A Game For The Ages...Unbelievable!

There were over forty-six thousand people at Rice Eccles Stadium last Saturday night.

I don't think any of us could have guess what would happen over the next four hours, and if they said they did, they'd be lying.

What a ride!

Most of us wore red. Those wearing blue were interspersed throughout the crowd. My friend Bob took me to the game as an early birthday present. I had planned on watching from the comfort of my home. For some reason, the game was scheduled to begin at 8pm late November. It snowed earlier in the day, but that night, the clouds vanished and the temperature dropped. We bundled up in layers and headed off.

Still--I hadn't been to a game in years. Getting to watch one of the true rivalries in all of college football live is an opportunity one should not pass up if possible.

The teams stormed the field, the coin was tossed, the ball was placed, the kickoff started the game. And then it all hit the fan.

I blogged before the game Saturday. I wrote that I did not know what was going to happen. I even stated that I wanted to be happy if BYU won--I'd be happy for their fans, their players, and their coaches.

For three quarters of football, those words kept playing in my mind, because it looked like that's exactly what was going to happen. BYU was mopping the floor with Utah. With only a few seconds left in the third quarter, BYU led 27-7. They were finally going to win--the streak was coming to an end.

Then, the wheels came off.

And a team that had not only been in control all game, but dominating blew a twenty point lead and Utah won the game, 35-27. It was unbelievable. And when the Cougars failed to reach the Utah 48-yard line in four downs with less than a minute remaining, it was all over and the streak instantly became a year longer.

At halftime Bob and I joked about leaving. It was cold, the Utes were getting hammered, but we remained. And we were a witness to history.

I did feel bad for my friends in blue. It was the worst way to lose a game--having a win so close and then having it ripped away. I was already resigned to feeling happy for BYU for their win. In the end, though, the emotional roller coaster that was the game stopped and we all went home, most were over the moon happy--the others felt the exact opposite.

Thanks Bob for the birthday present. Thanks to the Utes for showing real gumption and never giving up. Thanks to BYU for playing their hearts out and helping to make the game one spectacular event. And next year it'll happen all over again.

Heading To The Game Tonight...Have No Idea What Will Happen

If things go as planned, I will be attending the state's biggest football game tonight. I'm writing this before I go because, due to the game's late starting time, it's going to be well past midnight when I get home and I make sure to always post my daily blog before midnight (hence, a daily blog...).

So, right now, I have no idea what's going to happen or who's going to win.

The oddsmakers, Vegas, your average fan--they all agree Utah has the edge over BYU this year. My head agrees with this assessment, but my guts, they're annoyingly interrupting my train of thought. There's something about tonight's game that is not necessarily making me nervous, but causing me to think this one's no a sure thing.

This year, as with every year, there are subplots and side stories to add color to an already colorful game. There seems to always be players who grew up rooting for one team then found themselves wearing the opposing team's uniforms when it came time to play. This year, those players happen to be the highest profile players in the game. It all adds to the tension, the drama.

I'm still a Utah Man at heart. I suppose I always will be. Having gone there, graduating from there, it's a part of me. For years I was not a BYU fan. Many times I even rooted for whatever team was playing the Y to come out ahead. 

Time have changed.

I think/hope it's because I'm older or more mature--whatever the reason, I have had a change of heart, especially after the school in Provo showed such support for the University of Utah student athlete Lauren McCluskey, who was killed earlier this year. BYU and other schools showed their support by wearing red and U of U gear. They didn't have to--no one made them do it, and I know many of those athletes dislike the U with a very real hatred. Yet, they put that aside because the life of a student should be more important than a rivalry.

I hope I've come to the point where if BYU wins tonight's game, sure I'll be disappointed, but I hope I can be happy for their program and their fans. They're a good school. They have players/coaches who are good people, and after seven straight losses, a win would be that much sweeter.

But I still hope Utah wins. Here's to a good game where everyone plays hard, the refs are as fair as they can be, and no one gets hurt. For a Utah Man am I--Go Utes!!