It has been so fun! I haven't regretted buying them for one second. We have loved every single game, and it has been doubly fun to have extra tickets to give to people to come with us. It is a special treat for them and for us. To add to the fun, BYU has been in several super intense games that have been incredible to attend, and they even went undefeated at home.
BSU @BYU
During the first game of the season (@ Nebraska), we lost our star quarterback to a season-ending injury, but to everyone's surprise, true-freshman Tanner Mangum, came into the game and threw a hail mary pass to win the game. So, for our first home game against BSU, we weren't sure what to expect. We shouldn't have been worried...
This might have been the most exciting game I have ever been to. Since it was a really late start time, we left the kids at home with a babysitter and invited Cameron and Christa to come to the game with us. The Olsons were in the same predicament, so they brought their kids down, and we shared a babysitter (Thanks Chantel!) and they stayed the night. The first half started pretty slow, but the crowd started getting really into the action during the 3rd and 4th quarter as BYU started to score some points and get the score closer. BYU was down 24-21 with only a few minutes left. The crowd was so loud that my ears started ringing. I was screaming, Jonathon was screaming, and the stadium was as loud as a rock concert. The noise and energy distracted the other team so much, that they were unable to run their plays, and we got the ball back.
With one minute left, we were down by 3 points, and Tanner Mangum was leading the team down the field. Finally, it was 4th and 7. We were still too far for a field goal attempt, so we all knew the team had to make one last play. Mangum threw a hail mary to the end zone, and the ball was caught by Mitchell Juergens. Tanner had worked his magic 2 weeks in a row! The entire stadium erupted. People were screaming, jumping, and giving high-fives. It was so fun to be a part of. On the first play of the next drive, BSU threw an interception and that sealed the win. The crowd rushed the field to celebrate with the players. I really wanted to go. I was trying to come up with a way to do it, but we were so high up that it would have taken a while to get to field level, and then required us jumping over a wall. Haha! I would have done it, but Jonathon was much more mature. He mentioned that it probably wouldn't look good for a professor to be breaking the rules by rushing the field. Touché. I gave up on the idea, but it still would have been fun!
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| Victory Photo as the crowd rushes the field |
A few days before the game, my dear friend Kathryn, posted on Facebook that they were looking for some tickets for the game. It was another late start, so I knew we had 2 extras. The Olsons were so nice and gave us one of theirs so that Rob, Kathryn, and their son Grant could all go to the game with us. It was so fun to see them again. Kathryn was one of my Freshman roommates and remains one of my favorite people in the world. Rob was one of my FHE brothers, so I was so happy when they started dating and eventually got married. I love these two so much!Their 8 year old son, Grant, was exhausted from their long trip, and by half-time he was more than ready to go to bed, so they had to leave early. It was so worth it though for the 1 1/2 hours that I got to talk to Kathryn.
It was a really close game all the way until the 4th quarter. Finally, the team kicked it into gear, and we ended up beating them 30-13.
ECU@BYU
We finally got a home game at a decent time on a Saturday so that the kids could go. We all wore our BYU shirts and headed to the stadium. Christian and Andrew had been once a couple years before, but they didn't really remember much. We got them hot dogs for dinner, and a giant Cougar Tail for a treat to share. A Cougar Tail is a nearly 2 foot long maple donut. The kids were in heaven! Since it was the Homecoming game, they made the maple bar with blue frosting. The kids dived right into the donut and were quite content for a couple of hours. The nice thing about having nosebleed seats is that the stands aren't packed, so the kids had plenty of room to move around without bothering other people. When they got bored of the game, they played around on the bleachers, and Hyrum watched "Planes" on my phone.  |
| A comparison showing the size of the donut compared to Andrew's head :) |
By half time, Hyrum was getting tired and was ready to go. We had planned on that happening, so we were not surprised. I got the kids in the car and made it home before we missed much in the game. Jonathon and Christian stayed at the stadium. I watched the super exciting ending from home. BYU and ECU went back and forth for the whole game. BYU took a big lead to start, but Tanner Mangum got hurt and left the game. Our back-up QB couldn't do anything, and ECU came all the way back to tie the game. With only one drive left, Mangum hobbled back in the game and they drove the length of the field to score a touchdown! Another exciting finish and more magic for Mangum.
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| A photo-op with the "Y" on our way out |
Cincinnati@BYU
My brother Joe, and his wife Kym were in town for this game, so I was more than happy to watch the kids so that they could go with Jonathon to the game. We all went and tailgated beforehand, and then I took the kids home for a pizza and movie night. I only wish I would have taken Savannah too because she wasn't too cooperative for parts of the night. It was another great game. Cincinnati led most of the game until BYU scored 21 straight points in the 4th quarter to win the game. I watched it from home after I put all of the kids to bed. I'm glad Joe and Kym got to see a good game.
Wagner@BYU
A Saturday afternoon game was another perfect chance to take our family to the game. Jonathon's mom was nice enough to watch Hyrum so that we didn't need to find an extra ticket. It was also nice to not have to try to entertain him the whole time. Wagner is a small Div II school, so we knew that it wouldn't be much of a contest, but it would be fun for the older boys. The Olsons were bringing their family too, so we knew the kids would all have fun. Before the game, I got to go visit with one of my friends who was at the game. Lori was my Sophomore roommate, and she is a big football fan. It was fun to see her, and to sit in her awesome seats (the 3rd row) for a few minutes.
As expected, the game was a blow-out with BYU dominating in every category. They were just way bigger and much more physical. We got the kids another Cougar Tail to share (our new tradition), and they entertained themselves quite well. By half-time it was something like 58-0, so we were willing to go home if the kids wanted, but they seemed to be having fun. Jared and Jonathon took them outside the stadium and played catch with them for a while and Michelle and I chatted. The game wasn't all that exciting, but the friends and atmosphere was fun. We ended up leaving mid-way through the 4th quarter when the score was 70-6. Well done Cougs!
We had such a great time this season that we are already saving up to buy them again next year. What a fun tradition that I hope continues for a long time. GO COUGS!
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