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CHICK-FIL-A PEACH BOWL: FLORIDA VS MICHIGAN

December 2, 2018

Atlanta, Georgia

THE MODERATOR: This is Matt Garvey from the Chick-Fil-a Peach Bowl. I'd like to welcome everyone to our media teleconference today with our match-up of Michigan Wolverines and the Florida Gators. On the line with us today we're going to have Chick-Fil-a Peach Bowl president and CEO Gary Stokan and Michigan head football coach Jim Harbaugh.

A note to the media, Coach Dan Mullen, because of transportation issues, is unavailable for this call time right now. We will be having a separate teleconference with him and the media from both schools tomorrow morning at 11:00 a.m. We'll be sending out the information for that call after this call this evening, but it will be the same dial-in information.

So with that, we'll go ahead and get started, and I'll introduce Gary Stokan, president and CEO of the Chick-Fil-a Peach Bowl.

GARY STOKAN: Coach Harbaugh, it's our pleasure to officially welcome the seventh-ranked Michigan Wolverines and the 10th-ranked Florida Gators to Atlanta to compete in the 51st Chick-Fil-a Peach Bowl to be played December 29th at noon in Mercedes-Benz Stadium. We're honored to host this match-up of two top-10 teams and two of the biggest national brand programs in the country. We see our bowl as really a reward for the players, and we use the theme of "live, laugh and learn" during the week, and so our mission is to put on the best-in-class experience for the players during the Chick-Fil-a Peach Bowl. We've got a great New Year's Six bowl week experience in store for you and your team, and we look forward to hosting you in Atlanta, the capital of college football.

THE MODERATOR: Thanks, Gary. A reminder to the media, again, we'll take an opening statement from Coach Harbaugh. Coach Harbaugh, at this point we'll go ahead and take your opening comments, please.

JIM HARBAUGH: We are very happy to be invited to the Chick-Fil-a Peach Bowl. It will be our pleasure and our honor to compete in the prestigious Chick-Fil-a Peach Bowl against a heck of a good Florida team, and we'll be preparing to win the football game, and great to be in a New Year's Six bowl game.

Q. Coach, have you had any brushes with Dan Mullen during you guys' careers, and what's your familiarity with his ability as a play caller and putting an offense together?
JIM HARBAUGH: Somebody who's very much respected in the profession and has a tremendous reputation as a football coach. Haven't had too many brushes with him, but I have met him and look forward to competing against his team.

Q. I know you haven't really looked at what they're doing, but what is kind of your overall impression of the turnaround under him this year with the Gators?
JIM HARBAUGH: It's been very impressive.

Q. Coach Harbaugh, how do you guys plan on avenging your loss that you had to Ohio State? How are the players going to get over that and how are you guys going to prepare them for this bowl game?
JIM HARBAUGH: Yeah, our players, they've played a great season. Our coaches have coached a great season, and we've overcome every adversity. Nothing changes. It just means the work isn't done, and we're looking forward to the competition in the Chick-Fil-a Peach Bowl.

Q. What does this mean for you guys, for you and your team to be accepted and involved in the Chick-Fil-a Peach Bowl?
JIM HARBAUGH: Yeah, it's an honor and a pleasure.

Q. Kind of following along with what was asked, do you have any concern about your team's state of mind as far as going into this game after so much was put into that Ohio State game and maybe the possibility of getting into the playoff if you had gotten it done there?
JIM HARBAUGH: As I said, this team has overcome every adversity. Nothing changes. Work just isn't done yet, and we look forward to playing in the ballgame.

Q. This is a pretty familiar opponent for you but with a different coach; is there anything that you can take from what's happened previously against the Gators?
JIM HARBAUGH: You know, just always looked at the Florida Gators as one of the top teams in college football. A lot of talent and a very well-coached team. Caught them on TV a few times, and then we'll have, as you do for every bowl game, a good amount of preparation time. Look forward to seeing how -- look forward first to the competition, you know, and then second, how we can be successful.

Q. Does your knowledge of the personnel maybe that's been there, even though they have a new head coach since you last saw them, does that assist you in any way in preparation?
JIM HARBAUGH: I mean, I know some of the guys, Feleipe Franks, and I'm sure a lot of the other personnel and names. I know guys that we've recruited are there, guys that we've competed against are there. Looking forward to watching how they've developed and mainly just looking forward to the preparation and the game.

Q. Do you guys know yet since Rashan declared for the draft, is he going to play in the game?
JIM HARBAUGH: No, Rashan won't play in the game.

Q. Do you have anybody else that you're having conversations with that, or right now is it just Rashan in that situation?
JIM HARBAUGH: Just Rashan.

Q. Are you guys going to have Roy coach the receivers or are you going to do something else with Jim moving on to Central? Or is it maybe too early and you haven't made up your mind on that yet?
JIM HARBAUGH: Ben McDaniels will coach the receivers.

Q. You talked about the competition; just talk about playing a school from the SEC, who many feel like if it's not the most complete conference in college football, maybe the best conference in college football; just talk about your views on that?
JIM HARBAUGH: Well, that's why they play these match-ups, to determine that. It'll be great competition, and we look forward to it. The thing I would add, I know we didn't really say it, but Jim McElwain, looks like he's going to be the next head coach at Central Michigan, and I want to say I really like Jim a lot, and I'm really excited for him, and I think it's a great fit.

Q. Just as a follow-up, just talk about your defense because they're the nation's best defense, so talk about them and their play during the season.
JIM HARBAUGH: Yeah, we've got a heck of a good defense, and we're really well-coached on the defensive side of the ball. We've got some really good players and some All-American players, some All-Big Ten players and just some really tough, aggressive guys. It's a fine defense.

GARY STOKAN: Coach, we look forward to spending Christmas with you and your family and with the team that has the chance to be only the 10th Michigan team to win 11 games or more. It's an exciting opportunity for Michigan. We're looking forward to hosting you and the team, and travel safe on the 22nd down this way.

JIM HARBAUGH: Appreciate it very much. Look forward to being with you all down there and meeting you and putting together -- being part of a great day of football.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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