ATLANTA — Hundreds of travelers made their way through Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport Sunday to cheer on the Dawgs ahead of the College Football Playoff National Championship game on Monday night.
Two of those passengers were Budday and Karla Avery. The two will celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary on Monday, the same day as the championship game. They began making plans to see the Georgia Bulldogs long before the Peach Bowl win on New Year's Eve.
"We bought tickets in October," Budday said. "We believed they were going to win."
The two were decked in black and red gear and were quick to respond to anyone chanting "Go Dawgs" as they made their way to the security checkpoint. They weren't able to get a direct flight to Los Angeles, but they were undeterred by the extended travel time.
"We all know we go to Houston, and from Houston to L.A. We're supposed to be in L.A. at four o' clock Pacific Time."
For many who were traveling, the game was a family affair. Jonathan Hubbard and his son Landon were confident UGA would make it to the national championship -- so much so that they decided to save their money on home games and use the funds to travel to Los Angeles instead.
"We were confident enough to say, you know we'll hang out and we'll chill for the Ohio State game, and we're going to go to Cali and have a great time," Landon said.
Fans were excited to show their support for the team with black and bright red shorts, hats, and accessories on full display in the airport terminals. Many expressed excitement at the thought of Georgia bringing home a championship for the second year in a row.
Even for those who were not able to get tickets, the idea of being in the city was enough to prompt them to book a fight and a hotel.
The College Football Playoff National Championship game will kick off at SoFi Stadium at 7:30 p.m. on Monday night, with the game telecasted on ESPN.