FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.-- Changing a program's culture is an ongoing process - just ask Bronco Mendenhall.

On Sunday, the Virginia head coach was asked what it would mean for the program to beat Florida in the Capital One Orange Bowl.

“The University of Virginia has one 10-win season in 130 years of football,” a deadpanned Mendenhall stated.

The press room quickly erupted with laughter at the straight forward answer from Mendenhall.- even Dan Mullen joined in on the laughs. However, the Florida head coach understands the sentiment very well.

The Gators may have a deeper, storied history than the Cavaliers but the last decade has far been ideal for the program.

Mullen arrived in Gainesville to take over a program that was on a rollercoaster. A team that was inconsistent and was just coming off a 4-7 season. It was going to take some work. It was going to take faith.

According to Florida senior receiver Josh Hammond, it did not take long for the new coach to earn the team's trust.

"When he first came in, and we had that first week of workouts and he went through that first week with us, doing the same thing we did, I think thats why it was easy for us to buy in," said Hammond. "Just knowing he was all in with us. He did everything we did. It sucked for him like it sucked for us. It just lets us know we are all in it together. We knew he had our back and makes you want to have his back as well."

The Gators managed to secure ten wins in 2018 and are now one win away from winning eleven games and playing in their second New Year's Six Bowl.

"Just knowing how much the program has been through the last two, three years," stated senior running back Lamical Perine."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."

“We have worked really hard to put ourselves in this position, to be where we are now," said Hammond. "I think at this point it’s about continuing to grind it out and continue to stay together as a family. We are excited to put a show for our fans.”

“I think it’s our mentality, our focus. I feel like when we are focused 100 percent and our mentality is there nobody can mess with us. To go from 10 wins to 11 wins is a huge step,” defensive tackle Kyree Campbell said. “Most people might think that’s easy, but to get that extra win is hard. So that’s what we’re hoping to get on Monday.”

Changing a program's culture is not easy. It takes time. No one knows it better than Mullen, who helped Mississippi State move up the rankings in his nine years in Starkville.

“When we started with this team last January, we talked about how hard you have to work, and whatever we did the year before, that wasn’t enough," he stated in his Sunday press conference. "If you did the same, you could expect maybe to win 10 games, but that’s about it. You have no opportunity to win more if we didn’t desperately work every day. To be a much better football team in every aspect of the program, in everything that we do, how we prepare in the off-season, how we train in the off-season, how we prepare during the season, how we perform as a team, how we come together as a team.”

Mullen could not have done it without his seniors. This veteran group needed to buy in and they did.

"I’ve had the opportunity to be with him for two years," said Hammond. "I’m blessed to have him as a coach.

"Coach Mullen knows what he is doing, coach [Nick] Savage knows what he is doing, the whole coaching staff knows what they are doing. It is about continuing to buy in and working really hard."

Hammond told Gators Territory he feels confident that he is leaving a program in good hands.

"I think its more consistent now," said Hammond. "I think we are headed in the right direction in a more consistent basis.

"Every Saturday you know what Florida is going to do in the way we prepare, how they execute on a day-to-day basis, and how they carry themselves off the field and Coach Mullen is the head of the that," he added.. "He has instilled the tin its and prepared us to do those things."

"Second year coaches aren’t expect to be what they are," said BUCK Jonathan Greenard. "This is only the platform for us, now that the younger guys see us do this they are going to want to go up and beyond. do more than what we done."

"I feel like a national championship is coming soon for this program," said linebacker David Reese.

But the work is never done. Just ask Mullen.

"We’ll start that whole process again in January a couple of weeks from now.”