CHARLOTTE, N.C. — For Old Dominion alumni and fans, they get an early holiday gift under the tree. Many from around Hampton Roads and the commonwealth heading over the state line to the Queen City of Charlotte to cheer on the Monarch football team in the Famous Toastery Bowl against Western Kentucky on Monday afternoon at 2:30pm.
For former players like ODU kicker, Jarod Brown from Grafton High School, it's personal to help support the team.
"It matters I think for the guys that play now", he said. "You wouldn't realize it when you're playing. When you're playing you don't realize the guys that came before you, but when you get there you're like that's a pretty cool thing to happen to have all those guys there."
John Velliness, who is the ODU Athletic Foundation's Development Officer said not even Mother Nature could stop Monarch Nation from making the trip.
"Despite the bad weather, we've had folks slowly trickle in, so we're building a good crowd for tomorrow".
Old Dominion will be in their second bowl game in three years under head coach Ricky Rahne when they face the HIlltoppers.