Remember when Utah football was good? Remember the excitement of every game week because each victory put the Utes closer and closer to their goal, playing in a BCS bowl?
I don't know about you, but when your team hits the skids, it makes those good time memories feel even more distant than they should.
Utah seems worlds away from their 2008 season, even if, today, they're in a better position as a program than they were three years ago.
Still, it's hard not to get a bit nostalgic. When the team you cheer for is struggling to keep its head above water, sometimes relishing in past glory, enjoying the happier days, makes it all that much more bearable.
This week, Utah faces an opponent who played an integral role in their '08 season. Had Brian Johnson not orchestrated a last-minute drive or if he barely missed the end zone on a bootleg two-point conversion, the entire dynamics of that season changes. No 13-0, no Sugar Bowl.
But something special happened that early-October night. Defying all odds, the Utes tore off 11 points in 90 seconds to stun the Oregon St. Beavers.
It was magical. Utah might need some of that same magic to get through the remainder of the '11 season. Though a different reason than the '08's game, Saturday's contest against the Beavers is, if you think about it, just as important.
It very well could be the difference between 6-6 and 4-8 or 5-7. It might be our last chance to gain any momentum heading into the final leg of the schedule.
The Utes need this one more than any game in the past decade.
So, here's to Utah reaching into their magical bag that helped deliver the Utes a perfect season three years ago.
It worked once already against Oregon State. It can work again, right?
Utes score 11 points in 90 seconds to beat Oregon State (via JazzyUte)