An overhead look at Dolphin Stadium, site of the 2008 Orange Bowl. The end zones were painted Tuesday in preparation for Thursday's Orange Bowl between Kansas and Virginia Tech.

KU defensive end John Larson is the center of attention after a Jayhawks practice Tuesday at Barry University.

Tess Seuferling, 12, Lawrence, right, laughs with her sister Marci, 16, and father Dale Seuferling, president of the Kansas University Endowment Association, as the three lounge on the beach sharing a frozen drink before the rains came Tuesday outside the Trump Sonesta Hotel in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida. Many traveling Jayhawk fans rolled into Miami on Tuesday in preparation for the Jayhawks' Orange Bowl battle against Virginia Tech on Thursday.

Miami ? Crews finished painting the Dolphin Stadium end zones Tuesday – one in Kansas University blue, one in “Chicago maroon” for Virginia Tech.

At the Orange Bowl on Thursday night, some 72,000 fans are expected to file into the stadium to watch the premier college football game being played that day. Millions more will watch on television.

The fans’ allegiance, of course, will be split between the Jayhawks and Hokies.

Sound familiar?

KU’s last game – against Missouri on Nov. 24 – had similar circumstances and almost as big of a stage. The Jayhawks lost that contest, but they might have benefited by leaving some jitters on the Arrowhead Stadium field that night.

Jitters that, as a result, may not make an appearance in the Orange Bowl.

“Everybody might have learned a valuable lesson from that,” defensive end John Larson said. “It was a frustrating game.”

The 36-28 setback in Kansas City, Mo., was a result of a sluggish start that led to a 21-0 deficit. KU fought back but ran out of time, and any title aspirations – Big 12 or national – disappeared with the loss.

Several players, like senior wide receiver Marcus Henry, said the huge hype and neutral atmosphere of the KU-MU game will make the Orange Bowl no big deal. But KU coach Mark Mangino isn’t buying it, at least when asked about Virginia Tech’s history playing in high-level games.

“It seems as though they have an advantage,” Mangino said. “People would tell you that, but I don’t see that. I think you have to show up and play the game.

“Games in the past don’t affect players today as much as one would think.”

Instead, Mangino thinks it comes down to preparation and execution. The first part is done – Larson said they’ve watched every VT game two or three times, and “no stone has been left unturned” as the big game looms.

The second part remains to be seen. It certainly would help if the Jayhawks weren’t swept away by the giant spotlight they’ll be playing in.

Instead of denying the impact of Thursday’s game, KU coaches are trusting the team’s maturity – which showed up often during the magical 11-1 season.

“It’s a big game,” Mangino said. “Our kids are smart. We’re not going to try to fool them and just tell them that this is just another game. But it’s still football. The field is 100 yards, they have 11, we have 11.

“It’s the same concept – just a few more people will be paying attention to it.”

Much like the Missouri game five weeks ago. If the Border War loss had any positive effect, it could be noticeable once the Jayhawks line up against the Hokies.

Because physical execution – part two of what wins games – takes a sound mental state, first and foremost.

“We’re pretty confident,” receiver Dexton Fields said. “We know all of our assignments, and all we have to do now is execute. Go out and execute and play our game.”