As they prepare for the Orange Bowl, Florida and Virginia want to keep momentum going
For Dan Mullen, it’s “a tradition that makes college football so special.” For Bronco Mendenhall, it’s a destination and “it means that you’ve arrived at a different stage in college football, at an elite and exceptional tier.”
For the Florida Gators and Virginia Cavaliers on Monday, it’s an opportunity for both programs to continue the upward trajectory under their head coaches.
The No. 9 Gators (10-2) and No. 24 Cavaliers (9-4) will face off in the 86th annual Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m.
“When you get two great teams playing against each other like we’re going to have [Monday] night,” Mullen said, “it makes for exciting football, and this is always such a fun, exciting time of year.”
And while both teams have a lot at stake — UF is looking for 11 wins and consecutive New Years Six Bowl wins to start Mullen’s tenure as head coach while Virginia is trying to hit the 10-win mark for just the second time ever — the teams are finding ways to stay loose while keeping the competitive juices flowing.
The Gators have already won 10 games this year, with their two losses coming at No. 1 LSU (42-28) and in Jacksonville against now-No. 5 Georgia (24-17). They won 10 games in Mullen’s first season, capping the 2018 campaign with a win over Michigan in the Peach Bowl.
“I don’t know that one game ever makes a whole difference within the direction of the program,” Mullen said. “I think the program, our guys have bought in. I think our assistant coaches and everybody, I think we’re happy with the direction the program is headed right now. Obviously it would be our second straight New Year’s Six bowl game, and we’re continuing to strive to go compete for championships.”
Virginia, meanwhile, is essentially playing with house money. UVA won five of its final six regular-season games to win the ACC Coastal Division and move into the top 25 of the College Football Playoff rankings.
But the Cavaliers still feel the sting of that 62-17 loss to Clemson in the ACC Championship game.
“I don’t intend to put it behind us until we rectify any of the deficiencies that were exposed,” Mendenhall said. “I intend to use it to leverage the program and moving forward every minute, every second until we become better.”
But no matter what Virginia does to make itself better in the future, the Gators are the heavy favorites in the present. UF heads into Monday’s game as a two-touchdown favorite.
The Gators rank in the top 10 nationally in total defense (ninth, 299 yards allowed per game), scoring defense (seventh, 14.4 points allowed per game) and sacks (tied for fifth, 46) while also ranking 16th in passing offense (300.4 yards per game).
Virginia’s offense centers around dual-threat quarterback Bryce Perkins (3,207 passing yards and 18 touchdowns, 745 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns) and the defense is fueled by a blitz-happy group that ranks 19th in the country with 94 tackles for loss.
And Monday provides Virginia with yet another marquee challenge.
“We’re intentionally pursuing and hunting down that tier,” Mendenhall said. “As many of the games that we can play, and we’ve earned the right to play in on the stage that we’re currently in, the faster the program accelerates. And they’re essential, and at some point it becomes normal and it becomes expected, and then the program takes another step forward.”
The Gators are keeping that mentality as well.
“The one thing that’s focus while we’re here is that we’re here to win a football game, and then we’re going to enjoy the time and the experience,” Mullen said. “And as long as you have it in that order, you don’t miss out on the preparation.”
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