New York, New York: Husker fans make travel plans for bowl game

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – One word: Destination.

When it comes to bowl games in December and January, fans typically think sunny and warm. Since 1990, the Huskers have played bowl games in Florida 11 times, to go along with six in California, four in Texas, three in Arizona, one in Louisiana and — most recently in 2016, Nashville.

But when sunny and warm is the criteria, few, if anyone, would mention New York City. That’s where Nebraska is headed this season after becoming bowl eligible for the first time in eight seasons. The Huskers will take on Boston College on Dec. 28 at the world-famous Yankee Stadium in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl.

“New York City is where people all around the world wants to be between Christmas and New Year’s Day,” said Steve Glenn. “It’s going to be an exciting time in New York City and hopefully an exciting time to be a Husker in New York City.”

Glenn played on the offensive line for Tom Osborne’s Huskers in the late 1970s. He started the company Executive Travel a few years later. Planning bowl trip packages was an annual undertaking for Glenn — until it wasn’t.

There are lots of Husker fans who traveled to Nashville to see the Big Red play Tennessee in the Music City Bowl in 2016, not knowing it would be the team’s last bowl appearance until this season — three head coaches later.

After Nebraska beat Wisconsin to secure its sixth win of the season and clinch a bowl game berth, Glenn received almost a thousand inquiries from excited fans eager to go support their Huskers.

But once it was announced that Nebraska would be headed to New York and not a warm-weather southern destination, the tone changed a bit, according to Glenn.

“We had about 800 people who said, ‘Sign me up for a bowl trip,’ and now there will be less than 100,” Glenn said.

Glenn still believes Big Red Nation will arrive in New York in droves, though — because that’s just what they do.

“The reality is, Huskers still follow,” Glenn said. “We had a big turnout at USC. We’ll have a big turnout at UCLA next year. Same for Washington. Husker fans like to travel and have fun and support their team, so this is all positive, all the way around.”

The Pinstripe Bowl matchup between the Huskers and the Boston College Eagles will kickoff Dec. 28 at 11 a.m. on ESPN.

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