Did I want to go to the game?  Yes, I did. 

Did I go to the game?  Yes, I did. 

Did I honestly think BYU had a chance to win the game?  Absolutely not.

Believe me…I’m as big a BYU fan as there is but I was being REALISTIC.  Oklahoma has a bigger, stronger, faster team than BYU.  All I was hoping for was for the Cougars to keep it within 2 touchdowns.  Plus, an opportunity to watch the game in the new $1.2 Billion Dallas Cowboys Stadium was too much to pass up.

We left Salt Lake City on Friday morning.  No other BYU fans were in sight at the airport.  We had a layover in Minneapolis/St. Paul and picked up a few Oklahoma fans.  One actually sat next to us.  She didn’t talk to us…but I know what she was thinking.  “Stupid BYU fans…we’re going to crush them.” 

We were greeted at the Dallas/Ft. Worth airport terminal by the “Kissing Grandmas.”  After a few hugs and kisses from them we headed outside where our ride, Patrick, was there waiting to pick us up (you’ll have to ask me later about the “Kissing Grandmas”).  Our first stop would be to the Denton Stake Center where the team was doing their pre-game fireside.  Patrick lives in the area and was able to secure tickets to the event.  We made it to the church about 1-1/2 hours early and the doors were still locked and a line was forming.  Brad and I needed to change into dress clothes and I scoped out our available dressing options.  At the back of the parking lot was a small enclosure where the large satellite dish is located.  I checked it out and told Brad that it would work.  We grabbed our suitcases and headed to the make-shift changing room.  Like Superman exiting from a telephone booth, we walked out in different clothes than what we had entered in. 

This was the first pre-game fireside that we had made it to; our previous road trips had not afforded us the opportunity.  The fireside was amazing with talks by players Landon Jaussi and Spencer Hafoka and Holli and Bronco Mendenhall.  I have listened to Coach Mendenhall talk on radio during interviews and post-game shows and I really like his messages.  When you add a spiritual level to it–his message is even greater.

I believed that Brandon Bradley’s Mother was accompanying him at the fireside and at the conclusion I wanted to talk to her for a minute.  She and Brandon are from the same ward in Tallahasssee, Florida as my two brothers.  Both of my brothers had talked about her but I had never had the opportunity to meet her.  Once I told her my name she knew exactly who I was and was glad that she could finally meet me and I told her likewise for me.  She will be in Provo when Florida State visits and I told her I would keep my eyes open for her then.

We went to dinner and had good Texas BBQ that was served to us on a large metal garbage can lid.  The smell of the place was amazing and the food was even better.  Then it was off to Patrick’s house where we would be staying the next two nights. 

Saturday morning had a distinct smell to it and it had nothing to do with the wonderful waffle breakfast that Patrick’s wife prepared for us.  It was the smell of football in the air.  Around 2:00 PM we headed out to grab some food prior to heading to the stadium.  I had requested that we stop at Buffalo Wild Wings as I had gotten hooked on the place when I visited Orlando in July and there are none in Utah.  The boneless wings were good and that was where we saw the first of our fellow Cougar fans who were sitting with some Oklahoma fans.  I told them that they couldn’t be very good friends each rooting for the other team.

Patrick had a friend who said she lived 1/2 mile from the stadium and allowed us to park at her place.  Boy, she could make some serious money if she charged for parking.  A small strip mall just down the street from her place was charging $50 per car.  We started walking to the stadium and as we merged in with all the other people heading to the game it was more obvious that there were 60,000+ OU fans and only 15,000 BYU fans.  We made it to the stadium and Brad and I had our regular photo taken outside of the playing venue.

The stadium is as impressive on the outside as what I had seen on various TV shows leading up to the opening of the stadium last month.  The giant video screens on the outside of the stadium were not on, however.  We made our way into the stadium and as we passed through security the gentlemen screening us told us that they had the air conditioning on for us.  This would be the most enjoyable game I have ever attended in 90 degree heat!!!

Once inside we began walking up the endless ramp towards our seats.  It seemed like we walked for a mile traversing our way up towards our seats.  We had purchased the $50 seats and ended up being on the third row from the top (but at least we were in the building) and we were in friendly confines with a large contigent of Cougar fans.

Well, by now you all know how the game ended up.  BYU, ranked #20, upset #3 ranked Oklahoma by a score of 14-13.  The jubilation from our corner of the stadium at the end of the game was electric.  We stuck around for a little while just enjoying the momend and pondering which of the games, Miami 1990 or this one, was the best one we had been to.  It’s a day later and I still haven’t decided.  All of the BYU games that I go to are magical memories!!!