NU fans rate USC game in '06 bigger than bowl game

OMAHA, Neb. -- Nebraska is bowl eligible again. Travel agents' hearts should be all a flutter in anticipation of booking trips for happy Husker fans, right?

Actually, people in the travel business say the real "bowl trip" is next season, on Sept. 16, when Nebraska visits Los Angeles to play a Southern California team that could be the three-time defending national champion.

"It's going to be bigger than the bowl trip. Much, much bigger," said Steve Glenn, president of Executive Travel in Lincoln. "We haven't been playing any marquee games recently. Suddenly we're going to go to Southern California to play USC. It's gigantic."

Nebraska's 27-25 win over Kansas State on Saturday gave the Cornhuskers their sixth win, the required number to qualify for a bowl. They failed to reach a bowl last year for the first time since 1968.

The early response to Nebraska's renewed bowl eligibility?

"So far we've had one call," said Dora Bitsos, manager of Carlson Wagonlit Travel in Omaha.

Paul Haggas, who sets up sports trips for Celebrate Travel in Omaha, said a lot hinges on the final regular season game at Colorado on Nov. 25.

A win makes the Huskers 7-4, which would be marked improvement from last year's 5-6 record. A loss leaves them 6-5, and agents say it's debatable whether fans would see that record as cause for celebration.

"If the team makes a good showing at Colorado, fans may really get interested," Haggas said.

The bowls that have shown the most interest in Nebraska are the Champs Sports Bowl in Orlando, Fla., on Dec. 27, and the Houston Bowl on Dec. 31. The Alamo Bowl, Dec. 28 in San Antonio, also scouted the Huskers last weekend.

Orlando would be the best bowl destination, agents said, because of Disney World and other attractions. San Antonio also is popular with Nebraska fans, Glenn said, but an Alamo Bowl bid seems less likely than one from the Champs or Houston bowls.

Regardless, Glenn said he doesn't expect an overwhelming fan response.

"It probably will be a secondary bowl or a third-tier bowl," Glenn said. "People are assuming we're not going to beat Colorado at Colorado, so they're making the assumption we're not going to the Alamo Bowl or Holiday Bowl (in San Diego)."

Prices are going to be high because of holiday air fares. Glenn said any destination will cost at least $400 for air fare alone, and any bowl package will cost a minimum of $1,000 per person.

Haggas said he would be "tickled to death" if his company could book trips for 150 people. Two years ago, he said, Celebrate Travel signed up 200 people for the Alamo Bowl.

Haggas said his biggest bowl trip was 600 people for the 1996 Fiesta Bowl, where Nebraska beat Florida for its second straight national championship.

Celebrate Travel hopes to sign up as many as 400 for the USC trip, Haggas said.

"As bad as they (the Huskers) are, to play a top-ranked opponent or a high-visibility opponent like that, it's going to be big. I don't know how many tickets we're going to get. I just hope it's enough."

Executive Travel already has locked in air travel and hotels for the USC game, Glenn said, and the company plans to increase its allotted space from 200 to 500.

Glenn said about 80 people already have inquired about the USC trip.

"We're at two years of built-up demand," Glenn said.

Glenn said as many as 10,000 people from Nebraska might travel to Los Angeles. Fans are attracted to the fun and sun of Southern California, he said, and they will be excited about the return of quarterback Zac Taylor for his senior season and the emergence of the Huskers' young players.

"Hope springs eternal," Glenn said.