The cold weather has many people thinking ahead to January and a trip to Tampa for the Iowa Hawkeyes appearance in the Outback Bowl. University of Iowa ticket manager Pam Finke says ticket sales have been going well. “Our commitment to the bowl is 11,500, so we’re feeling pretty good right now,”Finke says. “We have a lot of Hawks who are going to make the trip down south. The people went the last time we played at the Outback really had a good time and a lot of those people have decided to go again and make the trip down there.”

Sunday was the deadline for priority ticket sales, and the university will continue to sell the remaining tickets this week. Iowa didn’t go to a bowl last year and Finke believes that ups the interest this time around. “I think it does…it’s twice as nice when you go to a place like the Outback Bowl. The stadium is really nice and the environment is nice. And I think our fans just had a good experience the last time we were in Tampa,” Finke says.

She says they encourage people to order through the ticket office to ensure you are sitting with other Iowa fans. Finke says,”I think it adds a little flavor to the game when you are sitting next to somebody from Iowa rather than next to somebody from who knows where.” “There’s all kinds of activities, probably the best website as far as just the Outback activities themselves would be go to to their website, and check out everything that is going on,” according to Finke.

One of the best things about going to the bowl, is that it will likely be warmer in Tampa on January first than it is in Iowa. “I certainly hope so — especially the last two weeks,” Finke says. “I think our players and our fans are looking forward to a little sunshine, a little warm weather again.”

You can go to Outbackbowl.com to find out more about the activities at the game. For ticket information, go to hawkeyesports.com. The Hawkeyes will play Louisiana State in a game that kicks off at noon.