OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — The countdown to the first game of the season is on and, with an early game, one local shop said sales have been good.
"There's a lot of excitement in the air with all the changes that went on during the off-season and I think it's picked up a lot quicker than normal," said Scott Strunc, owner of Husker Hounds.
Strunc said with the first game in Ireland he's glad they scored some Dublin apparel.
"Most people that are going over to Ireland are leaving in the next couple of days, so that has been a really big seller for us," Strunc said.
David Martens of Papillion is one of those people. He came in to check out some of the gear before heading to Ireland on Sunday.
"It's awesome, I had a friend ask me several months ago and signed up. We are leaving on Sunday. We'll be there a week before the game," Martens said.
He said he is excited to tour Ireland and, of course, attend the game.
"There's a big pep rally we are going to. Actually, there are a couple different places that are having one," Martens said.
While many fans are heading to Ireland others will be cheering on the team from home.
"I am probably going to watch the game with my college roommates back in Lincoln or I will come back home and watch it with my dad," Becka Holmstrom, a junior at UNL, said.
She goes to every home game and although she's not going to the game in Ireland, she is excited to see the stadium packed again when the team returns home.
"When the whole stadium just lights up and you feel all the energy — I am really excited to feel all that energy in the stadium this year," Holmstrom said.
No matter where fans are watching this first, they said they're feeling optimistic.
"I think everybody has a lot of reason to be optimistic this year and excited and so I am, and every year we drink the Kool-Aid hard, and this year is no different," Strunc said.
"Go Big Red," said Holmstrom.
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