Wisconsin-LSU at Lambeau, International Games Fueling Early Excitement for 2016 College Football Season

Don’t look now, but the start of the 2016 College Football season is just a mere three months away. Little was left to the imagination during last year’s Championship Game, as the Alabama Crimson Tide stormed back in the fourth quarter to beat the Clemson Tigers, and excitement for the upcoming season has been building since.

The upcoming season will be filled with big games, notable players, and a growing sense of international appeal. While college football returns to Australia for the first time in more than 30 years, Ireland will also host an early-season matchup between Boston College and Georgia Tech. Both games are among the most anticipated of the year, but in terms of resale ticket demand, it will be an Opening Week meeting between Wisconsin and LSU at Lambeau Field that owns the most expensive prices on the secondary market.

The Badgers went a promising 10-3 in 2015 but could not hold a candle to the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Big Ten, who waltzed to the Conference Championship before losing to Michigan State. They’ll open the season in grand style at nearby Lambeau Field, and tickets are already garnering big resale prices. According to TiqIQ the average price for Wisconsin vs LSU tickets is now a hefty $714.17. The cheapest ticket is listed from $360.

Lambeau will be the site of many big games through the winter months, whether housing college teams or the illustrious Green Bay Packers, but there exists a special fervor around the international games at the start at the end of the summer. 11 games have been held outside the U.S. since the 2007 season, and the NCAA’s latest expansion is slated to bring California and Hawaii to ANZ Stadium in Sydney on August 27.

Not since a 1985 meeting between USC and Oregon has college football landed down under, and it’s likely that many fans will be making the long trek to be on hand in late August. Hotels in Sydney near ANZ Stadium will be in high demand over the coming months, so booking now will yield the most options and best rates.

Just a week later, Dublin will be the site a Boston College-Georgia Tech game at Aviva Stadium. What is being called the Aer Lingus College Football Classic, the game is set to be the sixth college football game held in Dublin since 1988 and just the second ever at Aviva Stadium. Plenty of tickets still exist for the game on the primary market and prices starting from €35. Traveling costs aside, the Week 2 matchup may be one of the best deals of the season considering the overseas appeal in Ireland’s capital city.

So what’s the hold up? Whether planning on a trip to Green Bay or across the world to Australia, there are plenty of reasons to get excited for this year’s college football season. Snag some tickets, book a flight and hotel, and take in all that 2016 has to offer.

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