Tens of thousands of football fans are invading North Texas this weekend for the FCS Championship in Frisco.
North Dakota State University will try to win its sixth championship in seven years. Standing in the way is none other than the defending champion, James Madison University.
Last year, NDSU didn't make it to the title game, but this year they're back and making their presence felt.
A photo posted to the Instagram page @ncaafcs shows an NDSU banner tied to a "Welcome to Texas" sign.
Many bars in Frisco and Plano have NDSU banners draped outside them.
Tom Krom says he's attended all five championship games in Frisco, and will be there to watch his team battle it out again Saturday.
Though he's about 1,000 miles from home, he says being in Frisco feels like a home game.
Local
The latest news from around North Texas.
"When there's 20,000 people that come down from North Dakota, we definitely feel like it's a home game," Krom said.
The high temperature Friday in Fargo, home of the Bison, was two degrees below zero.
"It's like summer to us," said NDSU alumna Lindsey Hilt, about Frisco.
The wind chill Friday in Harrisonburn, Va., home of the JMU Dukes, was also two degrees below zero.
"Right now it's like 15 degrees and it's snowing, so this is definitely a nice vacation," said JMU freshman Brynn Lembke.
Officials say each team was issued an equal number of tickets to the now sold-out game, about 10,000.
Kickoff is 11 a.m. Saturday at Toyota Stadium. Gates open for tailgaters at 7 a.m.
