ARLINGTON, Texas – The No. 10 Southern California Trojans (11-2, 8-1 Pac-12) worked for a little more than two hours on Friday afternoon as they continued preparations for the 87th Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic.  USC will face the American Athletic Conference champion Tulane Green Wave (11-2, 7-1 AAC) on Monday afternoon.

Southern California Coach Lincoln Riley has been pleased with his team's focus since arriving in the Lone Star State earlier this week. By the time USC and Tulane kick things off on Monday, it will have been a month since the Trojans' last outing in the in the Pac-12 Football Championship Game.

"It has been fun to get down here and practice," Coach Riley said. "You obviously get to practice in a world class facility and getting ready to play a big football game against a good football team. They have been excited to prepare. We have knocked a little bit of the rust off after being off for a few days. I've liked the way they have attacked it. They know this is a big opportunity. We need to be ready for it."

Coach Riley has helped lead teams to the Goodyear Cotton Bowl previously as both a head coach and assistant coach. In his previous appearance as a head coach, Coach Riley led Oklahoma to a 55-20 win over Florida in the 2020 Classic.

He says those previous experiences have helped him hone a bowl week game plan that helps focus his squad on the things they need to do to win the game, while also allowing his players, coaches and staff to enjoy the tremendous hospitality of one of college football's most historic games.

"We lay out priorities for them. Priority one for us is to come and win the game. That is going to trump anything we have. When we do have anything that is football related, making sure their attention is fully on that is our job as coaches and the job of our team leaders.

"And then the second priority is to certainly enjoy this experience. Because games like this are special and the (Goodyear) Cotton Bowl is certainly at the top of the list for the job that everyone does to take care of you, the hospitality. Those of us in the coaching world kind of know it is legendary and this year has been no different."

The 87th Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic is Monday, Jan. 2 at noon CT on ESPN and ESPN Radio. Kickoff is slated for 12:10 p.m.

This year's Classic is a part of the ESPN bowl lineup for the ninth straight year. Mark Jones and Robert Griffin III are set to the call the action from the booth with Quint Kessenich reporting from the sidelines. ESPN Radio returns as the Classic's national radio partner for the ninth consecutive year with Brad Sham and Dusty Dvoracek in the booth and Taylor McGregor on the sidelines to describe all the action from AT&T Stadium.

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