Texas vs Ohio State


Tomorrow evening the University of Texas will play Ohio State University in Royal Memorial Stadium in Austin. That's more than 24 hours from now, but the streets here in Central Austin are already packed with traffic and tailgaters. Yes, the OSU alumni association has leased the entire Erwin Center. I said the entire Erwin Center. It's not unusual for visiting schools' alumni associations to rent part of the Erwin Center, like some meeting rooms. No, OSU has leased the whole sheebang. This is the arena that hosts all UT basket ball games, and virtually all of the big events in Austin. For example, George Strait, The Dixie Chicks, WWE, The World Combat League, Barnum & Bailey Ringling Brothers Circus and others appear in the Erwin Center. Seating in the arena has a capacity of 16,755 which is the largest in the Big 12.

OSU is ranked No. 1 in polls, while UT is ranked No. 2. UT is the defending National Champion, and beat OSU last year in Columbus on the way to the championship. For those who don't know, OSU does not lose football games at home. They will have revenge on their minds with their eyes on a National Championship. It's No. 1 vs No.2 in Austin. As if that's not bad enough, it's the two largest colleges in the nation as well. A few years ago UT passed OSU as the largest university in the country. Lots of ways to describe this one, but suffice it to say, this is the biggest thing to hit Austin since...well, I can't think of anything bigger.

Here I am in Downtown Austin surrounded by cars and tailgaters with traffic described as horrible trying to figure a way out of here. I usually leave at 5:30 and get home between 6:15 and 6:45. Tonight I'm hoping to get home before 8:00. And that may be wildly optimistic.

Hook 'em Horns!