‘Love the environment:’ Hurricanes arrive in Texas for Cotton Bowl

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GRAPEVINE, Texas — The Hurricanes are back in Texas.

Eight days after upsetting Texas A&M at Kyle Field, Miami returned to Texas in advance of Wednesday’s College Football Playoff quarterfinal matchup with Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl.

“I’m excited for the opportunity,” safety Jakobe Thomas said. “Love the environment, but, you know, here to be 1-0 taking everything day by day and just ready to go out.”

Said offensive lineman Anez Cooper: “We’re excited. … We’re looking at it as a playoff game. We’re not really like focused on being a bowl game, but we’re prepared. We’re excited. We’re ready to compete.”

Miami arrived at its team hotel on Sunday evening after spending the last week preparing for the Buckeyes, who feature several of the nation’s top players.

They’re definitely a talented group,” said Thomas, who played Ohio State in the playoffs last year when he was with Tennessee. “I’m excited. The opportunity to play them again. They’ve got a lot of talent from depth —starters, guys that on bench — all through the depth.”

Miami has two practices before Wednesday night’s game where they will have a chance to get accustomed to AT&T Field, which is the home of the Dallas Cowboys. Despite the intense atmosphere and NFL environment, Thomas said the Hurricanes have not prepared any differently this week.

“It’s been the same,” Thomas said. “We’re the same team every week, no matter who we play, where we playing, and we’re going to prepare the same way and be the same team we’ve been all year.”

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