ROME, Italy — University of Washington (UW) fans around the world are getting ready to cheer on their team as the Huskies fight for a national title against the University of Michigan on Monday.
Students studying abroad at the University of Washington Rome Center may be eating their way through the nearly 3,000 year old capital city of Italy, but their hearts are bleeding purple.
"I mean, it kills us. We are two of the biggest fans we know," said Patrick Kane, a junior at UW born and raised in Seattle.
"This year alone we went to the Oregon State game, the USC game, all the home games in the Pac 12 championship as well. So to not be able to continue the ride and see the championship and the team go all the way, it kills us but we're making the most of it over year."
On the advice of former students who studied abroad, Kane and his friend Jake Kern rented out an entire bar and stayed up all night with 30 other UW students to cheer on the Huskies as they beat the Texas Longhorns.
Since then, Kern says dozens more students have arrived for the program so they're planning an even bigger watch party Monday.
"We always talked about, you know, the Huskies being in the college football playoff and playing these games and where we would be would be in the stands, at the game, be with all of Husky nation. So a little unfortunate, but trying to make the best of it," said Kern.
Both students said they are spreading Husky energy everywhere they go so there's some new fans representing purple in Rome today.
Meanwhile for those closer to home, there are watch parties happening across Western Washington for fans and alumni.