Florida State University and Georgia Tech are 400km apart, being based in Tallahassee, Florida and Atlanta, Georgia respectively. In American terms this amounts to a derby match between two college football teams that will sell out the Aviva Stadium on Saturday.
It says a lot about the robust health of the American economy that 27,000 fans can afford to travel to Dublin, pay August prices for accommodation, food and drink, an average of €150 a ticket and still come away happy.
It is the 10th Aer Lingus College Classic. The tag line is that it is “more than a game”. It is now more like a weeklong business and entertainment jamboree and one of the most lucrative tourism events of the Irish summer.
Just transporting the teams is a massive logistical effort. Each fill a jumbo jet with about 300 players and staff.
Many of the players are young students who have never been out of the United States before – Florida State needed 85 passports for its players and Georgia Tech has got 70 in total between players and staff.
The squads are travelling with food they cannot get in Ireland including various different condiments. Who knew there was no place in Dublin you could buy Tabasco?
Georgia Tech previously played in Ireland in 2016 when they defeated Boston College. Florida State is bringing 11,000 fans to Ireland; the rest are fans of Georgia Tech, better known as the yellow jackets. They are also the underdogs with the experts predicting Florida State will win by 11-12 points.
“It’s always important to beat Florida Tech,” said Georgia Tech supporter Mark Smith, “if only because, like Halley’s Comet, we have a good team every 75 years. Florida State has a good team every year. If you can beat them, it is quite the accomplishment.”
Irish neutrals in the crowd will be expected to side with Georgia Tech as its punter is former Kerry underage player David Shanahan who is studying business administration at the university.
His team-mate is defensive lineman Joshua Robinson. Robinson’s proud London-born mother Samantha says it will be effectively a homecoming for the family. “We have 15 people coming from London this evening, my sister, my brother, my niece, my nephews and my cousins. I am very proud of my son.”
The Flanagan family studied en masse at Florida State University and have travelled to Ireland in similar fashion for the event. As the name suggests, they have roots in Ireland. The team won 13 of their 14 games last season. “We have great coaches, great players and we have passion. The passion is not just the passion of Florida State. It’s Irish passion,” said Tommy Flanagan.
“The people here in Dublin are amazing, not just in Dublin, but all over Ireland. Up the boys. Érin go Bragh.”