Yester-day Penn State Athletics announ-ced a limited amount of Outback Bowl tickets are still available.

A year ago, Nittany Lions fans would have agreed to watch the insufferable Lady Lions for a season just to view the Orange Bowl in person.

This year, students signed up in droves to buy pairs of tickets to the bowl game -- many with the intent of selling them for profit. Unfortunately for these enterprising young capitalists, interest in this game is dwindling among the Penn State faithful.

Tennessee is in a similar position to the 2005 Penn State squad in that the Volunteers missed the postseason last year with a 5-6 record.

After last year's disappointment, Vols fans will make their presence felt in Tampa. So, too, will Penn State supporters, but they just won't take over the area like they did South Florida a year ago.

The players, however, aren't taking the opportunity for granted.

As a college football player at a major program, sitting at home and watching other teams play is a bit depressing.

"It's a big difference," said Tennessee senior cornerback Jonathan Wade. "Last year around this time we were ready to go home. It was a long, long holiday. It was a sick feeling every game, but I did watch."

Penn State senior defensive end Tim Shaw, who played in his first bowl game last year, agrees with Wade.

"Sitting home watching the games is a drag," said Shaw.

And with no games to play, players don't get the expense-free vacations to warm destinations.

Last year, on an afternoon reserved for jet skiing and fun at the beach, wide receiver Deon Butler found himself temporarily stranded at sea. Butler's jet ski broke down and his teammates were going too fast to hear his calls for help.

"I was just scared," Butler recalled. "I was out in the middle of the ocean with nobody out there. It's just real life. It got real really fast."

Shaw feels a jet skier needs a short memory, and indicated if this year's day at the beach allows for jet skiing, he'll block out the past and just focus on the waves.

Jeremy Kapinos enjoys punting in the sun (doesn't everyone?) and looks forward to being able to work up a sweat before he punts.

Another perk of this bowl trip is the team's excursion to Busch

Gardens, which Butler hopes will turn out better than his maiden voyage aboard the ill-fated jet ski.

"Roller coasters are safe, man," Butler said. "They're on land. If there's a malfunction there, then I just have bad luck for two years. I'm looking forward to the roller coasters, I'm just a big kid ... I'm ready for the new year, ready for the roller coaster, ready for the stuffed animals -- I'm ready."

Aside from the fun and sun that come with a bowl trip to a warm locale, the practical benefits to such an opportunity lie in the 15 extra practices allowed for teams with a postseason bid.

"It keeps you practicing longer and it keeps the morale high," Butler said. "Going to the bowl game, you're motivated to do something for the next year."

And if the Lions use the practice time wisely, they very well might "do something" next year.

Judging from the lack of hype for this game, "something" would have to entail finishing the regular season with a better record than 8-4. If that happens, then the Penn State faithful -- which would have settled for a lowly Detroit Bowl berth in 2004 -- will undoubtedly make the trek.