RISE AND SHOUT!

Our BYU cougars beat the mighty, #3 ranked Oklahoma Sooners on Saturday night. It was a nail-biter, but we pulled it out 14-13 in the end. Hopefully, it will be the start of an amazing season!

For the big event, we hosted a football party with lots of Columbia students who had attended the Y. Jonathon must have had a premonition because the subject line for the invitations was "BYU beating Oklahoma Party." It was fun to celebrate with our fellow fanatics. We even had special blue and white BYU cupcakes that I made just for the occasion. The computer connection we were using conked out at the end, so we heard the last quarter on KSL and watched the ESPN GameCast. When the cheering died down at the end of the game, we could hardly believe that we won. We were pretty much in shock!

Over the years, BYU has been unpredictable in big games (to say the least). They have, however, provided many exciting and nail-biting memories throughout my lifetime. I wasn't around or was too young to remember some of the really great highlights (i.e. I remember loving Ty Detmer, but don't really remember any of the games and I was only a year old when they won the National Championship) Here are MY top five BYU football memories...

5. BYU vs UCLA Las Vegas Bowl (2007)- Eathyn Manumaleuna blocks the last minute kick to save the game.

4. BYU vs Kansas State Cotton Bowl (96-97)- Steve Sarkisian to Kealaluhi for the winning touchdown; and a game-saving interception by Morgan. I remember this game so well because we had been watching it at home, but had to go to tithing settlement right at the end. We convinced my dad to let us stay in the car to listen to the ending before going into the church. When we won, the whole van was shaking!

3. Lavell Edwards Final Victory vs Utah (2000)- The season wasn't that great, but there was so much on the line. If we lost, it would have been Lavell's first losing season since 1974. A spectacular drive with 1 minute left won the game 34-27. I wasn't able to watch this game live, so I had my parents tape it for me. I watched it by myself and am pretty sure I cried when they carried Lavell off the field.

2. BYU vs Utah (2001)- Luke Staley and Brandon Doman led the Cougs to a huge come-from-behind victory over the Utes with some last minute heroics. This sticks out in my memory so much because it was my freshman year at BYU and my first Utah game. When we won, I wanted to charge the field like the rest of the crazy fans, but decided to obey the rules... Man, that would have been a cool memory, looking back. Oh well.

1. BYU vs Utah (2006)- "The Answered Prayer" The whole last drive was incredible, but Beck to Harline, who was kneeling in the end-zone, will forever stand out in my mind as one of the greatest moments ever! During the game, we were driving from Utah to Colorado. We were checking the score every time we could get cell phone reception in Wyoming. Then, we ran in to the apartment just in time to see the last drive. The suspense during that long drive made it even better when they won in such dramatic fashion. [A funny sidenote: My dad called us right before the last play to make sure that we were watching the game. Their TV was a little ahead of our cable box, so they started screaming a split-second before we saw Harline catch the ball. It was awesome!]

This game vs OU will definitely be joining the list of great memories (I just have to let it digest for a while to decide where it ranks). I definitely bleed BLUE! I'm sure I have forgotten some of the great games, so I would love to hear what you Cougar fans remember most.

Oh, and this is my favorite article about the win because it also mentions my hometown BSU Broncos. Check it out: Give Them Their Due

*Pic courtesy (AP/ Tony Gutierrez)