It's An SEC Revival As Tennessee And Texas A&M Fans Invade Omaha For College World Series | Trey Wallace

OMAHA, Neb. — It didn’t take long for me to hear the first ‘Gig Em’ as we touched down in Omaha on Friday night, as the flight attendant came across the intercom to express her feelings on who she was rooting for in the College World Series between Tennessee and Texas A&M. 

The mecca of college baseball is preparing for an invasion of fans clad in orange and maroon, as fans travel back into Omaha for what is the most anticipated matchup in recent College World Series memory. Two sets of fans are looking to see their team capture a national championship that has alluded them for decades, so it's understandable that this town will turn into one major party on Saturday afternoon. 

Judging by the number of fans that I witnessed in the Denver airport for my connecting flight on Friday afternoon, this place will look like an SEC Championship game on steroids. It's certainly the pageantry surrounding this game that stands out the most, in my opinion. While the SEC has been on a heater when it comes to crowning national champions over the past decade, it's the hotels and bars surrounding Charles Schwab Field that are certainly benefiting the most. 

"I drove 12 hours to get here, starting Thursday night," one Tennessee fan mentioned to me as I gauged the crowd around Rocco's. "We haven't played for a national championship in a major sport in so long that i definitely wasn't going to miss this one. I brought my 16-year-old with me so that he could experience it all. I was at the Fiesta Bowl when we won the national title in football, but this guy (His Kid) has no idea what this type of atmosphere feels like."

Tennessee and Texas A&M fans takeover Omaha, as the College World Series national championship series begins Saturday night. Via: Trey Wallace

This Is A College Sports Revival In Omaha With Tennessee, Texas A&M

For both teams, and fans, this is one of the aspects of this game that stands out the most. Both groups want to see their team hoist the trophy at one of the biggest sporting events in college athletics. So, there's a reason why we are seeing so many fans make the trip out here, even if they don't have tickets yet. 

"We came here without tickets, hoping to get them at a lower price on Saturday. Did you see those prices on different websites?," a Texas A&M fan discussed with me outside the stadium on Friday night. "This is one of those events that I just couldn't miss, even though my wife will probably ring my neck when she realizes how much money i'll have to spend for me and my son. But she gave us the blessing to come here, so I think she knows what the bank account will look like come Tuesday morning."

As I previously wrote on Friday morning, tickets for the College World Series are going from anywhere between $400-$800 on most websites, though you can buy a ticket for Sunday's game for just under $300 dollars at the moment. Unfortunately, that will change, most likely every hour, but especially once the first game is decided on Saturday night. 

Tennessee and Texas A&M fans takeover Omaha, as the College World Series national championship series begins Saturday night. Via: Trey Wallace

But unlike the College Football Playoff, or even the Final Four, there aren't 70,000 seats available like those two events. At the conclusion of either Sunday or Monday night, one group of fans are going to be rejoicing at the outcome, not worrying about how much money was spent on witnessing something that doesn't happen every year, or even every decade. 

"Look at all this orange on a Friday night, 24 hours before both teams even take the field," Jack from Nashville mentioned to me Friday evening. Heck, my neighbors are flying in on Saturday and should get here a few hours before the game starts, lord willing American Airlines doesn't crew up their plans. We've been baseball fans for a long time, but there is something about this program under Tony Vitello that has sent this fanbase into a frenzy. 

"I was there when we couldn't fill the stadium when he first arrived. I know Texas A&M is also chomping at the bit to win a title, so this ought to be fun."

As I made my way out of Rocco's and finally to the hotel to wash-off the stench of multiple airports, I heard one Tennessee fan say something that caught my attention, most certainly speaking for both fanbases. 

"At least it's not Bama. Hope those guys are ready for football season."

Just when I thought I'd only hear about baseball when I came to Omaha.