(FRISCO, TEXAS) – Whether by plane or car, NDSU Bison fans are flocking to Frisco, Texas, for the FCS National Championship game between the Bison and Montana State Bobcats at Toyota Stadium.
When the dust settles on Monday night, fans will have plenty of memories that they’ll take with them back to wherever they came from. That includes Tami Jo Barta, who has been a Bison fan for many years.
This is Barta’s 11th trip to Frisco.
“The vibe is a little bit different,” Barta said Saturday afternoon. That’s because the game isn’t less than 24 hours away – it’ll kick off Monday night in prime-time for the first time ever.
Fans are accustomed to playing Sunday morning, but officials with the FCS were able to change the game due to a change in the College Football Playoff schedule. It will be the lone game in prime-time, as there is no Monday Night Football NFL game this week, either.
Barta said she’s excited to see the game to move to Monday night, hoping it gives players more exposure.
“I’m all for it,” she said. “I think it’ll be good.”
Fans are slowly making their way to Texas.
“There’s still people that are just getting here now, whether they’re flying in or driving,” Barta said. “The buildup is a little bit slower than past years have been, but I think it’s just because the game is not going to be on Sunday morning, it’s going to be on Monday night.”
She said the matchup is going to be interesting, given Montana State head coach Brent Vigen’s ties to both the state of North Dakota and the Bison program.
“It’s very interesting,” Barta said. “Brent’s a great guy. I think most Bison fans that have been following this team for that long hold a lot of respect for him.”
She said she’s enjoyed the trips she’s made to Frisco.
“One of my favorite parts is getting to know some of the local people here, whether it’s at a restaurant or your waitress that’s serving you at a pub, and getting their feedback,” Barta said. “They’re just so excited to have us come down. They talk about how polite our fanbase is, and how friendly we are.”
Frisco, Texas – Fargo South. Go Bison.
