The No. 7 Florida Gators and No. 6 Oklahoma Sooners will meet in just over a week in the 2020 Cotton Bowl Classic.

It is just the second time the two schools will meet, the first being the 2008 National Championship. Dan Mullen hardly remembers that game, between trying to scheme for the Sooners, recruit for Mississippi State before taking over his first head coaching job, Mullen recalls holding the trophy for just a few moments before a plane whisked him away to Starkville.

Tuesday afternoon Mullen, Lincoln Riley, and multiple players met with the media to discuss the upcoming matchup.

The Cotton Bowl has made the decision to quarantine the Florida Gators, Oklahoma Sooners, and everyone involved in the game at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas. Due to restrictions in California, the Rose Bowl has been moved to ATT Stadium and will follow the same protocol as the Gators and Sooners.

"I think it’s a pretty smart idea, to be honest with you. It will work. It’s not like we’re going to be there for a whole week like in a traditional time. We’re there in a very smaller, shorter window. I think kind of because of that it makes it much easier to manage in one area, much easier to manage probably more of a question for the Cotton Bowl staff, like, we’ve got this one location, we’ve got it all under control, we got it taken care of."

Dan Mullen gave the team an extended break. Florida has been off the past three days and will only do Zoom meetings through Christmas. Florida played eight straight weekends including the SEC Championship game against Alabama. The physical toll of a normal football schedule was coupled with the emotional stress of dealing with an ongoing pandemic. Several players spoke of just how necessary they thought the time off was to rest and recover.

"I think it's very important. Breaks from football, I think are very important, especially for your mental side, I would say. For some people, it could definitely be the physical side, just the long season that we've had, corona and whatnot, having it pushed back, having it extended. But the mental side is very much needed. You kind of have to get that break, kind of get out of that mindset, and come back to reality so that you can understand and appreciate everything that you went through, everything that you fought for, everything that you received out of the season. And I think it's very important to reflect on that."

Receiver Justin Shorter was relaxing on Sanibel Island but said he's looking forward to getting back to football.

"I know I've been away for two days. And, honestly, I already miss it already and I can't wait to get back and start again because it's all I do. This is my life. I can't wait to get back to it, get back to work, and get ready for this bowl game."

2020 has been an uncertain year. It's remarkable that the SEC was able to play 97% of its games in a pandemic this season. There have already been a handful of bowl games that have been canceled because of teams pulling out due to a spike in cases.

Per a report from ESPN's Heather Dinich, the Cotton Bowl is willing to postpone the game, currently scheduled for December 30, if one team has to pull out due to Coronavirus cases.

Florida tight end Kyle Pitts and Oklahoma defensive back Tre Brown have opted out of the Cotton Bowl. Dan Mullen expects the Gators could have more opt-outs before the Bowl game.

"I think we may have one or two more but I’ll let those guys handle that, that's on them. I’m not going into all the details...guys may want to handle that individually. I’ll let them do it."

Kyle Trask was asked if he will play in the Cotton Bowl or if he will opt-out, and while it wasn't a ringing endorsement, it appears the senior quarterback will play.

"I’m most likely 100% playing in the bowl game," Trask said.