Florida’s Cotton Bowl matchup with Oklahoma is bittersweet. On one hand, it’s hard not to be disappointed with this conclusion if you’re a Gators fan. UF was on the cusp of its first-ever College Football Playoff appearance before a loss to LSU in the final game of the regular season derailed the effort.
The Gators almost created a CFP controversy in a thrilling SEC Championship Game, but Alabama won and ended any chances at a Florida playoff berth.
Still, it’s hard not to be impressed with UF’s third-straight New Year’s Six Bowl appearance. Coach Dan Mullen inherited a squad that went 4-7 in 2017, and now he has an opportunity to win for the third time in the NY6.
But the Sooners are no slouch. According to the betting odds, the Gators are slim favorites, but ESPN’s Football Power Index prefers OU. Oklahoma bounced back from a 1-2 start to the season to finish the year 8-2 and capture its sixth-straight Big 12 title.
Here are five things to keep an eye on when Florida takes on one of the nation’s premier programs on Wednesday night.