I live in Colorado, but I don’t get out for games in Provo nearly enough. I do try and get out to away games, but it’s typically been losses to the likes of Texas, Michigan, ND, etc.

My 16 year old daughter asked this week why we haven’t scheduled a game, so I dropped everything, called up a buddy and got tickets for this one with K-State.

With the late kickoff, it was an easy drive through the barren wasteland of Wyoming. But I forgot how pretty Heber city and Provo canyon get in the fall.

My time in Provo started in 1996 with the A&M game being my first experience in “Cougar Stadium.” I spent my youth in southern Arizona watching byu games with my dad at the church. There was a group of diehards that never missed a broadcast, so watching byu football was engrained upon me from the beginning.

I’ve been back out to Provo over the years since leaving after school… 4th and 18, 54-10, WSU, UofA, random games when I could get out there, but it’s been a few years.

Saturday’s game.

I’ve certainly watched byu night games on tv, but the last night game for me (I don’t count 54-10, that night has been erased from memory) at LES was Luke Staley’s option run down the sideline and Jernaro Gildford’s INT to seal the game. The stadium was electric - great atmosphere and an exciting win for our cougars. But Saturday was on a level I really didn’t think possible.

The west side carnival of action is a far cry from what I was used to seeing as I approach the southwest gates. Walking under the stadium and seeing all of the banners from games I remember like yesterday brought a smile to my face and a tear to my eye. LES may not be the grandest of stadiums, but it was decked out in a way that made me overlook the steel trusses and girders and focus on the memories and excitement of what goes on there.

The game experience was almost foreign to me. In the past when Utes made fun of our “skittles crowd,” I couldn’t disagree. They were a sea of red, and we were just a mix of whatever fell out of the closet. I remember getting frustrated with fans that would cheer as our offense was setting up plays, etc. The change by our crowd is dramatic. We looked the part. Wearing our colors (or white in this case) was impressive. The football IQ of when to cheer, when to complain, and when to let our offense operate is amazing! The energy was palpable, overwhelming and electric. It was a pleasure to cheer on my beloved cougs by your side.

I don’t know who to praise within the program about the atmosphere. The lights, the fireworks, the pillars of fire and smoke! I’ve certainly seen videos of cosmo and his drums, the fire dancers… but augmented with a unified crowd, the music and lights…. Well done. Well freaking done. The whole game was a spectacle - and I ate it up like it was candy. CU’s Ralphie running the field with a cadre of students is cool, and OU’s Conestoga wagon is a fun touch. Watching ND’s band make their procession and students throwing marshmallows is cute. UW’s view of lake Washington is truly beautiful, but walking up to LES with the Wasatch looming overhead, and taking in the extravaganza of a night game is top notch!

My fellow cougars, we’ve come a long way.

I don’t know what to say about the game. My seats were high in the south end zone, right next to the camera box. Those first two series were unsettling, but holding KSU to field goals allowed us to keep hope. We had a father son combo from KSU sitting right next us. Exactly what you picture a Kansas state fan to be. The older gentleman wearing his purple gear but topped off with a green John Deere hat. They were excited to be there, confident in their team. My seats were aligned with the west post of the south goalpost… I was shocked that they called our field goal good - from my vantage point, it didn’t seem like it made it, but I was thrilled to get on the board before halftime. We know what happened next. I was not in the stadium for the 59-0 beatdown of UCLA, but I imagine the feeling was similar - there was no stopping the momentum freight train. It was a thing of beauty, every bounce, every call… the fourth down stops… just like you would dream it up.

My wife is from the east coast and Jewish. It makes me laugh when she feels like she’s somehow letting all of cougar nation down at any mistake he makes. Seeing him play well was an added bonus - she could enjoy everything about that game.

I made my wife and daughter watch The Cut this morning before work and school. Hearing them say that this makes them want to cry - I could only nod my head in agreement. BYU has somehow put together a production team that is truly exceptional.

Somebody said it right earlier this week. I feel like I somehow found myself in an alternate universe where God actually loves BYU sports. What a time to be a cougar fan!