My first college football game- Utes!

Growing up, I went to a highschool without a football team.  Then, I went to a college without a football team.  Then, I transferred to a collage without a football team. Football was just something I never "learned to love" or appreciate.

Then I went to graduate school at a University where football was a part of the culture of the University.  Like our Uconn Huskies for my East Coast friends. 

(Except I am still not entirely sure what a Ute is...)

The Utah Utes Football is part of the Pacific-12 Conference (Pac-12) and is NCAA Division 1. 

I never really got a feel for college football, or never even attended a college football game for that matter, until last weekend. 

The Trax makes a stop at the University Stadium, and is my typical stop when I am going to class.  However on game day, the Trax stations are MOBBED with seas of red and white t-shirts, and they even put a few extra trains on schedule.   Young and old, there are many die hard Ute fans that have their gear and their padded seats.  They even close down some of the parking lots for tailgating before the game.   I should have known this was a bad sign.  I do not do well in MOBS of people and tend to avoid theme parks and such for this reason. 

I don't really "get' football, but being a student, I get a free ticket in the "Mighty Utah Student Section", called the "MUSS" and decided it may be a fun way to enjoy some sunshine and a beer while supporting my new school. 

Well, 

I found out very quickly that:

A.  Rice-Eccles Stadium does not sell alcohol.  Apparently this is a new trend among college football stadiums.  A trend I was very disappointed with on a hot Saturday afternoon.   While I get why crowds may get to rowdy, and underaged drinking may get out of control, it was a bummer to not enjoy an ice cold beer on a hot day. 

B.  Utah does not have any shade and the sun feels 1000x worst than what I am used to.  It literally feels like you are sitting under a broiler.  I ended up leaving after the half time break because I couldn't take the sun anymore.  

C.  You can keep buying $4 bottles of water, or wait in the hour line that wraps around the concourse to refill your water bottle at the bubbler/fountain because it is about 100 degrees in the sun on those bleachers. 

I wasn't very interested in the game to be honest, but I did enjoy the marching band and watching the crowd interact.  This was a great place to people watch and see die hard football fans in the act.  I really enjoyed watching the student section interacting at the game. 

While the game was something different to experience as a new U of U student and Utah resident, it really wasn't my cup of tea.  Mobs on the shuttle, Mobs in the concourse, no shade, and no beer. I repeat. no beer.   I told Thatcher we could consider going to one of the night games.  A hot coffee and a sweatshirt on the bleachers sounds much better than the intense Utah sun.

Another lesson learned in the "Bring your own shade" chapter of life in Utah.