A long line of lightweight domed tents goes up along Bowles Drive in front of the Dean Smith Center, in Chapel Hill, ,N.C., Tuesday, Nov. 4, 1997, as University of North Carolina students begin a campout on the sidewalk to be in line for 800 UNC/Florida State University guest tickets for this weekend's game.The first UNC students in line got to the box office at 1130 p.m. Monday night. (AP Photo/The News & Observer,Harry Lynch)Harry Lynch/Associates Press

Web posted November 7, 1997

Associated Press

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Dean Smith leaves and things get absolutely crazy at North Carolina.

It wasn't unusual for students to pitch tents and camp outside the Smith Center -- and Carmichael Auditorium before that -- in order to get their hands on tickets to see Smith's basketball teams.

This week, nearly one month after Smith retired, basketball is an afterthought as fifth-ranked North Carolina gets ready for its biggest football game in its history, a battle with No. 2 Florida State. Students snatched up the 600 guest tickets made available this week, meaning each of the 58,000 seats in Kenan Stadium is gone.

``It says a lot for Carolina football,'' Lumberton freshman Ben Hammonds said. ``This has been a basketball school for so long, but this year the football team is a national power. I hope it's like this all the football games, because that will mean we're winning.''

Saturday's game marks the first time in recent memory that students have been inspired to camp out to buy guest tickets. A line of tents and sleeping bags formed outside the Smith Center on Tuesday, a makeshift city that stretched for the equivalent of a city block.

Those students who chose to wait had to endure overnight temperatures in the 30s. They were aided in their wait by Tar Heels coach Mack Brown, who had 200 pizzas delivered to the sidewalk campers.

Anybody who got in line early could buy two general admission guest tickets on a first-come, first-served basis. Otherwise, students can use their school identification to enter Kenan Stadium for Saturday's 7:30 p.m. kickoff.

``Mine is for my dad,'' Pembroke freshman Brandon Lowry said of his ticket purchase. ``This is going to be a great game, and he wanted to be here.''

Florida State fans want to be in Chapel Hill in Saturday as well. Bill Duzinski of Adventures in Travel in Tallahassee, Fla., says all flights bound for Raleigh-Durham International Airport are booked solid through the weekend.