They've played in big football games before in states such as Texas, Louisiana and North Carolina. But not the one Wednesday night in Plymouth.

When No. 1-ranked Eden Prairie takes the field against second-ranked Wayzata, two players on each undefeated team who transferred this fall will get their first taste of one of the state's biggest Class 5A football rivalries. Last year's game, which also ended the regular season, went to Wayzata 28-27 in overtime.

"There are certain games on your calendar you know are temperature-check games," Trojans coach Brad Anderson said. "Sometimes I get asked, 'When do you know you've got a chance to win a state title?' This is one of those games."

Meet four players set to participate in it for the first time.

NICK DAVIDSON

Eden Prairie offensive lineman

Height: 6-6

Weight: 280

Previous school: Audrey Kell (Charlotte, N.C.)

On coming north: "I never knew I was going to move to Minnesota; it was the last state I had in mind. But when I came here, I kind of heard there were a couple of teams that were pretty much powerhouses, and Wayzata and Eden Prairie were the ones. And I decided to come here."

The rivalry: "As soon as I moved here, I started hearing about the schedule and the rivalry. Every time Wayzata pops up in any conversation, I can tell it's a big deal. There's a lot more people talking about football and a lot less talk about school."

Previous big games: "We had a big rival -- Providence -- that we played every year. Whenever we played them, it was a big one. It was always the last game of the season. We lost to them my sophomore year in a really close game. Last year we beat them like 64-20 or something like that. Everybody was pretty pumped about that going into the playoffs."

His experiences so far: "It's pretty much like any other high school. Everybody gets excited for football. And the guys on the team are really competitive. It's never too much."

DANIEL URQUHART

Eden Prairie offensive lineman

Height: 6-7

Weight: 310

Previous school: Allen, Texas

On Texas high school football: "Every game was kind of like Wayzata-Eden Prairie down there. We had about 300-400 kids on the football team. ... Football was like a class there, not an activity. It's eighth period."

Playing in Minnesota: ''I saw grass fields. I was actually quite shocked. My old school, there was like a $20 million stadium being built. That's high school football. I come here and it's lower-key, but it's just as intense."

On Eden Prairie: ''I knew my dad's company was going to transfer him last January, so I at least knew it was coming. I came with him [here] about a month later and met coach [Mike] Grant. I went into the gym and saw all the championship [banners]. I then heard that for 20 years, this had been a great program."

Red and black bands on his braces: "I want to do whatever I can to show my school spirit every day. Football no matter where you go is fun. You're with your friends. Football is where I want to be all the time."

ANTONIO FORD

Wayzata running back

Height: 5-9

Weight: 200

Previous school: Coon Rapids

Making an impact: A season-ending knee injury to running back Mitch Underhill increased Ford's role in the offense. Through seven games, he averaged 14 carries, 90 yards and one touchdown per game. Ford's physical style complements the speedy Eric Roti.

Bigger than Coon Rapids vs. Blaine in 2008 section final: "I don't think it's as big as this. This right here has been talked about since the beginning of the season. We've kept our focus throughout each week but this game, from what I hear, is supposed to be really huge. I'm excited to be a part of it."

About the rivalry: "I've always known it was big. All the years I was at Coon Rapids, every time you flipped on the news or something ... I've always heard about this game."

Pregame buzz: "It's constantly talked about in my classes and around the school."

CHANDLER WRIGHT

Wayzata (jr.) offensive lineman

Height: 6-3

Weight: 270

Previous school: Dutchtown, La.

Why he transferred: "My mother was already here so I decided to move in. She researched a bunch of schools - football schools - and showed me a bunch of them. I picked this one because they had a good reputation."

Football culture differences: "We had a bigger stadium but the facilities are nicer here. Not a lot of places down there had turf. The football aspect is a lot bigger there. Rain or shine, it's going to be packed. People were tailgating before the games. It's good [here] but not quite at the same level."

On playing philosophies: "It's more mental up here; it's physical down there. Down there, it's smash-mouth football. You just knock the person in front of you down and you run the ball. Up here, you've got to read the defense and know where the running backs are going to go."

Big-game expectations: "It was explained to me that Eden Prairie and Wayzata are the two powerhouses in the state pretty much. It's going to be a big game, a lot of people. They're No. 1, we're No. 2. I've been told they are a smash-mouth team that will smother you with their run game. But they're clean. There is a lot of respect for that program."