Of course, Franks and Harris didn’t fire the first salvos in the back-and-forth between the teams since they’ve arrived in South Florida. Florida linebacker Brandon Spikes was asked if OU’s running backs were equal to what the Gators had seen during their SEC schedule.

“A little bit,” he answered. “But not too much.”

Both teams will conduct media interviews at Dolphins Stadium today.

Thankful to be here

Every Sooner player is giddy over playing in the BCS title game. Safety Lendy Holmes might be a little more excited than most. Holmes was ruled academically ineligible for last season’s Fiesta Bowl, missed the game and didn’t even get to make the trip.

“It’s the hardest thing I’ve had to face throughout my career, my life,” he said Sunday morning. “I had let everyone down who had supported me.”

Too nice

OU defensive coordinator Brent Venables said the weather in South Florida might be a little too nice. The Salina, Kan., native thinks it’s a little tougher to get players to focus when it’s sunny and 80 degrees in early January.

“As much as anything we’re trying to adjust to difficult conditions down here,” Venables said. “The weather is really stressing us out. It’s been a while since we sweated like that at practice.”

No blessings for OU

Florida’s players have said their Sept. 27 loss to Mississippi was the catalyst for getting them to the BCS title game

“It was kind of a shock and it kind of got us to play harder,” offensive lineman Phil Trautwein said. “Losing that game was something that really got us going, and it got us to be a totally different team.”

Tebow even called the loss a “blessing.”