Former Texas A&M defensive lineman Jay Arnold had a different task to tackle during Friday’s Duke’s Mayo Bowl.
Arnold was honored as the Millionth Fan and as a result, he was given a container — bucket — of Duke’s Mayo to devour during the game between North Carolina State and Maryland.
999,999 FANS IN OUR HISTORY AND ONE @CoachJayArnold. pic.twitter.com/9Rs1LoXwS7
— Duke's Mayo Bowl (@DukesMayoBowl) December 30, 2022
Just @CoachJayArnold out here doing @CoachJayArnold things here at @DukesMayoBowl. pic.twitter.com/s65mSDrFsk
— American Aquarium (@USAquarium) December 30, 2022
His shirt says, “I’m just here for the mayo.” 🤣 pic.twitter.com/bFNpM95sMk
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 30, 2022
After the game, there will be Duke’s “dumpers.” Those are the people who get to drench the winning coach in Duke’s Mayo.
Here’s how Kevin DeValk earned the honor:
Rise and grind. That mayo ain't gonna pour itself @DukesMayoBowl @DukesMayonnaise #MayoDump pic.twitter.com/Y7NOBaxwUi
— Klurt, Mayo Dumper Extraordinaire (@devalkk) November 12, 2022
A Wisconsin native, DeValk didn’t join the Duke’s fandom until 10 years ago, when he and his wife moved to North Carolina. The furthest he’s gone with Duke’s Mayo is an attempted chocolate cake, plus a mayonnaise-eggnog concoction.
Allison Vick, the owner and founder of Little Blue Bakehouse in Raleigh, N.C., is the other winner.
Duke’s mayonnaise was “built into your core memories,” the 35-year-old said. She didn’t go without it until 2011, when she moved to Austin, Texas.
“I couldn’t find Dukes anywhere. I found one grocery store. One had teeny, tiny little jars. I bought like seven jars the first day,” Vick said. “And then like by the time I left, you could get Duke’s almost anywhere, but it was like that part of the country hadn’t caught on to how intense the Southern love for Duke’s is.”
Chugging a jar of mayo just makes sense at the Duke's Mayo Bowl 🤷♂️ pic.twitter.com/sJPaSiWQjw
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) December 30, 2022
And then there was this:
THE TAILGATE IS OVER.
IT’S TIME FOR THE MAYO. pic.twitter.com/raaqWobg7r
— Duke's Mayo Bowl (@DukesMayoBowl) December 30, 2022