GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Since the Gators ended the regular season more than a week ago with their second consecutive victory over Florida State, they have played the waiting game. As in, waiting to hear their bowl destination.
The answer finally arrived Sunday afternoon when it was announced the No. 9-ranked Gators (10-2) will face No. 24 Virginia (9-4) in the Capital One Orange Bowl on Dec. 30 in Miami. Based upon what transpired in Saturday's conference championship games -- specifically, LSU's dominant win over Georgia for the Southeastern Conference crown -- many Gators fans wondered if UF would leap the Bulldogs in the final College Football Playoff rankings and head to New Orleans to represent the SEC in the Sugar Bowl.
That didn't happen, setting up only the second meeting in school history against the Cavaliers. The only other time the schools played was 60 years ago when the Gators rolled to a 55-10 win at Florida Field over the Cavaliers.
Florida head coach
Dan Mullen didn't seem nearly as disgruntled as fans at the Gators remaining ninth in the CFB Playoff rankings despite losses by four teams (Georgia, Utah, Baylor and Wisconsin) ranked ahead of them in last week's poll. He'll take a sunny trip to Miami to end the season.
"Playing in a New Year's Six bowl game is special,'' Mullen said Sunday night on a conference call. "Having been in the Orange Bowl, the tradition, the history of the game makes it such a special opportunity for our program."
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Mullen spent last week on the road recruiting before returning home to host several players on their official visits over the weekend. Meanwhile, the Cavaliers played in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game on Saturday night and lost to third-ranked Clemson, 62-17.
As both coaches took time Sunday night to discuss the Orange Bowl, Virginia coach Bronco Mendenhall reminded reporters he is no stranger in trying to stop Mullen's offense. In 2003, both coaches arrived in the state of Utah and became rivals in what they call "The Holy War" -- the annual clash between Brigham Young University and the University of Utah, separated by just 50 miles. Mendenhall was in his first year as BYU's defensive coordinator, Mullen in his first season as Utah's quarterbacks coach.
The first matchup was Mendenhall's kind of game other than the result -- a 3-0 Utah victory. The second one more to Mullen's speed, a 52-21 Utah victory. Following the 2004 season, Mullen followed Utes head coach Urban Meyer to Florida where they would win a pair of national championships together over the next four seasons. In his fourth season at Virginia, Mendenhall led the Cavaliers to their first ACC Coastal Division title this season and while he hasn't had time to study up on the Gators yet, he understands the challenge ahead. Florida opened as a 13.5-point favorite.
"I know SEC football. I know
Dan Mullen. I know his body of work. I know his body of leadership and the results that he's produced,'' Mendenhall said. "I certainly see their record and I see their ranking. We expect a very similar opponent [to] that we just faced."
If in search of a common thread between the two programs, Mullen pointed out an important one: both schools are ranked among the top 10 public universities in the country. Another one is that both played Florida State and Miami this season. The Gators swept their in-state rivals while the Cavs beat the Seminoles and lost to the Hurricanes.
Virginia's most dynamic player is senior quarterback Bryce Perkins, who leads the team in rushing (745 yards, 11 TDs) to go along with 3,215 yards passing, 18 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
Perkins already has the Gators' attention.
"They have an explosive quarterback, one of the top play-making quarterbacks in the country,'' Mullen said. "You look statistically at them, they've got great wide receivers, playmakers on offense, kick returners, guys that can score touchdowns."
The Gators will be without junior cornerback
CJ Henderson, who has opted to declare for the NFL Draft and skip the bowl game in his hometown. Henderson is projected as a potential first-round pick in April's draft.
Mullen said as of now he has no indication any other players eligible for the draft plan to sit out the bowl game.
"If guys are thinking about their future, most importantly is to be all-in or all-out,'' he said. "Hopefully, the guys really want to finish the season the right way and enjoy playing in a big-time game."Â
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