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Kansas State fans gear up for New Year's Eve Sugar Bowl showdown

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas State Wildcats have a chance to make more memories this season.

"I want to say on behalf of all three of us up here, K-State nation came today, that crowd was electric," said Chris Klieman, Kansas State head football coach.

After hoisting the Big 12 Championship trophy Saturday in Arlington, Texas, with a win over TCU, the Wildcats are going bowling.

Kansas State will face Alabama in the Sugar Bowl on New Year's Eve in New Orleans, Louisiana.

"Thankfully, my entire family is going to the Sugar Bowl," said Whitney Hartman, a KSU fan.

Securing her tickets weeks ago, it was the students' turn Monday morning as 900 student tickets were up for grabs.

It's no surprise that K-State fans travel well and the Hartman's wouldn't miss it.

Weeks ago, Hartman and her family purchased their tickets for the bowl game and have already set their itinerary.

"Touristy things on Friday and then there will be the pep rally Friday night at sometime, so we'll go to that and then Saturday will be pretty much K-State," Hartman said. "And then watching the playoff games afterwards. And then we fly back New Years Day at 7 a.m. on Sunday morning, so I will probably not be sleeping."

Another fan, Misty Woodward, is kicking herself. This will be one of the first bowl games she's missed in a very long time.

Months ago, Woodward won a chance to meet K-State head basketball coach Jerome Tang and be on the sideline for a game.

That game is taking place on New Year's Even at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan.

"We unfortunately bid on West Virginia, we had no idea when it was and I said, that will be my luck, something will happen like that, and it did which is a good thing," she said. "I'm all for it, but yeah, unfortunately we're not going to make it down there. We'll be at the basketball game cheering those guys on."

Nearly 70,000 fans filled AT&T Stadium Saturday, half being Wildcat fans. The same is expected for the Sugar Bowl.

"I will be cheering loud, yell loud for all of us that cant make it," Woodward said. "I know the crowds going to show up, I know K-State is going to represent well like we always do, so Go Cats."

Kansas State and Alabama will kick-off at 11 a.m. on Dec. 31.