Shades of Red Flood Downtown Lincoln

By: Stephanie Morrissey - Email

Updated: Fri 10:40 PM, Sep 28, 2012

Lincoln is buzzing as Husker and Wisconsin fans prepare for this weekend's game. That means parking is at a premium and hotels across the city are sold out.

As Nebraska and Wisconsin fans flood Lincoln, there's a lot more red than usual.

The color has taken over most hotels, some have been sold out for months now.

One of those is the Holiday Inn downtown. General Manager, Troy Terwilliger says even with higher rates for this weekend, rooms went quicker than usual.

But that's not the only problem traveling fans are having.

"It's the availability of the flights into Lincoln. Seems like there are fewer now than we when first started out," Walt & Karen Beddeo of California said.

The Beddeo's aren't new to town. They are Husker alumni and have been coming to cheer on the scarlett and cream for nearly 20 years.

"We've had our tickets since 1994. We've been coming to every game except the one after 9/11. Then we made sure our tickets went to someone else who could represent us,"said the Beddeo's.

Representing Wisconsin is Bob & Joyce Smidt. They wanted to travel to the Cornhusker state to catch some game day action.

"Our friends have harassed us since we came into the Big 10 and we just want to take in the game," the Smidt's said.

But they too have ties to Lincoln.

"My parents went to the university. One of the things they contributed to was construction of Memorial Stadium," Bob Smidt said.

Both the Beddeo's and the Smidt's will get that feeling on Saturday as they enter Memorial Stadium to see a match up that has fans on edge.

"The hype last year in Madison was tremendous and Nebraska lost so maybe this year we'll do better," said the Smidt's

"It's the Big 10. We lost to them last year so this is a new year," said the Beddeo's.