Rise and Shout...

...it's college football season. 

While an undergrad at BYU, I only missed one home football game (ironically, it was to study for the LSAT and I would have much preferred to get a sunburn at the game). When we got married, I bought Jenni season football tickets and a BYU sweatshirt for her birthday. She was a good sport and stood next to me at the games. She cheered when the stadium cheered, but refused to sing the fight song or join in on the "rah-rah's," but instead would mumble A Utah Man am I under her breath. Before kickoff, she would always ask, "Ok, now how much do they have to be up by before we can go?" My reply was always the same: it doesn't matter what the score is, we stay until the clock expires. Eric V. and I once stood in the freezing rain and wind in LeVell Edwards Stadium while we waited out a 45min. lightning delay to watch the last 4 min. of a game the Cougars were sure to win anyway. Most of the stadium had left. Not us. 

Jenni would only think about football while at the game. For me, however, it was a different story. Saturdays during fall semester were not just part of the weekend, it was football Saturday. I'd forget about sleeping in, but instead get up to watch ESPN's College Game Day Preview. Then we'd go to the game (or watch it on TV) sometime in the mid-afternoon, then in the evening go back to the apartment for College Game Day wrap-up and Sports Center's Top Ten. Then on Monday the new rankings would come out. Monday morning is spent reading the weekend re-cap of games around the country, reading the analysis of the new rankings, and checking up on teams still ahead on BYU's schedule. I love college football. 

So far, the season is off to a great start. Both BYU and KU easily handled their 1-AA opponents, ironing out the kinks before they take on some key non-conference opponents, and the Utes silenced a capacity-crowd at the Big House while the nation watched on ABC. 

On ESPN, Lou Holtz said that BYU and Utah are teams to watch for being BCS busters this season. But each BCS-busting team in the past has had one thing in common: a perfect record. Since it's likely that both BYU and Utah will each be undefeated when they meet in November, it only heightens the drama. But none of that really matters. When those two teams clash, it doesn't matter if one or both are nationally ranked, it doesn't matter if one or both or neither have had a spectacular season, it doesn't matter if one or both or neither are undefeated or winless. It's a different sort of game. We'll just have to wait at see whether Bronco's theme of a "Quest for Perfection" will be reflected in this season's record.