Rick Hasychak stood along North Shore Drive, staring at the Great Lawn outside Acrisure Stadium and the massive footprint of ESPN’s flagship college football pregame show, “College GameDay.”

College students wearing orange Home Depot hard hats pushed up against railings and screamed, many holding signs. Drivers beeped their horns with excitement as Pitt cheerleaders across the street went through their pregame routine.

On the sound system, a techno version of “Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond pierced the crisp, Saturday morning air with the biggest college football game in Pittsburgh in a long time still four-plus hours away from starting.

Hasychak, 65, of Butler, has been going to Pitt games since the Pitt Stadium days and travels a couple times every year to watch the Panthers.

Withou

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