Utter Humiliation

November 6^th 2010 was the biggest Mountain West (non BCS) football game in all of Utah Sports history. Chris Fowler, Lee Corso, Kirk Herbstreit, and Desmond Howard rolled up in the College GameDay bus at Rice-Eccles to add to the drama between TCU and Utah. On Saturday morning I was fortunate enough to get a phone call from my good friend “The Brain” who invited me to the game. With all of the type that surrounded the game, I couldn’t say no.

As we got there fans were all ready crazy, with signs, banners and we even saw a pirate and Darth Vader ready for the stadium black out to cheer the Utes to victory. Vegas had the point spread favoring TCU by 5, but Kirk Herbstreit gave us all a sense of assurance with his pick on GameDay, which was for the Utes to defend their house and pull off the victory.

While we were waiting for the game to start we were thinking to ourselves what if the Utes win out, would we be going to the Rose Bowl or the National Title Game, and how sweet that would be. In peewee league you learn to take things one-step at a time…. we all forgot that golden rule on Saturday. The fans overlooked TCU, the coaches didn’t study and analyze well enough, and most certainly the players looked like a bunch of Looney Tunes going up against the steroid boosted Monstars of Space Jam in 1996.

When the players took the field the stadium was rockin’ and we were all ready to put a whooping on the horned frogs. People had signs that read “TCU, keeping ugly girls out of Utah since 1996.” Everyone was ready for the big game…. except for Wynn and the Utes.

Nothing went right from the very start. We differed the kick which turned out to be a huge mistake, we let TCU have their way with us offensively, making us look like a video game stuck on easy mode. TCU’s defense also shined bright, only allowing Utah four first downs and a wimpy 72 total offensive yards at the half. The Utes were getting torn apart and we as fans were happy that this slaughter house of embarrassment wasn’t on National TV.

As the second half started and the Utes down 30+ with the big goose egg on the board, the fans somehow scrapped up enough energy and pride to cheer on the Utes one more time, in hopes that the Honor, Commitment, Service, Country, Duty, and Freedom found on their jerseys could transfer from the battle ground to the playing field. Unfortunately even after a 45 yard kick off return to start the half, TCU’s smothering defense came up with yet another turnover and conversion for points with its offense soon after. Deflating all hopes of a comeback, and making Utah look like a herd of horses grazing in a pasture with no agenda…and for the first time in my life I watched the stands begin to clear out with 13:00 still on the clock in the third quarter.

Utah’s performance was nothing short of a disappointment; we were dominated and made to look like fools in the national spotlight. To sum up the game for those of you who were lucky enough not to see it it’s best described in two words, Utter Humiliation. But on the bright side the Utes still have the Vegas bowl within sight…not saying that’s much of a game but at least it’s something.