Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire noticed something different this week as he prepared for his team's high-stakes game against BYU in Lubbock, Texas.

A group of students were camped out near Texas Tech's stadium. They were waiting for ESPN's "College Football GameDay" broadcast to begin and for the gates to open -- not in a matter of minutes or hours, but more than five days later.

The excitement is buzzing as No. 8 Texas Tech (8-1, 5-1 Big 12 Conference) prepares to take on No. 7 BYU (8-0, 5-0) on Saturday afternoon. The teams sit side by side in the College Football Playoff rankings, and this weekend's matchup could go a long way toward determining the Big 12 standings at the end of the year.

McGuire is well aware of the high stakes. He's more impressed with the fan response.

"It is real

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