Vance VanPelt left Kansas University behind after graduating several years ago, but the Jayhawks’ success has the Hutchinson High teacher and coach ready to hop in his car and head for Stillwater, Okla. – and who knows where else.

Ben Thompson, a Kansas City resident and another KU alumnus, has vowed to follow the Jayhawks to Stillwater and to wherever else the undefeated, fifth-ranked football team is sent.

“I purchased tickets through KU after the Texas A&M game,” Thompson wrote in an e-mail to the Journal-World. “I’ve been to Manhattan for the KSU game and will attend the Big 12 Championship game and any bowl game KU goes to.”

Yes, football fever has hit Jayhawk fans, and there still are several opportunities to catch the team in action.

As of Tuesday afternoon, KU associate athletic director Jim Marchiony said KU still had tickets available for the KU-OSU game Saturday in Stillwater, and Oklahoma State still lists a number of seats available on its Web site. Marchiony said KU had sold about 1,500 more tickets for the game in Stillwater, compared with most away games other than Kansas State or Missouri. Oklahoma State tickets cost about $85.

As for the rest of the games left on the KU schedule, Marchiony said about 5,000 tickets remained for the final home game of the season against Iowa State. Iowa State tickets are $45.

Though the KU-Missouri game at Arrowhead Stadium is sold out, a number of tickets are available from online sites. They’re generally selling for more than $100 per ticket.

While tickets to the game are gone, slots are still available on a party bus leaving from Lawrence for Arrowhead Stadium, then coming back once the game is over.

Doug Holiday, owner of Biggs BBQ, has organized a group trip that, for $49, includes food, drinks and a ride to and from the game. Holiday said he organized the trip because he wanted to help KU fans spend their money in Lawrence.

“We wanted to create a fun way that would help support Lawrence and the fans. Make lemonade out of lemons,” Holiday said. “People can go over to the game; they won’t have to spend money for parking.”

Holiday said that while some local merchants were upset about losing a KU home game, he was focused on finding a way to let people support Lawrence without skipping out on the KU-MU game.

Holiday said spots were still open on the first bus, and he wasn’t opposed to chartering a second bus if interest exists.

After those three conference games, KU’s destinations become much less clear. Some tickets remain for a Dec. 1 Big 12 Championship game in San Antonio, which KU could advance to either by going undefeated, or winning two of its last three games and Missouri losing at least once.

With nine wins, the Jayhawks are assured of a berth in a bowl this season, and KU this week notified season-ticket holders that they could apply for bowl seats on the KU Web site. Prices vary from $30 at the Holiday Bowl in San Diego to as much as $175 for tickets to the national championship in New Orleans.

Fans can choose which games and how many seats they’d like for each game if KU were to be chosen to play there. The tickets then would be doled out in order of Williams Fund points, determined by donations to the Athletic Department.