The Ohio State football team may be focused only on this weekend, but its legion of fans, university officials and travel agents throughout Ohio have already begun planning for the bowl season.
But unlike last year when a win over Michigan guaranteed a spot in the Fiesta Bowl, Buckeyes across the state may have to wait another two weeks before finalizing their plans.
“Logistically, it’s very challenging,” said George Kun, the president of George Kun Travel Cruise Corner, 1545 Bethel Rd. “There’s nothing like it. We have to be shrewd enough and cautious enough to position ourselves properly.”
OSU sits at No. 2 in the BCS, which would put it in New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl and chance to defend its national championship. But even with a win over the Wolverines, the Buckeyes will be forced to wait until No. 1 Oklahoma and No. 3 USC wrap up their seasons Dec. 6. If the Trojans win the rest of their games, they could jump over OSU in the BCS standings. Only a Sooner loss would benefit OSU.
Even if the Buckeyes don’t spend New Year’s in New Orleans, the list of possibilities doesn’t get any clearer. A Buckeye win Saturday would give them a Big Ten Conference title and a spot in a BCS bowl, mostly like the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. An OSU loss could mean a BCS at-large berth or a trip to the Capital One Bowl in Orlando, Fla.
Wherever the Buckeyes travel during Christmas Break, university officials and travel agents are ready.
“It’s a little more difficult since it might not be decided right away,” said Tracy Stuck, director of the Ohio Union and Student Activities. “But we’re working with our travel agents to know what’s going to happen.”
If the Buckeyes are invited to a major BCS bowl game, Stuck said a lottery system like last year’s for student ticket dispersal would be used.
“It worked out great on our end last year,” she said. “We felt pretty good about it, and we didn’t really have to turn anyone away.”
While the final decision on a bowl may not be decided until the second week of December – which also corresponds to finals week – students will not have to worry about being left behind. Students interested in tickets for the bowl game will be able to register online, Stuck said.
The university is also looking into a possible delay to the start of winter quarter. The Sugar Bowl isn’t until Jan. 4, one day before the scheduled start of classes. While no definitive plans have been set, Bill Hall, vice president of Student Affairs, said nothing will firmly be settled until the destination of the football team is announced.
For those anxious for a trip no matter where the Buckeyes play, many travel agencies throughout Columbus have registered names for bowl packages. Kun said his agency has already signed up around 200 people with $100 per person deposits, while UNIGLOBE Travel Designers, 3471 E. Broad St., have taken names but not money. UNIGLOBE provided Student Activities with its tickets last year for the student/faculty/staff tours.
“It’s like the floodgates opening up,” Kun said. “People are booking so fast because they don’t want to be left behind.”
While Student Activities must wait for the bowl committees to give it tickets, most travel agencies already have ticket plans lined up through outside providers. UNIGLOBE uses Esoteric Sports Tours, an Atlanta-based company, to get tickets.
But while the bowl confusion may lead to longer hours on the phone arranging hotels, airfare and charters, both Kun and Blount admitted they wouldn’t give it up for anything.
“It’s not easy, but it certainly something we haven’t dealt with before,” Blount said. “Everyone’s in the same boat; it’s exciting, it’s fun.”
