FORT WORTH, Texas — After graduating from TCU in 2010, Elizabeth Annunziato can barely contain herself about her school's football team and the success they've had on the field.
On Monday, Jan. 9, she started her day a lot differently than others.
"I woke up, had tears in my eyes for excitement, said Annnunziato.
The TCU graduate's tears of excitement are simply just something she just never expected.
"Never in my lifetime. Never in my mom's lifetime, who's also a TCU graduate and my grandparents. I mean, this means the world to us," said Annunziato.
Preparations started early for the thousands of TCU fans expected to crowd the 7th Street corridor in Fort Worth Monday night.
Fort Worth Public Works employees put up roadblocks to stop vehicle traffic, so all five parking garages are free to the public. Food trucks are lined in the streets, and Crocket Street Property managers joined restaurants and bars to make all things purple and white. That includes a huge photo op display dedicated to the TCU football team.
Shaye Evans serves as the Crockett Road senior property manager. She and her team have been working nonstop now that TCU has made it to the game of the season.
"These guys have worked hard and they deserve to be celebrated. And it's going to bring us all together from every part of this city," said Evans.
But no one had prepared for the TCU game like Fort Worth Brewery and Pizza. They are usually closed on Mondays, but during the TCU game they are not only opening their retractable roof, they're also setting up part of their restaurant and bar with free pizza to feed TCU fans.
BryLee Beall is the general manager at Fort Brewery and Pizza. She has called in every employee to work during the TCU game due to the crowds they expect Monday night. Since posting free pizza for everyone on social media, Beall has taken phone call after phone call from people wanting to know if the post is correct.
The post is correct.
They have put a lot of planning into making sure TCU fans get the best experience ever at the restaurant.
"You can expect the game on six big screens, including the 12-foot screen that's behind me that we're going to be projecting the game on, and we're also going to have the sound played through our entire sound system to kind of give you that stadium feels," said Beall.
Since it's been a while since the Frogs made it this far in football, their fans are cheering them on like never before, especially TCU grads.
As part of their safety plan, the Fort Worth Police Department will have extra patrols in heavily populated areas with watch parties. They will also monitor areas of the city from their command center.
