USC fans flood into Lincoln
A new sea washed onto shore in Lincoln early Friday.
A tide like Burgundy wine.
Cardinal red.
As in Cardinal and Gold.
Plenty of good ol’ Big Red could, of course, be seen along downtown sidewalks.
But while most Husker fans still toiled away Friday, hidden within cubicles and behind counters, a sea of Southern Cal color swelled toward high tide in the Capital City.
“It’s like Los Angeles, transported,” one man yelled as he walked by three generations of USC fans.
“Welcome to Nebraska!” he greeted them. “Good luck tomorrow!”
USC alum Edward Leon, with wife, Chris, and 15-month-old son, Joaquin, smiled back.
Little Joaquin was clad head to toe in Trojan tones. His grandparents, Ernesto and Mercedes Leon of Denver, were, too.
Together, they were a walking wall of cardinal and gold.
“Everybody’s been really nice,” said Chris Leon, “We asked a friend, “Do you think we can go on campus dressed like this? He said it’s not a hostile environment.”
They were staying at The Cornhusker, where some of the California folks were dressed in flip flops and shorts.
USC in The Cornhusker?
That’s where the USC alumni association has its headquarters, Edward Leon said, laughing.
But there were signs the tide would soon turn.
Over at the Husker Headquarters store, Shawn Reed, 39, was wearing a green Cal-Poly shirt.
Yet his arms were full of Husker red and he was here to cheer NU.
“My parents and family were raised here. Dawes County,” he said.
He’d already bought a Husker volleyball shirt and cheerleading outfit for his daughters back in San Luis Obispo, along with new shirts.
He was staying at Embassy Suites.
“I got the last two rooms they had on Feb. 2,” Reed said. “I thought that was early enough.”
The Husker Athletic Ticket Office said 4,000 tickets were provided to USC for tonight’s game.
Tickets sold elsewhere no doubt would account for even more Trojan faithful walking around Lincoln.
In a few places, you could even spot cardinal and red walking together.
That was true for longtime friends — or is it frenemies? — John Sekutera, 47, who went to UNL but now lives in San Clemente, Calif., and Dan Ting, 50, who went to USC and lives in Dallas.
They’re true to their schools.
“We waited to see our teams play for 25 years,” Ting said, “Last year was the big event; we met up and saw them at the Coliseum.”
Of course, they had to go again — even if Sekutera had to take a plane from California loaded with USC fans, including the pep band.
“I’m a stranger in my own country,” the Husker fan joked, shopping amid Trojan fans.
He was backed up by nearby shopper Terry Love, 46, who hails from Pennsylvania and was looking for red. “I’m here for the Huskers, too,” he offered. “I’ve been a Husker fan all my life.”
He saw the sea of red at Memorial Stadium for the first time a few years back. It was everything he expected. He came without a ticket this time, but if he can’t pick one up, he said he’d be happy watching the game at Big Red Keno.
“It’s gonna be a good game no matter what,” Love said.
A lone hawker standing on a downtown corner at noon Friday wouldn’t give his name or the asking price for his tickets.
He hadn’t sold one yet, he said.
But business was good at the From Nebraska store.
“USC fans are fantastic,” said manager Julie Zielinski.
“We’ve had more USC fans today than Husker fans. They all came in earlier, so they’ve been out enjoying the Haymarket. They appear to be having a great time.”
She said they’ve been buying Nebraska souvenirs.
“I can’t talk them into Husker sweatshirts yet. I tell them it’s going to be chilly at the game but they’re not interested,” Zielinski said.
“They keep telling me — it’s cardinal, not red.”
Reach Kendra Waltke at 473-7303 or kwaltke@journalstar.com.
A tide like Burgundy wine.
Cardinal red.
As in Cardinal and Gold.
Plenty of good ol’ Big Red could, of course, be seen along downtown sidewalks.
But while most Husker fans still toiled away Friday, hidden within cubicles and behind counters, a sea of Southern Cal color swelled toward high tide in the Capital City.
“It’s like Los Angeles, transported,” one man yelled as he walked by three generations of USC fans.
“Welcome to Nebraska!” he greeted them. “Good luck tomorrow!”
USC alum Edward Leon, with wife, Chris, and 15-month-old son, Joaquin, smiled back.
Little Joaquin was clad head to toe in Trojan tones. His grandparents, Ernesto and Mercedes Leon of Denver, were, too.
Together, they were a walking wall of cardinal and gold.
“Everybody’s been really nice,” said Chris Leon, “We asked a friend, “Do you think we can go on campus dressed like this? He said it’s not a hostile environment.”
They were staying at The Cornhusker, where some of the California folks were dressed in flip flops and shorts.
USC in The Cornhusker?
That’s where the USC alumni association has its headquarters, Edward Leon said, laughing.
But there were signs the tide would soon turn.
Over at the Husker Headquarters store, Shawn Reed, 39, was wearing a green Cal-Poly shirt.
Yet his arms were full of Husker red and he was here to cheer NU.
“My parents and family were raised here. Dawes County,” he said.
He’d already bought a Husker volleyball shirt and cheerleading outfit for his daughters back in San Luis Obispo, along with new shirts.
He was staying at Embassy Suites.
“I got the last two rooms they had on Feb. 2,” Reed said. “I thought that was early enough.”
The Husker Athletic Ticket Office said 4,000 tickets were provided to USC for tonight’s game.
Tickets sold elsewhere no doubt would account for even more Trojan faithful walking around Lincoln.
In a few places, you could even spot cardinal and red walking together.
That was true for longtime friends — or is it frenemies? — John Sekutera, 47, who went to UNL but now lives in San Clemente, Calif., and Dan Ting, 50, who went to USC and lives in Dallas.
They’re true to their schools.
“We waited to see our teams play for 25 years,” Ting said, “Last year was the big event; we met up and saw them at the Coliseum.”
Of course, they had to go again — even if Sekutera had to take a plane from California loaded with USC fans, including the pep band.
“I’m a stranger in my own country,” the Husker fan joked, shopping amid Trojan fans.
He was backed up by nearby shopper Terry Love, 46, who hails from Pennsylvania and was looking for red. “I’m here for the Huskers, too,” he offered. “I’ve been a Husker fan all my life.”
He saw the sea of red at Memorial Stadium for the first time a few years back. It was everything he expected. He came without a ticket this time, but if he can’t pick one up, he said he’d be happy watching the game at Big Red Keno.
“It’s gonna be a good game no matter what,” Love said.
A lone hawker standing on a downtown corner at noon Friday wouldn’t give his name or the asking price for his tickets.
He hadn’t sold one yet, he said.
But business was good at the From Nebraska store.
“USC fans are fantastic,” said manager Julie Zielinski.
“We’ve had more USC fans today than Husker fans. They all came in earlier, so they’ve been out enjoying the Haymarket. They appear to be having a great time.”
She said they’ve been buying Nebraska souvenirs.
“I can’t talk them into Husker sweatshirts yet. I tell them it’s going to be chilly at the game but they’re not interested,” Zielinski said.
“They keep telling me — it’s cardinal, not red.”
Reach Kendra Waltke at 473-7303 or kwaltke@journalstar.com.
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