INDIANAPOLIS - After weeks of hype, the game many have been looking forward to is just around the corner.

The Notre Dame-Alabama national championship game kicks off at 8:30 p.m. Monday, and area alumni couldn't be more excited.

Preparations for tonight's national championship game are underway at The Stacked Pickle, where a viewing party for Notre Dame alumni and fans will begin at 7.

"We plan on having a packed house," said Amanda Vondersaar, service manager at The Stacked Pickle. "We are preparing all day."

Russ Dodge, a 1974 Notre Dame alumnus, is looking forward to what he knows as a title game rematch.

"Number one Alabama versus number two Notre Dame," he said.

It was 1973 -- Dodge's senior year -- and he remembers much of that game like it was played yesterday.

"Seven lead changes, game not decided until the final minute of the game when Notre Dame completed a pass out of their end zone to get a first down and subsequently run out the clock," Dodge recalls.

Dodge still has that old newspaper that, for him, immortalized that team and that victory.

"You can see Ara Parseghain in his next to last year as the coach holding up the champion trophy," he said.

The memorabilia this alumnus has collected over the years has managed to hold him over until now, when the past meets the present in this highly hyped matchup.

"This is the resurgence of the program that we always knew would happen," Dodge said. "We just weren't exactly sure when, and Brian Kelly in year number three has brought Notre Dame right to the door step."

Until kickoff, there will be a raffle and Notre Dame trivia to keep the Stacked Pickle patrons entertained.

If Notre Dame wins, area retailers have a plan to get fans outfitted with championship gear tonight.