FORT LAUDERDALE, Fl. (WIAT) — Not everyone is excited to see Alabama in town. In fact, after walking around Fort Lauderdale for several hours, it became clear that most locals will be chanting “Boomer Sooner” this weekend.

“I think there’s a lot of us rooting against Alabama,” says Vincent Manzo, a local resident and die-hard fan of the Miami Hurricanes. “I think we all acknowledge that they’re the best team in football, but so we take the role of liking the underdogs. If you’re uncommitted, if you’re not from either school, I think the average person will be rooting for Oklahoma.”

The so-called underdogs have fans here too, however, and they expressed confidence that the Sooners will prevail in the Orange Bowl Saturday night.

“Well, we feel pretty good,” says Grayson Harmeyer, an Oklahoma fan. “Alabama’ strong but we’re gonna knock ‘em off. Have a good game and…we hope you come in second.”

Surrounded by playful animosity towards the Tide, one local Alabama alum says he’s extra excited for the game — especially because he’ll finally get to see his team right in his own back yard.

“[It means a lot to have your alma mater down here, people coming, your college families are coming,” says Cameron Briche, who graduated from Alabama in 2015. “It’s a good opportunity man because to be 20 minutes away from the semifinals is a big deal.”

Stay with CBS 42 for the latest sports information leading up to the 2018 Capital One Orange Bowl.