Husker fans swarm downtown for football and volleyball games

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – The Huskers marked 100 years in Memorial stadium Saturday, and fans say having both football and volleyball in Lincoln made it more special.

Joey Rupp, general manager at Best of Big Red, said she looks forward to the excitement this time of year.

“The atmosphere down here in the Haymarket, is just unreal,” she said. “Tons of people down tailgating, shopping, just having a good time, preparing for the football game and the volleyball game. Never a dull moment, that’s for sure.”

Rupp said small business also see a lot more traffic on game days which helps Lincoln’s economy.

“A lot of people come from out of town to stay with friends or family,” she said. “They come and stay overnight, make a weekend out of it. So having two games on one day is very important, especially to a local business cause it brings a ton of shoppers in.”

Many fans said they enjoy how much the Huskers unite the community.

Jacob Kranau, a 12-year-old from Lincoln, said football is his favorite sport.

“Our spirit never breaks, our spirit is there,” he said. “It brings us together, just tight. Brings us great family, I love Huskers.”

And with more and more fans turning out for volleyball, some say it’s not just about football anymore.

Nancy Robson, a fan from Omaha, said she loves seeing the support for the women’s teams.

“They are absolutely wonderful,” she said. “They have such good personalities, and they’re just good people.”

Some fans even said Husker volleyball is starting to outshine football as the fan favorite.

“Volleyball to me now is becoming the number 1 in the state versus what football was,” Carolyn King of Lincoln said. “I think having it on the same day, today, just makes it even more special for everybody.”