Nebraska Cornhusker football fans making bowl travel plans

Grant Strunk/McCook Daily Gazette University of Nebraska redshirt freshman Mathew May, from Imperial, prepares for kickoff against Colorado Friday. Nebraska defeated Colorado 40-31. May and his Husker teammates are waiting to find out their bowl game destination. [Click to enlarge]

The Cornhuskers' invitation to play in the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Fla., probably will be announced Wednesday. Travel agents are ready.

Executive Travel in Lincoln sold out a 137-seat charter flight in 2 1/2 hours on Monday, and owner Steve Glenn said he expects to fill three more flights before the Jan. 1 game.

"It just seems like people feel much better about the team and the direction we're going," said Glenn, a Husker walk-on offensive lineman in the 1970s.

Other travel agents said the enthusiasm generated by first-year coach Bo Pelini and the Huskers' 8-4 record trumps the current economic uncertainty.

"When it comes to football in this state, there is no recession," said Donna Meisinger of Travel and Transport in Lincoln.

Connie Miller of Travel Leaders in Omaha said there seems to be a new energy among Husker fans.

Nebraska won the Big 12 North two years ago and went to the Jan. 1 Cotton Bowl, but Dallas isn't an easy sell in the winter, she said. Fans are hearkening to Nebraska's glory days of the 1980s and '90s when bowl trips to Florida were almost an annual event, she said.

"People are taking their families, calling us and telling us they're taking two or three kids," Miller said. "It's been a long time for us, and people miss it, so it becomes a justifiable expense."

Nebraska's last trip to Florida was after the 1997 regular season, when the Huskers beat Tennessee in the Orange Bowl in Miami for the national championship.

"Culturally, Nebraska fans are conditioned between Christmas and New Year's to circle those dates on the calendar and plan to go on a bowl trip," Glenn said. "The economy may affect us, but probably not as much as you think. There is a lot of passion that goes with being a Husker fan."

The Huskers have never played in the Gator Bowl, and Jacksonville would be a desirable destination, said AAA Nebraska spokeswoman Rose White.

She said fans can make side trips to nearby Cape Canaveral, Daytona or Disney World, and history buffs can take in sites that were of significance in the Civil War.

If the Gator Bowl doesn't pick Nebraska, there probably would be some drop-off in interest, agents said.

The Alamo Bowl in San Antonio is always popular with Nebraska fans. The Sun Bowl in El Paso probably would be less so. Agents said some fans who would fly to Florida probably would drive to a game in Texas.

Because Nebraska's bowl hasn't been finalized, travel agencies are requiring fans to put down deposits that would be refunded to any who don't like the destination.

Glenn said he would expect to see a healthy fan turnout wherever the Huskers play.

"Nebraskans feel like they got their team back now," he said.

White said AAA's travel agency is offering a bowl package, but she said she doesn't expect the fan migration to approach the levels of the national championship years in the 1990s.

She said AAA booked three charters and could have sold out a fourth for a couple of those Orange Bowls.

White said AAA isn't confident that it could fill a charter this year, so the agency will book space on commercial flights.

Miller, of Travel Leaders, said 80 spots have been reserved for agency's bowl package, which includes a charter flight. She said calls started coming about 10 days ago.

Suh, Slauson named second team All-Big 12 -- Nebraska junior nose tackle Ndamukong Suh and senior offensive guard Matt Slauson have been chosen as second team All-Big 12 as voted on by the conference's head coaches.

Suh and Slauson lead a group of nine Husker players honored by the conference, including seven who earned honorable mention honors.

Suh led Nebraska in tackles with 68 total stops and his 5.7 tackles per game was tops among Big 12 defensive linemen.

The Portland, Ore., native registered a team-leading 15 tackles for loss, including 5.5 sacks for 48 yards in losses.

Suh also had a pair of interceptions this season, returning both for touchdowns.

He also saw action on offense at fullback, and scored a third TD on a two-yard pass against Kansas.

Slauson was the leader of a Nebraska offensive line that has paved the way for the Huskers to rank among the nation's top 20 in rushing offense, total offense and scoring offense.

Slauson and his fellow offensive linemen have been a key part of an improved Nebraska rushing game that has averaged better than 200 yards over the second half of the season.

The third-year starter also played a key role in quarterback Joe Ganz setting NU single-season records for passing yards, passing completions, completion percentage and total offense.

Three Husker offensive players, three defenders and place-kicker Alex Henery all earned honorable-mention All-Big 12 honors.

Henery tied for the top field-goal percentage in the Big 12 by connecting on 14-of-17 field goals this season.

Henery made six field goals of more than 40 yards.