Many of you know that I am home in Utah right now. Although I came to visit my parents it didn't hurt that the Utes were playing #11 UCLA last Saturday. Considering the awful start to the season and the curse that had been placed on my Utes which I commented on earlier I found myself flying to Utah and thinking "I should have come home for the game against USU. We'd probably still be able to win that one". Anyway I arrived and I was still excited to return to Rice-Eccles, but I was not too optimistic about our chances. I entered the stadium and watched the team warm up. I honestly started to feel a chill go up my spine as I sang "Utah Man" with the crowd for the first time in 2 years. Excitement for being back with the Utes was building up inside.
So the game begins. You need to remember that UCLA is ranked #11 in nation. They have a highly touted QB, Ben Olsen, who once signed to play with the cougars, but while on a mission he actually had an opposite reaction than most missionaries and decided "I need to get out of provo". Good for him. He lit up the Utes last year for more than 300 yards. UCLA also beat that team down south last week. Now entering this game the Utes were without their prized QB, RB, WR and a multitude of linemen. How on earth could the Utes win? How could any team win any games without its top players in all skill positions? Anyway the game starts and Utah receives. The amazement began as the Utes moved the ball. They actually proceeded to move the ball! Tommy Grady at QB is actually moving the ball with the help of new RB Darrell Mack. Amazing! Grady then pulls back and fires for a 50+ yard TD to Marquis Wilson! The stadium goes crazy. Nobody can believe it. I am jumping up and down like an 8 year old boy high-fiving everything in sight. We quickly calm down and realized that UCLA has an explosive offense that can likely throw a few 50 yard TDs itself. Our defense comes out and manages a few stops, but UCLA is still moving the ball. Finally Utah makes a big stop and UCLA has to settle for a FG. The Ute offense returns, but struggles a little bit more now. The defense continues to hold the Bruins and they only give up 3 more points. Then just before halftime the Utes use a little FG trickery to get a first down which leads to another TD. Halftime score 14-6. I am still blown away at this point. Nobody can believe it. We all figure that the score should probably be reversed. That or worse is what we expected. We all prepare to for a tough second half. Surprisingly in the second half we get a lot more Utes and a lot less Bruins. The offense kicks it up a notch and the defense continues to dominate, pummeling Olsen a few times and forcing him into throwing a few INTs. UCLA makes a big drive and a huge pass. It looks like a TD for sure and a real momentum changer, but then first time starter Robert Johnson comes out of nowhere and manages to strip the ball and force it into the endzone for a touchback. Utah ball and crisis averted. Play of the game right there. That takes all the air out of UCLA's tires and the Utes continue to march and destroy UCLA. Olsen just can't get it done and continues to turn the ball over (I guess you can never really wash that provo stink off) and the Utes capitalize on all of it. Eventually it becomes clear that he Utes are going to win the game and it becomes a question as to whether or not they will give up a TD to the Bruins or not. The D stays strong and stops UCLA every time out. Final score 44-6. It was absolutely amazing. The crowd was wild. The players were animated. The coaches were incredible. All criticisms of the team have disappeared for now. It was the biggest win in that stadium in 30 years. The difference makers were Mack who had a 107 yard rushing day (this allowed Grady to actually play a fantastic game) and Johnson on the D had an incredible game. I have pictures of this great day that I will post later. I didn't really want to leave. I just wanted to soak it all in. I feel like I am probably going to have to live in Utah so I can continue to come back. It feels like there is nothing this team can't accomplish now.
I spent about $230 to come home. Being at this game was worth far more than that. GO UTES!!!
The team down south also lost to Tulsa that day making it a wonderful sports weekend.
So the game begins. You need to remember that UCLA is ranked #11 in nation. They have a highly touted QB, Ben Olsen, who once signed to play with the cougars, but while on a mission he actually had an opposite reaction than most missionaries and decided "I need to get out of provo". Good for him. He lit up the Utes last year for more than 300 yards. UCLA also beat that team down south last week. Now entering this game the Utes were without their prized QB, RB, WR and a multitude of linemen. How on earth could the Utes win? How could any team win any games without its top players in all skill positions? Anyway the game starts and Utah receives. The amazement began as the Utes moved the ball. They actually proceeded to move the ball! Tommy Grady at QB is actually moving the ball with the help of new RB Darrell Mack. Amazing! Grady then pulls back and fires for a 50+ yard TD to Marquis Wilson! The stadium goes crazy. Nobody can believe it. I am jumping up and down like an 8 year old boy high-fiving everything in sight. We quickly calm down and realized that UCLA has an explosive offense that can likely throw a few 50 yard TDs itself. Our defense comes out and manages a few stops, but UCLA is still moving the ball. Finally Utah makes a big stop and UCLA has to settle for a FG. The Ute offense returns, but struggles a little bit more now. The defense continues to hold the Bruins and they only give up 3 more points. Then just before halftime the Utes use a little FG trickery to get a first down which leads to another TD. Halftime score 14-6. I am still blown away at this point. Nobody can believe it. We all figure that the score should probably be reversed. That or worse is what we expected. We all prepare to for a tough second half. Surprisingly in the second half we get a lot more Utes and a lot less Bruins. The offense kicks it up a notch and the defense continues to dominate, pummeling Olsen a few times and forcing him into throwing a few INTs. UCLA makes a big drive and a huge pass. It looks like a TD for sure and a real momentum changer, but then first time starter Robert Johnson comes out of nowhere and manages to strip the ball and force it into the endzone for a touchback. Utah ball and crisis averted. Play of the game right there. That takes all the air out of UCLA's tires and the Utes continue to march and destroy UCLA. Olsen just can't get it done and continues to turn the ball over (I guess you can never really wash that provo stink off) and the Utes capitalize on all of it. Eventually it becomes clear that he Utes are going to win the game and it becomes a question as to whether or not they will give up a TD to the Bruins or not. The D stays strong and stops UCLA every time out. Final score 44-6. It was absolutely amazing. The crowd was wild. The players were animated. The coaches were incredible. All criticisms of the team have disappeared for now. It was the biggest win in that stadium in 30 years. The difference makers were Mack who had a 107 yard rushing day (this allowed Grady to actually play a fantastic game) and Johnson on the D had an incredible game. I have pictures of this great day that I will post later. I didn't really want to leave. I just wanted to soak it all in. I feel like I am probably going to have to live in Utah so I can continue to come back. It feels like there is nothing this team can't accomplish now.
I spent about $230 to come home. Being at this game was worth far more than that. GO UTES!!!
The team down south also lost to Tulsa that day making it a wonderful sports weekend.
4 comments:
Tom,
I'm glad that you were in Utah to see that game. Just hearing about the results, I knew you would be more than thrilled.
Thanks for the comment on my blog.
-Steve
Amazing how good it feels to see byu-provo struggle versus UCLA, excuse the loss as being close, on the road and against a rank opponent that the cougars feel they outplayed, then watch the Utes dismantle that same team like it was playing a high school girls soccer team. Nice game cougs! Way to follow it up with a great effort at a tough tulsa team.
It was the happiest day of my life too (don't tell Amanda or Peter).
Mike
Ugh. Can grad school today be ANY more boring . . . wait . . . wait . . . um . . . nope. It can't. Actually Tom, I meant to email you last Saturday when I saw the complete destruction of UCLA by the Utes. The main theme of the email was GO UTES!!! Congratulations to the diablos del norte from the santos del sur. See how useful Spanish class is! Well, sincere congrats. And, if my computer screen were facing any other way than towards the boss, I'd start my own blog just out of sheer boredom. So, sincere apologies for making fun of blogs, I can see their usefulness in making offerings to the shrine of procrastination.
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