It’s a safe bet that thousands of Notre Dame football fans will attend tonight’s Orange Bowl. There will also be plenty of Penn State fans in attendance for the big game. And, it appears there will also be fans from another school watching the College Football Playoff game … by accident.
With all the crisscrossing around the country this 12-team playoff field has engendered, it can be hard to make sure a fanbase is in the right place. Especially if members of that fanbase were trying to jump on future games and snapping up tickets before they’re sold out.
Whatever the reason, among the throng of Notre Dame football and Penn State fans, there will apparently be at least a few Ohio State fans who are at the Orange Bowl by accident. Because they bought the wrong tickets. And to their credit, they’re following through, even if there was a mistake.
Just ran into Ohio State fans in the hotel elevator. They misread the bracket and thought Ohio State would be playing in the Orange Bowl. They’ll be at Penn State-Notre Dame tonight.
— Johnny McGonigal (@jmcgonigal9) January 9, 2025
Ohio State fans taking in Notre Dame football game by accident
Penn State beat writer Johnny McGonigal ran across these accidental tourists just ahead of the Orange Bowl on Thursday morning.
“Just ran into Ohio State fans in the hotel elevator. They misread the bracket and thought Ohio State would be playing in the Orange Bowl. They’ll be at Penn State-Notre Dame tonight.”
In a subsequent tweet, McGonigal clarified the run-in a bit.
“For those wondering, they looked like students. Said they ‘misread the bracket. Didn’t say if they literally misread and booked or misread how it would play out, thinking OSU would play in the Orange Bowl, and booked weeks ago. Funny either way and stunned they didn’t sell.”
While the reporter added that the fans didn’t say who they were rooting for, it stands to reason they’d be additional Notre Dame football fans, as it seems unlikely they’re rooting for a bitter Big Ten rival to win.