‘Brought out the kid in me’: Sooner fans, businesses celebrate hosting playoff game in Norman
By Olivia Hickey
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NORMAN, Oklahoma (KOCO) — Oklahoma Sooners fans are eagerly anticipating their team’s first-round playoff game against the Alabama Crimson Tide on Dec. 19 in Norman.
OU students, fans and nearby businesses are celebrating the opportunity to host a playoff game in Norman for the first time.
“We’re going to win the big game,” Blakely Uhles, a young Sooner fan, said.
“Yeah, we are,” Micah Marley, another young fan, said.
“They’re going to go down to the ground,” Uhles said.
The University of Oklahoma clinched the No. 8 seed on Sunday, marking their return to the College Football Playoff.
“I’ve been a fan since elementary school. Grew up in Edmond, so we’ve had some tough years since 2019, so it brought out the kid in me,” Joshua Belz, a sophomore at OU, said.
In their first-round matchup, the Sooners will take on the No. 9 seed Alabama Crimson Tide.
With Oklahoma winning their last two matchups, Alabama fans are expected to bring intensity to the game.
But fans aren’t the only ones excited about the playoff game coming to Norman. Restaurants and businesses in the area are looking forward to a boom in patrons, too.
“They’re going to be seeking revenge,” Harley Stevens, a manager and senior at Louie’s Grill and Bar, said about Alabama.
“We’ve owned the state of Alabama for two years, and now they’re trying to reclaim their state and their pride for their football team,” Cory Shoemaker, a bartender and OU graduate, said.
The “Crimson Crossover,” will cap off a busy weekend in Norman, with the university’s December graduation ceremonies scheduled for the following day, Dec. 20.
“We’re going to open up early. We’re going to be open late. It’s going to be an all-day event, with people in and out all day long,” Stevens said.
While fans eagerly await gameday, Joshua Belz remains confident.
“We kind of own the state of Alabama. So, I think we’ll handle them pretty good.”
The first-round winner will go on to face the No. 1 seed, Indiana, in the Rose Bowl.
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