Hello from Veterans Stadium. I will be providing highlights, sidelights and notes throughout tonight’s game. Any feedback is appreciated.

About 15 minutes before game time and the teams have cleared the field to make way for about two dozen cancer survivors being recognized as part of the Courage Bowl ceremony.

Beautiful night, with the clouds burning off and the temperatures in the upper 70s. Fans are steadily filing in and filling both sides of the bowl, with overflow in the horseshoe.

My colleague Joe Mattis and I are just commenting on how having McDowell-Prep as the season opener isn’t such a bad idea.

-- John Dudley