A Buckeyes booster put up $225,000 to bring the Ohio State band, and fans groups estimated that as many as 40,000 Buckeyes faithful made the 1,200-mile trip from Columbus, with or without tickets for the game.
The Royal-Memorial Stadium record crowd of 89,442 was on its feet 30 minutes before kickoff while a couple hundred more watched Wrigley Field-style from the roof of the parking lot next door. Seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong, who lives in Austin, was an honorary captain for the coin flip and LeBron James watched from the Ohio State sideline.