Video: Final preparations underway for CFP title game

NEW ORLEANS – As CEO of the Allstate Sugar Bowl and chairman of the local host committee for next week’s College Football Playoff national championship game, Jeff Hundley wears multiple hats.

Math wasn’t necessarily in either job description, but with top-ranked LSU in Monday’s title game against No. 3 Clemson at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, it has become a bit of a necessity.

“You’ve got 100(,000)-plus that get into Tiger Stadium on a Saturday night,” Hundley said, “and they’re not going to fit into a 70,000-seat Superdome.”

In-state teams in the championship game is nothing new for the CFP, which had Georgia in the championship game against Alabama two years ago in Atlanta.

“We’re happy to have the best two teams in the game, first of all,” said CFP executive director Bill Hancock. “One of them happens to be LSU. There’ll be a buzz in the community because LSU is here,” but he added that Clemson will be well represented as well because of the driving distance from South Carolina to New Orleans.

While this is New Orleans’ first chance to host the CFP title game, it’s not terribly new for the Sugar Bowl, which hosted four title games in the BCS era, including two under the “double-hosting” concept that former Sugar Bowl CEO Paul Hoolahan helped create.

“(The CFP championship) absolutely is different,” Hundley said. “We’ve done double hosting a couple of times in the past and it’s worked out well, but this event is completely different than when we hosted the BCS (national championship game).

“We’ve been planning this event with the CFP for two years now. We feel we’re ready.”

The Sugar Bowl has helped fund this event to the tune of $8 million, while the state and other corporate sponsors have also ponied up.

“This is very quickly approaching Super Bowl levels,” Hundley said. It’s not at that stature yet, but it’s on its way.

“We’re fighting above our weight class when we go to bid against other cities, but we have a lot of positives.”

Said Hancock: “New Orleans knows how to put on a big event. It’s a destination city and so many people will come. I did several Final Fours here, and I don’t feel a lot of difference now.”

Monday night’s championship is the culmination of three days of events, including concerts, a 5K run and other philanthropic events.

“The atmosphere is going to be off the charts Monday night,” Hancock said. “I can’t wait.”