Fuck Florida St!………….can someone please explain this

“We’re really excited about the opportunity to play Wisconsin, to play in-state,” coach Randy Shannon said. "It’s a great opportunity for our fans throughout the state of Florida to come and see an exciting football game played between two great teams.

“The Champs is the next best bowl if we can’t go to the BCS. Fortunately enough we had an opportunity to play in the Champs Bowl, and it’s a reward for us. TV ratings we know will be unbelievable; the stadium may be standing-room only.”

Miami (9-3, 5-3 ACC) is playing in its 35th bowl all-time and the second under Shannon. It will be UM’s third appearance in the game but its first since it moved from Miami to Orlando in 2001.

“The University of Miami is excited to be playing so close to home,” Director of Athletics Kirby Hocutt said. “Our fans are going to have a great opportunity to come out and support our team against a formidable opponent in Wisconsin.”

Wisconsin (9-3, 5-3 Big Ten) finished the regular season in a tie for fourth in the Big Ten Conference. The Hurricanes are 2-1 all-time versus the Badgers, with the last meeting coming in 1989 when UM defeated Wisconsin, 51-3, in Madison.

Cane players say they don’t know much about the Badgers.

“I really don’t,” senior offensive tackle Jason Fox said. “We’re going to have to prepare like any other game, but it’ll be exciting to play someone we don’t always play.”

Miami has a 19-15 record in 34 previous bowls and is 7-3 in the last 10 bowls. The Hurricanes are one of seven ACC teams playing in a bowl this season.

This year’s Champs Sports Bowl is the ninth season the game will be played in Orlando. The Canes are 2-0 in the bowl, defeating Virginia in 1996 when it was named the Carquest Bowl and NC State in 1998 when it was named the Micron PC Bowl.

UM was bypassed by the Gator Bowl in favor of .500 Florida State and Bobby Bowden.

“It is what it is,” center A.J. Trump said. “The guy is a legend. That’s all you can say. It’s tough, you wish you can be there, but we still have an opportunity to win 10 games and that’s what we’re focused on doing.”

Defensive back Chavez Grant said, “Like a lot of guys say, they don’t think it’s right. Just because Bobby Bowden says he wants to play in Florida doesn’t mean they get the right to get picked over us. But it is what it is. We have no control over that.”

And Fox added, “We could say we should have gone to a better bowl, but we should have won some more games. We lost at least two games that we had in the palm of our hand and we lost. We are where we are, and now we just have to focus on getting to 10 wins.”

Miami players gave their take on the bowl game and facing Wisconsin:

• Trump: “I live close over there, and it’s a great opportunity. I know their reputation is hard-nosed defense and running game. I feel we can match up pretty well against that.”

• Epps: “We’re just glad to go to a bowl game. It feels good. We have something to look forward to, another game to play. I don’t know a lot (about Wisconsin). It’s another football game, another game to go out there and wear the U on your helmet. We’re going to get prepared for it. That’s all we can do. It’s just another game to play. For me it’s my last game, so I’m looking forward to it.”

• Matt Pipho: "It’s fun to play a Big Ten team. I have a cousin that went to Wisconsin. It’ll be fun. I had a blast in Boise, a blast in San Francisco – Orlando will be fun, too. Hopefully I get to go to Disney World.

“It’s tough seeing other teams that you played with or beat that you feel you’re as good as (go to better bowls). But we could be going home for Christmas, and thank God we aren’t.”

• Fox: “This is a big game because we can get to 10 wins with a win in this game. We haven’t done that in a while. That would be real big for us to improve that much. We definitely took a step in the right direction this season, and with the talent on this team we’re going to build on this in years to come.”

Grant: “I don’t watch much football outside of ourselves, don’t watch much Big Ten football. But we want to spread our dominance throughout the entire nation. Whoever we play we’re going to try and dominate and win, leave some momentum for the next season.”

Shannon said he expects good turnout for the game.

“We’re expecting our fan base to be there in full control and try to take the whole stadium up,” he said. “The more we traveled throughout the state of Florida, (fan support) has been great for us.”

Grant added, “I think we’ll have a good turnout. Our fans travel pretty well. We do appreciate that they travel and support us.”

- The Champs Sports Bowl’s executive director Steve Hogan was asked about Clemson being in it with Miami for the selection.

“There was absolutely discussion (about taking Clemson instead of Miami),” Hogan said. “We’ve always been a bowl game that’s prided ourselves on doing things the right way. A division winner warrants discussion. They were a very deserving team, played a very good championship game. Both those teams’ kids worked all season long and deserved a trip. We absolutely had vigorous debate. Just in our opinion Miami was the right fit.”

Hogan added that UM wasn’t selected because of it being a Florida team and in driving distance for fans.

“If Miami (fans) show up in force that’s a nice benefit, but that wasn’t (the basis for) the decision,” Hogan said. “We believe we picked the right team for us and a team that will play a whale of a game against Wisconsin. Their fans playing east of the Mississippi for the first time since 1995 (should) really make the stadium look good.”

- Of the opportunity to get 10 wins, Trump said, “If they have a great year next year, this will be their turnaround year. As a senior class that’s what we’re really proud of – the guys that got it turned around, the first 10-win season in a while. So next year when they’re winning championships I’m going to sit back and feel good about being part of that group.”

- Fox said he expects to play in the bowl game after missing the regular season finale.

“I think I’ll be fine,” he said.

- This will be Miami’s 10th game in the State of Florida this season.

“This is probably the first time in Miami history playing 10 games in the state,” Shannon said. “And this is our fifth game out of conference we have an opportunity to win. It’s unbelievable.”

- Hocutt indicated UM will likely travel to Orlando Dec. 25 for preparations for the bowl game. There is no date set yet for the first bowl practice, but it will likely be the middle of next week.

“Right now we’re concentrating on going out on the road this week (for recruiting),” Shannon said. “We’ll get film in and break it down, will get together this weekend coming up and will (figure out) when we start practice.”