91-year-old Buckeye fan fulfills lifelong dream at Cotton Bowl
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Throughout the College Football Playoff, Buckeyes fans have been hard at work securing tickets to follow the team across the country. All of the stars aligned for one Ohio State graduate who just attended her first game in 70 years.
Ohio native Patricia "Pat" Sobocinski, 91, lives in Texas Longhorns territory. When the news broke that her Buckeyes would be playing Texas in Arlington for the Cotton Bowl, she knew it was now or never.
Sobocinski is a Buckeye through and through and if it weren't for studying nursing at Ohio State, she never would have met her late husband, Bob.
"We would go to the games together when he had time," she said. "I think before I went to Ohio State I didn't know a touchdown from a basket, but I learned quickly."
She hadn't attended a game since her days of being a student in the 1950's. That is until she went to the Cotton Bowl.
"It was awesome," Sobocinski said. "It made me feel really, really good and I wouldn't have missed that game for anything."
The household was divided for the playoff semifinal as Pat's daughter-in-law Laurie is a die-hard Texas fan. She met her husband, Pat's son, at the University of Texas. She has a child that graduated from there and another that works there.
She connected with Zach Dandera who happened to be selling tickets for his suite at AT&T Stadium.
"Her dream was to go to an Ohio State football game," Dandera said. "We made it. We made that dream come true."
Sobocinski had been putting money away in a can at her house. When it came time to buy the tickets, she checked the can and had enough money to pay for her own $950 ticket.
"Ohio State's just very important to me," Sobocinski said. "It's been a part of my life it seems like forever, so why wouldn't I do that?"
Ohio State's president Ted Carter and his wife caught wind of Sobocinski's story and personally greeted her at the game.
"I couldn't believe it was true, frankly," Sobocinski said. "I never in my wildest dreams thought I would ever meet the president of Ohio State."
As the national championship in Atlanta against Notre Dame approaches, Sobocinski said it would be a dream come true to be back in the stands. Though, watching the Buckeyes win the Cotton Bowl was more than enough for her.
"I was overjoyed," she said.
No matter Monday's outcome, Sobocinski plans to proudly sport her scarlet and gray. She even has her funeral wishes in order, complete with Ohio State-colored ties for her sons.