PANAMA CITY — With Bay County just 100 miles from Florida State University and 200 miles from Auburn University, local fans are making big plans for the faceoff on college football’s grandest stage Monday.
“That’s what amazing about this game, is you have all these amazing universities in the country, and here are these two universities 200 miles away from each other playing for it all,” said John Gay, general manager at WLTG-AM, the local Auburn football affiliate. “Auburn has a tremendous following around here.”
But whether you’re yelling “War Eagle!” or doing the Tomahawk Chop, you’re sure to find fanfare fellowship in the area Monday.
For State Attorney Glenn Hess, the night may be spent breaking up fights between friends. As a graduate of both universities, Hess said he really can’t lose.
“We have friends in both camps, so I’m kind of in the middle of it,” said Hess, who is hosting a BCS Championship party with his wife. “I think my first affinity is to Auburn, but if FSU wins, it really won’t cause me any heartburn.”
Originally from Pennsylvania, Hess first heard about Auburn University at a bar in Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam, where he served as an Army helicopter pilot.
“Everywhere I went in Vietnam, there was some drunk second lieutenant yelling, ‘War Eagle!’ ” he said.
For Florida State fans, the Panama City Area Seminole Club is hosting a watch party at Sharky’s Restaurant in Panama City Beach beginning at 7:30 p.m. Sharky’s manager Chris Todd said the restaurant partnered with the organization for the entire season and is expecting about 300 Seminole fans for the championship game.
“Normally we have a big Florida State following here,” Todd said. “We do this all season long. It’s been a good partnership with the FSU booster club.”
Booster club president Chris Smith said a trip to the championship game has been a long time coming for the ’Noles.
“We got so spoiled in the ’90s and you kind of think it’s your rite of passage,” Smith said. “This has been kind of a nice surprise. Hopefully we’ll bring back a ‘W.’ ”
The local Seminole Club is an organization under the FSU Alumni Association and open to any ’Noles fan, alumni or not.
“Anyone is welcome to come out to any of our events,” said Smith, who noted events often are used for fundraising. “That’s the cool thing about our group here. We get to support FSU here in Panama City as well as in Tallahassee.”
Smith will be heading out to Pasadena, Calif., for the game Saturday and was grateful to find tickets, even with a $385 price tag. He also attended FSU’s championship game in 1993 — when tickets cost just $35.
“The demand was through the roof,” Smith said. “I would venture to say maybe a third of the people got what they wanted.”