The fans were few and far between who sent the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football team off Thursday afternoon to New Hampshire for its FCS quarterfinal showdown with the Wildcats.
And UTC coach Russ Huesman wouldn't have it any other way.
"It would be great to have everyone come out to see us off if we reach the national championship game," he said before boarding a bus to the airport. "Until then, I want the players to think of this as just another ballgame."
It's not just another game, of course. It's for a spot in the national semifinals against the Eastern Washington/Illinois State winner. It's to take this long struggling football program to a place it's never been before, and on national TV (ESPN2) no less, though last week's second-round win over Indiana State already has made this the most successful postseason in program history.
Still, perhaps there's also something to keeping this playoff run as close to the regular season as possible, because the regular season was pretty good, especially those last six games, victories all, the last four by an average of 29 points.
And as it progressed, an 0-2 start becoming a 9-3 finish, both assistant coach Will Healy and Huesman began to notice a remarkable similarity to Richmond's 2008 national championship season.
Healy, a former Boyd-Buchanan star, was the backup quarterback for those Spiders, and Huesman was their defensive coordinator. Both would come to UTC the very next year.
"I've thought about that a lot," Healy said. "At Richmond we were 4-3 and down to having to win the rest of our games to make the playoffs. Every game became a playoff game: Win or go home.
"This team was 3-3 (after losing at Tennessee) and a little bit in the same boat. We had to win out to know we had a playoff bid, and that's what we did."
Huesman felt the same.
"Even before the season started I saw comparisons between this team and that one," he said. "Same look. Same makeup. Great defense, playmakers on offense, lots of experience. And that's what I envisioned when I got here. I wanted to build a team that played like that one."
Much like those Spiders, the Mocs' road is tough. New Hampshire is the overall No. 1 seed. Upset the Wildcats in below-freezing temperatures tonight at 8, and a cross-country trip to Eastern Washington would be on tap for next week if the other semifinal's seeding holds. If not, UTC likely would travel to Illinois State, though Chattanooga could bid to host.
But even the cold shouldn't unnerve the Mocs as much as it might have had they not destroyed Western Carolina 51-0 in Cullowhee, N.C., on Nov. 1, the temperature never rising above 36 degrees as snowflakes danced in the howling wind.
"I think it's huge," Huesman said of that preparation. "I was nervous going into that game. We hadn't played in cold weather all season. I could just see 56 guys huddled around a sideline heater the whole game. But the weather was never a factor. We got off to a fast start and kept going. As a coach, the wind worries you the most. It's probably going to be a few degrees colder than at Western, but there's not supposed to be much wind."
Wideout and punt returner Tommy Hudson also believes that Western win could help tonight.
"Very similar," Hudson said. "Maybe a little colder this time. But the wind is what makes it tough."
What won't be tough on Hudson is performing in front of the ESPN2 cameras.
"Not at all," he said. "I love playing on a big stage. The whole country can watch. It'll be fun."
UTC athletic department marketing director Jeff Wilcox hoped to make it a fun trip for whatever boosters could reach the Granite State. He and his wife, Lisa, were married in Rye, N.H., and he scheduled a pregame dinner for supporters at Portsmouth's River House Restaurant, which has been chosen for having the "Best Chowder in New England" three years running.
Not that Wilcox is necessarily recommending the chowder.
"You can't go wrong," he said, "with the lobster."
Alas, the Mocs won't be sampling any lobster tails with drawn butter.
"We'll probably have a buffet tonight," Huesman said of Thursday's dinner at the hotel. "Fried chicken and stuff. Then a regular pregame meal on Friday. NCAA allows you $130 per diem, including your hotel. You can eat pretty well, but probably not lobster."
UTC booster Chip O'Neal didn't care what food awaited him as he prepared to board the team's charter 737 from Wilson Aviation.
"This is pretty emotional," said the 52-year-old manufacturing rep. "I've been going to UTC games for 38 years, since I was 14. It's been a long road. I just hope they can all the way to Frisco (Texas) for the national championship game."
Healy believes the Mocs are showing all the right signs for such a run.
"As much as anything, your kids have to want to play another week with each other," he said. "And our guys have shown that. This is a really close team. And once you get to the final eight, there's no telling what will happen."
As Huesman and a friend waited for the boarding line to shrink at Wilson Aviation, someone mentioned to the friend that he might want to consider getting in line.
"I think I'm OK as long as I'm with Coach," he said in reply. "I don't think they're going anywhere without him."
Not the flight crew. And not the football program Huesman returned to six years ago with the goal of guiding his alma mater to an opportunity such as this.
Contact Mark Wiedmer at mwiedmer@timesfreepress.com