ORLANDO, Fla. — A capacity crowd of 70,000 will be packing into Camping World Stadium Monday as the Florida State Seminoles take on the Rebels of Ole Miss.
The fourth-ranked Noles and 11th-ranked Rebels will take the field at 8 p.m. for the first Camping World Kickoff.
Tailgaters claimed their spots, played a few games of corn hole and set up their spread of food and beer for a day full of fun.
"This is a huge game. We are so excited to play Ole Miss," said FSU alumni Eric Konszal. "This will set it up for the season itself. Obviously, if we don't pull it out it will completely ruin our season."
The Camping World Kickoff is a multi-year deal between Florida Citrus Sports and ESPN for a major season-opening college football game to be played on a neutral field in Orlando.
“It's the biggest! We have the third or fourth hardest schedule and it's a great game to start the season off, and hopefully we can bring it home," Konszal said.
Florida Citrus Sports president Steve Hogan said renovations to Camping World Stadium were key in attracting larger sporting events to the city.
Since the renovations were completed, Orlando has hosted an NFL game, a Major League Soccer team has set up in the city, the Rolling Stones came to play and Wrestlemania also made a stop.
"It gives an opportunity for the Florida State people that live in this area and the Ole Miss that live in this area, for that matter, to come locally to enjoy the tailgating, and enjoy the hospitality of Orlando and have a great time," said Orlando resident Bill Sydnor.
Citrus Sports is currently working to bring the BCS National Championship Game to Orlando.
Monday's game will be the first at Camping World Stadium under a new bag policy which requires bags or purses be clear if they are larger than 4.5 inches by 6 inches.
FSU fan Betty Bearden appreciated the new rule.
"I have no problem with it," she said. "I think it is safety and I think that pulls first. I feel anything that they do to protect us while we are there is great."
Traffic in downtown Orlando is expected to be heavy for the Labor Day game between FSU and Ole Miss.
Congestion will be exacerbated by SunRail trains not running and Lynx buses operating on a condensed schedule for Labor Day.
Cox Media Group
