SMU fans poured into DFW Airport Friday evening to catch flights to the East Coast, where the Mustangs will face Penn State.
DALLAS — Southern Methodist University students and alumni have proven they’re willing to travel far and wide to cheer on the Mustangs for their biggest test yet.
Fans arrived at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport Friday evening, where they boarded the final flights to Pennsylvania to witness the Mustangs in the first round of the College Football Playoff appearance.
SMU will face Penn State at Beaver Stadium in Happy Valley, Pennsylvania.
Despite logistical travel challenges, Mehul Lalloobai and his family made sure they wouldn’t miss the game.
“It was rough, it’s a difficult place to get to. We’re gonna fly to Philadelphia and make the drive over,” Lalloobai said. “We’re really excited first time in decades that we made it for a game this big.”
Fans scoured to find highly-coveted game tickets. More than 100,000 people are expected to pack Beaver Stadium for the game, and SMU was allotted 3,500 tickets. Traveling there during the busy holiday season isn’t cheap. Like many fans, SMU senior Emiliano Woodward scrambled to find a flight to the game with only two weeks’ notice.
To meet high travel demand American Airlines added an extra flight from DFW Airport to Harrisburg Airport on Friday, Dec. 20, and an extra flight back to DFW on Dec. 22.
“I just wanna win the stadiums gonna be really cool so excited to go,” Woodward said. “Everything was booked.”
Woodward, who is flying into Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, told WFAA he still has to drive at least two hours in winter weather to get near the stadium.
“If we win it’ll be all worth it,” Woodward said.
SMU Alumni couple Will and Laura Howard, who graduated in 2000, are taking a private plane with friends to make it to the game.
“We’re very excited, this is a dream come true. We’ve been waiting for this for so many years. It’s like Christmas evening!” Laura said.
The Howards said they’ve packed plenty of layers, heated gloves and socks to stay warm in the frosty and potentially snow-covered Beaver Stadium.
“There have been a lot of things in the way of Mustang fans actually getting there,” Will said. “But everyone we’ve talked to has said, I’m gonna find a way to be there one way or the other.”
They never doubted that they’d overcome every obstacle for a chance to witness the Mustangs in their quest for a national championship.
American Airlines said that more flights will be added down the road for later rounds of the College Football Playoff.