Florida football: Orange Bowl sets program on upward trajectory

To go from 10 wins last season to 11 wins this season would mean a lot more to Florida football than just a number.

Let’s be honest, as Florida football fans. We’ve been through some pretty turbulent times.

There was Steve Spurrier, Urban Meyer and now, Dan Mullen.

But, there was also Ron Zook, the ups and downs of Jim McElwain and Will Muschamp in there too.

So, to put together back-to-back 10-win seasons under Mullen and for him to be the only coach in Florida football history to start his tenure with the Gators by winning 10 games in his first two seasons, things are looking up.

Of course, a win over No. 24 Virginia in the Capital One Orange Bowl Monday would go a long way to firmly setting the program upward.

"“Just knowing how much the program has been through the last two, three years, and just with coaching changes, adversity, being 4-7, to now we’ve got a lot of guys that understand the program coming in, just knowing what Coach Mullen expects, having two 10-win seasons back to back, that’s a big statement,” said Florida football running back Lamical Perine in Miami. “More to come.”"

If there’s someone who knows about the transition Florida football has made in the last five years, it’s senior center, Nick Buchanan.

“Yeah, so I came in here thinking the SEC Championship was what we do, and the next year it didn’t really go our way, so it’s really great that we had the opportunity as like seniors to show the young guys what it takes to win 10 games, to compete for championships, you know because it’s a lot of work because everybody felt like we worked so much harder this year than last year, and we improved one game,” Buchanan said.

Despite not competing for an SEC championship in the last two seasons doesn’t seem to have done too much to tarnish the Florida football reputation.

Senior wide receiver Josh Hammond said he sees the program headed in the right direction under Mullen and that being in the Orange Bowl is a big part of that.

"“You can see the national prominence that the Florida Gators have at the moment, back to back New Year’s Six bowls, 10-win season, getting top recruits in the recruiting game,” Hammond said. “It’s definitely headed in the right direction. I think it’ll be within the playoffs in the next couple of years, and as long as they continue to work hard, I think they’ll be fine.”"

But, beating a Cavalier team that finished runner-up to Clemson in the ACC would speak volumes about where the program is headed in 2020 and even beyond.

“It would mean a lot, playing a good team in Virginia. Just got to execute the way that we do, but it would be a huge win for the Gators, man,” said senior wide receiver Van Jefferson. “It would be huge for the program. It would be huge for the seniors. You know, I can’t wait to play on Monday, and it’ll be a good game.”

No. 6 Florida football will take on No. 24 Virginia in the Capital One Orange Bowl at 8 p.m. Monday, Dec. 30 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.