Florida linebacker James Houston IV took a hit in Oklahoma on Tuesday ahead of their December 30 Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic.
Houston, a red junior, was asked about the Big 12 game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. He said he is not worried that Oklahoma has some form of home advantage.
“Oklahoma is a good game, but they are not at our level,” he said. “They’re not SEC. They’re not Florida Gators. So we should put on a good show.”
Houston’s comments contrasted sharply with those of his teammates.
Wide receiver Justin Shorter called Oklahoma “a pretty good team.”
Defender Kyle Trask had only watched a Sooners movie, but he was impressed.
“They have some solid players,” he said. “We just have to come up with a good game plan and execute.”
Oklahoma, whose season started 1-2 at a rocky moment, has since won seven straight victories, including a Big 12 championship last Saturday, to finish 6th in the college football playoffs.
Florida, which ranks seventh, loses its back to LSU unclassified and Alabama no. 1 in the SEC championship game.
Gators will be without star Kyle Pitts after the Biletnikoff Award finalist announced earlier this week that he is opting to prepare for the NFL draft.