Vrbo Fiesta Bowl tailgate: Liberty, Oregon fans show out
Heading into the 53rd Vrbo Fiesta Bowl, 19-year-old Liberty sophomore Eric Killingsworth wasn’t sure what to expect at State Farm Stadium. With Williams Stadium in Lynchburg 2,134 miles away, Liberty only five years into its journey at the Football Bowl Subdivision level and Eugene, Oregon only a short flight away, Killingsworth was surprised when he arrived at the stadium to see a sea of red.
“When we heard we were gonna go to the Fiesta Bowl, we were so excited,” Killingsworth said. “So I had to get a ticket here. (I) flew here on the 29th, been here ever since. The fans are awesome. I didn’t realize there would be so many Liberty people here, so it’s really good to see we travel really well.”
Evan Dietz, 19, also made the trip with a group of friends from Liberty. Each showed up to the game in red and white pinstripes overalls.
They’re all juniors in college, and it’s their first time in Arizona. Dietz, like Killingsworth, was also pleasantly surprised to see Liberty fans dotted all over the tailgate party on the lawn just outside of State Farm.
“The showout has been amazing,” Dietz said. “I didn’t think we were going to have as many people as we were going to have.”
Dietz is just proud that his team is on this stage, playing in a New Year’s Six bowl game, a prestigious honor for any university, but especially for a school like Liberty.
“It’s amazing to see them compete at the highest level against one of the best teams in the country,” Dietz said. “I mean, Oregon is six points away from playing in the College Football Playoff. So really, it’s a vision that’s been set out 50 years ago by our founder, Jerry Falwell, it’s amazing to see it come (to) fruition.”
On the other side, Connor Standley, 26, has been doing this for a while.
Standley, a Phoenix resident whose aunt, Laurie Howe, lives in Eugene, has seen his team play in Arizona plenty of times before. He used to go to games at Autzen Stadium as a child with his aunt and kept his fandom going in the Southwest. Standley was even there for the 2013 Fiesta Bowl when Oregon beat Kansas State 35-17.
He was out tailgating with his family before the game, drinking butterscotch shots with an open fire next to the line of cars entering the parking lot.
“It’s supporting your team, supporting your family, getting out there and having a great time,” Standley said. “Just really enjoying the environment. It’s been absolutely amazing. Great fans, by the fence – that’s the way to go. We’re having a great time.”
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Liberty, Oregon fans show support for their team at Vrbo Fiesta Bowl
