Then the whistle blew to start the game, and that's where the similarities ended.
The Generals left no doubt as to who was the better team, pummeling the Auburn, Ala.-area Vipers, 62-0, in the inaugural game for Chattanooga's new arena football team.
Chattanooga put up seven offensive touchdowns and 324 total yards on the 50-yard field, but it was the defense that came up big early and often on the night.
The Generals' defense recorded seven sacks, picked off three passes, and returned a fumble for a touchdown in the game's opening minutes while holding the Vipers to a total of minus-3 yards of offense.
Chattanooga's defense set the tone on the very first series, breaking up a pass, recording a sack, and forcing a fumble that led to a 2-yard touchdown return and the first six points in Generals' history.
The offense then scored its first touchdown of the game on the final play of the first quarter as former Soddy-Daisy High School and Austin Peay University quarterback Gary Orr hit Marc Caldwell for a 47-yard scoring strike, the first of three TD catches for the former Arkansas Tech receiver.
Ex-Eastern Illinois University Panther Charles Owens scored on an 18-yard run later in the second quarter and Caldwell's 41-yard TD grab with 30 seconds left in the half gave the Generals a commanding 26-0 lead at intermission.
Owens turned in his second rushing TD of the night, this one from 30 yards out, on the first play of the third quarter, and he capped his night with a 21-yard TD reception from Orr later in the quarter to extend the lead to 40-0.
Former Duke University standout and Ringgold native Marcus Jones got the call under center in the fourth quarter, hitting Caldwell on a 16-yard scoring strike, and finding former UTC Moc Montez Davis on a 37-yard scoring play.
Former Carson-Newman Eagle Chris Shiverdecker accounted for the final touchdown of the night on a 15-yard scamper with just over a minute to play.
Orr was 8-of-12 for 153 yards and three touchdowns while Jones completed two of his three passes for 53 yards and two scores. Caldwell had five catches for 136 yards and three touchdowns while Owens and former South Carolina Gamecock Duccas Turman each rushed three times for 43 yards.
Marcus Williams (Fort Valley State) had two interceptions for Chattanooga while Ray Cheatham (Kansas State) had one.
Vipers' quarterback Owen Searcy completed just 8-of-22 passes for 47 yards, but the Vipers were bottled up to the tune of minus-50 yards on the ground.
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