[Hardscrabble Utes] What a week. Barack Obama runs away with the presidential election on Tuesday, and the University of Utah Utes pull off a 13-10 squeaker against Texas Christian University last night at Rice-Eccles stadium.It was a final two minutes of terror, watching the blue-collar built Utes pull this one from the brink. Unless you've been sleeping inside a haystack for the past several weeks, you know the TCU Horned Frogs have the second-best defensive squad in the country--and for much of the game their offensive strategy was nothing to sneeze at, either.
But the Utes have this energy down deep that has a way of bursting forth in the final minutes of play (remember two TDs in the last couple of minutes against powerhouse Oregon State). They did it again last night, with wonder-quarterback Brian Johnson nailing a pass straight to receiver Freddie Brown in the final 50 seconds of the game for the Utes' only touchdown and the win. This is a hardscrabble team, with simply no capacity for losing. Seriously. These guys are a lunch bucket-carrying group. They work for a living--like a whole squad of Joe the Plumbers, except with helmets and padding. In fact, had John McCain had Brian the QB on his side, he just might have pulled out a win. Johnson is just that good, just that calm in a storm and just that persistent on the drive downfield.
Ute fans are now this close to another BCS busting season. The team's #10 national ranking is sure to climb after this weekend and there's pure joy at the thought of beating the team down south.
Happy Days are here again. Anyone else out there want to crow and strut about this incredible team? Lemme hear it. (Holly Mullen)
