Looking back at Texas
I think all of those who experienced the Wyoming-Texas football game Saturday at War Memorial Stadium, whether you were a player, coach, fan, media person, UW employee, or whatever else you are out there, came away with a little extra adrenaline in your veins, regardless of the outcome.
Without trying to be in awe, it was hard not to feel that way. After all, the Cowboys were playing one of the top college football programs in college football history, the Texas Longhorns ... in Laramie.
Sure, the Cowboys have played the likes of Florida, Tennessee, Georgia, Auburn, Ohio State throughout the years -- and played them pretty well for the most part -- but they had to play those powers away from home. They wanted no part of 7,220.
Heck, even Nebraska and Colorado have avoided Laramie. The Cornhuskers are coming to Wyoming in the future, but CU ... well, that's another story.
But Texas said, "Go to Wyoming? Why not." Of course, UW will have to go to Austin twice in the deal, but the 2-for1 trade-out is well worth it.
Head coach Dave Christensen, before coming to Wyoming, had been a part of much larger crowds and games while an assistant at Missouri. But the words electric, awesome and incredible came to mind when talking about the atmosphere after the game.
It's Christensen's goal to have 30,000 plus for all Wyoming games "when we get this thing turned around."
As a longtime media member covering Wyoming football (currently in 21st year), I think about that possibility and, to be honest, I can't quite imagine it yet. I've seen too many games with 12,000 to 15,000 to realize that 30,000 a game would be very difficult.
With all of Wyoming's success throughout the years, there have been plenty of years of disappointment, including recently. A consistent winner and consistent, disciplined program will go a long way in achieving Christensen's goal.
Maybe I can be convinced. Let's hope so.
Saturday was a huge, huge step in the right direction. Sure, it would have turned out better if the Cowboys had given the second-ranked Longhorns a better game in the second half. That didn't happen.
But how about that first half? Thanks to be blocked punt and touchdown, the Cowboys were leading mighty Texas with just over a minute left in the second quarter. The national media suddenly was paying attention to the game. An upset watch was forming.
The Longhorns, however, showed why they are a strong candidate to win another national title and are as talented as they are. They showed why they are the second most winningest program in college football history.
Christensen said after the game, and again Monday during his weekly media teleconference, that he is not into moral victories. He wanted to win, and I think the Cowboys, whether they truly believed they could or not, were in the game to win as well.
In fact, Christensen admitted that being down by three points at halftime was the first time he had ever -- and he emphasized ever -- been that close to a Top 5 program at halftime in his coaching career.
Never with Toledo; never with a Top 25 program at Missouri.
Not a bad start as head coach, if you asked me.
Because I was also a photographer on Saturday, I had originally planned on taking pictures in the first quarter and then coming up to the press box for the rest of the game. With the way the game was going, I found myself walking the sideline over and over again, following the football.
Of course, my pictures pale in comparison to most of the media photogs there, but I didn't care. As far as getting up to the press box to blog the action, that was going to have to wait.
Maybe some day, playing a team like Texas will just be another game. For now, being down on the sidelines, just a few yards away from the action, was an adrenaline rush I won't soon forget.
Without trying to be in awe, it was hard not to feel that way. After all, the Cowboys were playing one of the top college football programs in college football history, the Texas Longhorns ... in Laramie.
Sure, the Cowboys have played the likes of Florida, Tennessee, Georgia, Auburn, Ohio State throughout the years -- and played them pretty well for the most part -- but they had to play those powers away from home. They wanted no part of 7,220.
Heck, even Nebraska and Colorado have avoided Laramie. The Cornhuskers are coming to Wyoming in the future, but CU ... well, that's another story.
But Texas said, "Go to Wyoming? Why not." Of course, UW will have to go to Austin twice in the deal, but the 2-for1 trade-out is well worth it.
Head coach Dave Christensen, before coming to Wyoming, had been a part of much larger crowds and games while an assistant at Missouri. But the words electric, awesome and incredible came to mind when talking about the atmosphere after the game.
It's Christensen's goal to have 30,000 plus for all Wyoming games "when we get this thing turned around."
As a longtime media member covering Wyoming football (currently in 21st year), I think about that possibility and, to be honest, I can't quite imagine it yet. I've seen too many games with 12,000 to 15,000 to realize that 30,000 a game would be very difficult.
With all of Wyoming's success throughout the years, there have been plenty of years of disappointment, including recently. A consistent winner and consistent, disciplined program will go a long way in achieving Christensen's goal.
Maybe I can be convinced. Let's hope so.
Saturday was a huge, huge step in the right direction. Sure, it would have turned out better if the Cowboys had given the second-ranked Longhorns a better game in the second half. That didn't happen.
But how about that first half? Thanks to be blocked punt and touchdown, the Cowboys were leading mighty Texas with just over a minute left in the second quarter. The national media suddenly was paying attention to the game. An upset watch was forming.
The Longhorns, however, showed why they are a strong candidate to win another national title and are as talented as they are. They showed why they are the second most winningest program in college football history.
Christensen said after the game, and again Monday during his weekly media teleconference, that he is not into moral victories. He wanted to win, and I think the Cowboys, whether they truly believed they could or not, were in the game to win as well.
In fact, Christensen admitted that being down by three points at halftime was the first time he had ever -- and he emphasized ever -- been that close to a Top 5 program at halftime in his coaching career.
Never with Toledo; never with a Top 25 program at Missouri.
Not a bad start as head coach, if you asked me.
Because I was also a photographer on Saturday, I had originally planned on taking pictures in the first quarter and then coming up to the press box for the rest of the game. With the way the game was going, I found myself walking the sideline over and over again, following the football.
Of course, my pictures pale in comparison to most of the media photogs there, but I didn't care. As far as getting up to the press box to blog the action, that was going to have to wait.
Maybe some day, playing a team like Texas will just be another game. For now, being down on the sidelines, just a few yards away from the action, was an adrenaline rush I won't soon forget.
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