Do you consider yourself a football fan? With all due respect to the NFL, you haven't really felt the thrill of the game until you've seen the collegiate version.
You'll see red from the first moment you set foot in Memorial Stadium, where they put on one of the best shows in all of sports.
Taken a step further, the college game's rarefied air swirls around Lincoln, Nebraska.
This is the home of the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers, owners of the nation's best record from 1970-2006. Perhaps you don't care much for records or Cornhuskers. No matter. This is a show even rivals and those with no affiliation come to see.
They come from farm hamlets and suburban neighborhoods. Some drive 400 miles one-way for a three-hour game. Others buzz down Interstate 80 from Omaha at 75 miles per hour (the legal speed limit). But virtually all the fans who jam Memorial Stadium have at least this much in common: they wear some combination of red or white.
This makes for a unique look as you walk to the campus. Little streams of red on the city's sidewalks that become rivers as you approach 10th Street, then a sea of red inside the stadium, which seats more than 84,000.
ESPN Analyst and former coach Lee Corso once said Lincoln is the last place he'd want to take his undefeated team with a title on the line. There are other places where top-flight football is played, but here you'll see school spirit and sportsmanship in its simplest, most potent form.
State spirit might be at stake, too. Nebraska is home to only 1.7 million people and one major university playing Division I-A football. No divided loyalties here.
That's one reason the Nebraska crowds are among the most football-savvy in the land. They are also rated highly for sportsmanship. Every game, win or lose, thousands of fans give the opposing team a standing ovation as it enters its dressing room.
When is the last time you saw that at your favorite NFL stadium?
Memorial Stadium is home to a huge new jumbo screen more than 100 feet wide. It's part of a system called, naturally, "Huskervision." It's the kind of thing you'd expect to find in the NFL, only bigger.
Lincoln (population 240,000) is Nebraska's second-largest city, but it seems more like an overgrown small town. People greet strangers with a special brand of midwestern hospitality. Ask the parking attendant if the 'Huskers will have trouble today and he smiles politely. "I think we'll handle 'em."
The streets are packed on a gameday morning, and you'll probably hear the Cornhusker Marching Band warming up its famed drum line, which plays throughout the game. The band itself marches into the stadium along 10th street about 30-minutes before kickoff.
The city's eateries offer deals on sack lunches "to go" to the game. The food alone is worth a trip. Nebraska beef is loved the world-over. But try the local sandwich, called a runza. The ground beef and cabbage treat is sold around the stadium area at modest prices. Nebraska fans also love their red-colored hot dogs, sold throughout the stadium.
Lincoln has a number of chain hotels, but not a lot of rooms downtown. Their prices are low by coastal standards, although many charge a premium on football weekends. So sometimes it's better to book rooms in West Omaha, just 35 minutes away (remember that 75 mile per hour speed limit?)
The same can be said for flights. Omaha's larger Eppley Airfield usually provides better chances for a cheap flight. Southwest, serves Omaha and frequently offers good fares.
This is probably the worst-kept entertainment secret in the midwest. Prior to the start of the 2007 season, the 282 consecutive home sellouts (a continuing NCAA record) date back to 1962. Season tickets are contested in probate and divorce courts. In short, there are few tickets available.
Here's where you run into trouble as a budget traveler. Tickets to Nebraska games are in high demand and do not come cheaply.
Newspaper classifieds provide leads, but use good sense. Some will be overpriced, and some sellers will insist you won't find available tickets.
That's not always true. Arrive early and look in the area east of the stadium for sellers. The Yellow Pages include listings for a number of ticket outlets that will charge a modest "fee" above face value.
Whatever the source, expect to pay from $50-90 USD per ticket, and even more for key games.
If you don't like the idea of traveling without game tickets, check eBay.com or StubHub.com.
One final tip: try for the early-season games. The later ones tend to have more importance, fewer available seats and rougher weather.
Other Great College Football Venues
South Bend, IN--University of Notre Dame
This is hallowed ground for football fans. Nearby is the College Football Hall of Fame--two great experiences for the price of one trip! Nearest big selection of rooms: Chicago.
College Station, TX--Texas A&M University
Another friendly, fanatical crowd that some say is louder than Nebraska's. Nearest big selection of rooms: Houston.
Chapel Hill, NC--University of North Carolina
Kenan Stadium is a wonderful destination, set in the wooded acres of a beautiful campus. Nearest big selection of rooms: Raleigh-Durham.
Madison, WI--University of Wisconsin
Great band, great fight song, huge post-game party called the "fifth quarter." Nearest big selection of rooms: Milwaukee.
Tuscaloosa, AL--University of Alabama
Want to talk tradition? Male students dress in coat and tie and ask dates to the games (who wear dresses). There are two other southern traditions at work here: deafening crowds and great football. Nearest big selection of rooms: Birmingham.
Provo, UT--Brigham Young University
It's a great place to see a game: friendly fans and rugged mountains ring the stadium. Nearest big selection of rooms: Salt Lake City.
