Dawgs fans have no doubts headed into Peach Bowl

MUKILTEO — In the hierarchy of football fandom, Sam Watkins arguably may be the #1 Dawg.

“I’ve only missed three regular season games since 1989,” he said.

And yes, that’s both home and away games for the University of Washington Huskies.

So it’s no surprise that Watkins and his wife, Susan Watkins, of Mukilteo, are flying to Atlanta to cheer on their Dawgs in Saturday’s Peach Bowl against the Alabama Crimson Tide. The winner will go on to the college football national championship game.

“I think we’re going to do better than everybody gives us credit for,” he said. “Some of the things I’ve read, they give us no chance of winning.”

The Huskies will come out with a chip on their shoulders and say, “We’ll show you how much we belong here,” Watkins said.

His tenure as a Dawg fan includes sitting through the 0-12 season of 2008. “Yeah, I suffered,” he said. “All the agony of them not being able to pull out a victory.

“It’s been a long dry spell,” said Watkins , a 1975 UW graduate. “Now we’re getting our rewards with Coach Pete,” — fan shorthand for Chris Petersen.

His longtime loyalty was rewarded earlier this season. Watkins was one of 25 people whose name was drawn from the group who have been season ticket holders since 1991. Each received a gold Husky ring, commemorating the 25th anniversary of the ‘91 team that split the national championship with the Miami Hurricanes.

“It looks like a Super Bowl ring,” he said.

Patrick Stanton, a UW sophomore and Lake Stevens High School graduate, will be at Saturday’s game, as will his mother, Terri Stanton. But she’ll only be able to get a glimpse of her son, a member of the Husky Marching Band.

“He’s really easy to pick out,” his mom said. “He’s a big kid.” She gets texts from people around the country watching televised Husky games who say: “I saw Patrick out there!”

Her son, traveling with the band, arrived in Atlanta on Wednesday afternoon.

“To be down here in Georgia, soaking it all up, it just blows my mind,” he said. Band members have several practices, but time is left for its members to enjoy events like the Fan Fest parade and other activities before Saturday’s game.

“This is crazy,” he said. “I took a charter flight to Georgia, I’m staying in a nice hotel and we get to be on live national television.

“I’ve been in band since seventh grade. This is the coolest band thing I’ve ever done.”

Terri Stanton, a 1991 UW graduate, said she remembers the thrill of that national championship year. This year’s success feels much like the thrill of that season 25 years ago, she said.

She and her best friend from college ultimately decided there was no way they could miss out on being at Saturday’s game. “You get to a certain point in your life and it’s no regrets — you just do it,” she said.

Former Everett City Councilwoman Gigi Burke, who now lives in Lake Stevens, may lay claim to the most unusual viewing spot for the game — the Everett Ski Club cabin at Stevens Pass.

TVs aren’t allowed there, “but we make exceptions for certain things,” she said. Tech-savvy friends will be rigging up a connection to watch the game.

She expects a crowd of at least 30 people to watch the game with her. “It’s so exciting,” Burke said. “You’re just so happy for the team and the school and the fans just to see the excitement again.”

Mike Gaffney, of Snohomish, can truly say he knows what it’s like for a team to be in a bowl game. He was a member of the 1984 Husky team that went to the Orange Bowl, coached by “The Godfather” — Don James.

He said this year’s team, with its discipline and strong defense, reminds him of that team.

Gaffney said his family have had season tickets since 1982, his first year on the squad. They’ve received invitations to watch Saturday’s bowl game with friends, but turned them all down.

“My response is I’ll be at my home in full control of every minute leading up to the game, during the game and after the game,” he said.

A family tradition is to have one TV in a room where people can talk and another in the “non-social” room.

“We’re here to watch the game,” he said.

Gaffney said that when he was on the team, the national championship was decided by a vote. The UW lost by two votes to Brigham Young University, he said.

This time, the route to the national championship is being decided on the playing field.

“Everybody thinks Alabama should win,” he said. “That’s all right. Let’s play the game. We’ll see. I think we’ll win.”

Sharon Salyer: 425-339-3486; salyer@heraldnet.com.