Florida State's 2021 season opener this Sunday against Notre Dame is going to be special for every player in the Seminoles' locker room. But few players will have quite as many different reasons to look forward to it as offensive lineman Dillan Gibbons.
Not only did Gibbons spend the first four years of his college career playing for the Fighting Irish before transferring to FSU this summer, but thanks to his viral fundraising efforts, a special young friend will be attending the game.
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Timothy Donovan, a Notre Dame fan who is battling an incurable disease, is able to make the trip from Ohio to Tallahassee thanks to more than $50,000 in donations to the GoFundMe account Gibbons started on his behalf.
"Timothy is on his way," Gibbons said after Wednesday's practice. "Him and the whole family are very excited."
Donovan was a young fan of the Fighting Irish when Gibbons played there and befriended him. But the graduate transfer offensive lineman said Donovan now considers himself a fan of the Seminoles as well.
With Gibbons spearheading the effort, FSU officials have made arrangements for the fan to tour the Seminoles' facilities and get some VIP treatment before and during the game.
"I just want it to be his day in the sun," Gibbons said. "Honestly, FSU has done a great job -- the community around here putting together a very special visit for Timothy. ... It's going to be an awesome experience for him and his family."
Once the game starts, Gibbons' excitement will ramp up to an even higher level as he gets to square off against his former teammates. He is expected to start at left guard against the No. 9 Irish.
"Yeah, I've gone against those guys for thousands of reps," Gibbons said. "Some of those guys are my best friends in the world, and they always will be. But I'm probably gonna have to ruin a few friendships. And I'm excited to get after it."
So are his new teammates.
It not only will be Florida State's first game of the season and an opportunity to compete with a top-10 opponent in prime time (7:30 p.m., ABC), but it will be the first capacity crowd -- or near-capacity crowd -- at Doak Campbell Stadium since 2019.
"It's gonna be insane," Gibbons said. "I haven't been part of a game like that -- I know no one has -- in about a year and a half. So for me, it's gonna be an incredible experience."
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