Anticipation builds in Charlotte for Duke’s Mayo Bowl

CHARLOTTE — Kickoff for the Duke’s Mayo Bowl is just over 24 hours away.

Virginia Tech and Minnesota face off at Bank of America Stadium Friday night.

First, players and coaches from both teams filled the Charlotte Convention Center for media day.

One of the hot topics was the trademark Duke’s Mayo celebration. The winning coach gets dumped with five gallons of mayonnaise – it’s not exactly the kind of thing you can prepare for.

“I haven’t practiced. My daughters wanted me to practice, but I didn’t,” Virginia Tech head coach Brent Pry told Channel 9. “I’m not a mayo fan, but I’m a Duke’s Mayo fan. I may be like, ‘come on, give it to me.’”

“I think with the bald head, it should just slide right off,” Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck said. “I might have to do a little pre-dumping of the mayo to make sure it does slide off. I’ve got my own strategy just in case.”

Hundreds of fans also gathered to show their school spirit ahead of the game.

“We’re excited to be here and be part of this celebration,” one fan said.

Thousands of fans are expected to pack the stadium Friday night, leading some to believe a heavier police presence may be needed.

“The concern is just being alert in large crowds. I trust the Charlotte police to do a good job,” said another fan.

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department addressed extra security measures for the bowl game Thursday afternoon.

“We have robust security measures in place and are actively implementing additional steps to increase security. While we cannot provide specific details for operational reasons, I want to assure everyone that there will be a significantly increased presence and enhanced measures throughout the event,” said Lieutenant Crystal Fletcher.

Kickoff for the game is 7:30 p.m. and the road closures in Uptown have already begun for the big game. Traffic Team 9′s Mark Taylor is getting you around it.

He said the roads currently closed in front of Bank of America Stadium will stay closed until 11:30 p.m. Friday night. That includes:

• Graham Street from Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to Mint Street;
• Mint from Graham to Morehead;
• And a small section of Brooklyn Village between Mint and Church Street.

Between now and tomorrow night, drivers will have to use Church or Tryon Street to get around the closures.

Check wsoctv.com for updates.

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