmed down the competition by now. But, according to McElwain quarterbacks Feleipe Franks, Malik Zaire and Luke Del Rio are all splitting first team reps in fall camp. It wasn’t any more reassuring when he said that all three could see the field in Arlington.

Not to be too cliché, but if you have more than one quarterback, you really don’t have any.

One could make the same argument for Michigan. That the constant battle between Wilton Speight and John O’Korn is a bit of a setback for the Wolverines offense. Knowing Harbaugh’s track record though, he’s named his starter. Like the 2017 roster, he’s just keeping the announcement under lock-and-key.

Michigan was suppose to be the one facing uncertainty entering this game. After all, the Wolverines lost 10 of 11 defensive starters and the top two receivers from last season. Though extremely talented, Week 1 was really going to be a challenge for a group of younger, inexperienced players.

That script has flipped, though. McElwain’s comments have spurred additional questions just a week before the opening kickoff. And they’re much bigger than the concerns Michigan is facing right now.

Florida’s offensive line and rushing attack was abysmal last season, averaging just 128.2 yards per game. In games against Arkansas and Alabama, the Gators rushed 12 and 0 yards, respectively. How can an unprepared offensive line challenge a Michigan team that’s stacked on the defensive front with big-time players Rashan Gary and Maurice Hurst?

The loss of Antonio Callaway to a one-game suspension is magnified now.

With so many questions at quarterback, Callaway was at least a guy who possessed that go-up-and-get-it ability. Without its biggest playmaker, Florida’s offense – which averaged a paltry 23.8 points per game last fall – is going to be anemic

We haven’t even talked about Florida’s 2-7 record against ranked opponents over the last two years. And we haven’t mentioned the Wolverines’ offense, which led the B1G in scoring a year ago.

This is no longer a game Florida can win. As kickoff draws nearer, it doesn’t even feel like the Gators can compete with Michigan.

Is it all a ruse by McElwain? Maybe the Gators head coach is trying to give Harbaugh a taste of his own medicine. Perhaps Florida does have a front-runner for the starting quarterback job and preparations for Michigan started weeks ago. Maybe the Gators are taking a secretive approach to the AdvoCare Classic.

But McElwain seems like a no-nonsense guy, and he’s not the type to really partake in any mind games.

At the end of the 2015 season, Michigan and Florida met in the Citrus Bowl. It was a game that McElwain thought his team had a chance to win. The Wolverines pummeled the Gators in a 41-7 victory.

That was the first time Harbaugh and McElwain went head-to-head. The second matchup could yield similar results.

McElwain said this is a game Florida will win.

It’s a game Michigan has already won.