"This entire week has been nuts. It's been a whole thing going on. We've been getting prepared. It's been our whole staff going at it day after day, getting ready for today," Linebacker Lounge bartender Vincent Frucci said.

It has been a busy week.. all leading up to the historic college football playoff game between Notre Dame and Indiana University, especially for businesses hosting watch parties across the area.

With the large crowd coming into South Bend for the game, those businesses had to make sure they were ready for anything.

"Definitely having some extra people on board, you know, having everybody ready to go, having our set schedule ready to go before the week even happened," Frucci said.

"We've got a really tight team, so we tried to bring everybody on in the right shifts, to make sure that as it ebbed and flowed, we were able to take care of the rush," South Bend Brew Werks bartender Jason Rumfelt said.

All that preparation did not go unnoticed.

Fans of both teams packed businesses to capacity, creating what workers call an electric atmosphere.

"Fans from both sides are absolutely having a great time. You know, just the best right now ... I've never experienced anything like this, and it's truly one of a kind. I can't even describe it all," Frucci said.

Some fans say that while everyone has been welcoming , the in-state rivalry is very much alive.

"I have seen so many IU here, I feel like there's a lot of IU representation here, so it'll be a good game, a good rivalry. Oh yeah, there's a lot of tension out there," Notre Dame fan Megan Goralski said.

Fans and workers say the experience is one that they will never forget.