'I Survived Montgomery': Georgia Southern fan shirts send message about 2022 Camellia Bowl

Shannon Heupel, Montgomery Advertiser
·2 min read

If you’re a Georgia Southern college football fan who traveled to the Dec. 27 Camellia Bowl, Montgomery has your back — or rather, may be on your back.

“I Survived Montgomery 12/27/2022,” has been added to the backside of at least six Camellia Bowl commemorative T-shirt designs sold by Southern Exchange Company in Statesboro, Georgia. It’s a locally owned Georgia Southern Eagles retail store.

Southern Exchange Company, a Georgia Southern retail store in Statesboro, Georgia, has added "I Survived Montgomery 12/27/2022" to its commemorative Camellia Bowl shirts.
Southern Exchange Company, a Georgia Southern retail store in Statesboro, Georgia, has added "I Survived Montgomery 12/27/2022" to its commemorative Camellia Bowl shirts.

“Did we do it? You’re dang right we did,” the company wrote on its social media. According to southernexchangecompany.com, the rebranded shirts are available for $18-$20.

“That’s how fired up the base was, that someone decided to do a shirt about it,” said Bob Jenkins, an attorney from Dalton, Georgia, who was at the game and has seen photos of the shirts.

The Eagles lost 23-21 to the Buffalo Bulls. But that’s not what upset some of the roughly 15,000 Georgia Southern fans who came to Montgomery in hopes of a good time, while Bulls fans were mostly snowed in back home. This was the Camellia Bowl’s 9th game, and its first to be held after Christmas. But when fans arrived on Dec. 26 — the day after Christmas and a Monday, usually among the slowest nights for restaurants and entertainment — fans said they trouble finding open restaurants and bars. Those that were open were overcrowded, understaffed, or running out of food.

There was also little to do, since this year’s game came later and couldn't be tied in with the Christmas parade and related activities. The day of the game, hundreds of fans had difficulty getting into the stadium, with long lines that stretched down closed Madison Avenue. Some didn’t make it in until the second quarter, about the same time the stadium ran out of beer.

Ron Simmons, chief officer of destination and community development for the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce, recently told the Advertiser that he hopes Georgia Southern returns for the 2023 Camellia Bowl, so that the city can make up for fans’ bad experiences.

“I honestly thought that we were prepared,” Simmons said. “Unfortunately, it caught me off guard.”

More:Chamber official vows to make things better for 2023 Camellia Bowl fans

If they do return, more Georgia Southern fans may be sporting the “I Survived Montgomery” T-shirts than exist now. People who purchased them earlier are asking Southern Exchange Company if they can bring their blank-backed Camellia Bowl shirts in to have the tag added.

“I have 8 to bring in!” wrote Starla E. Flake.

Montgomery Advertiser reporter Shannon Heupel covers things to do in the River Region. Contact him at sheupel@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: 'I Survived Montgomery': Georgia Southern 2022 Camellia Bowl shirts