By Ana Breton

Terri Jackson sits nervously, scooting toward the edge of her seat.

She sits in the front row in the pep band section, looking around her, observing the band director’s every move.

His baton sways; her eyes follow.

It’s the U football game against University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and Jackson has switched her focus from the director’s baton to the scoreboard.

But she’s not particularly paying attention to the score. She’s counting down.

Ten?nine?eight?

She’s antsy and waiting for the end of the third quarter.

Seven?six?five?

She straightens her posture and runs her hands over her outfit, which comprises a red U football jersey bearing the number 27 and oversized, ornament-like U earrings.

Four?three?two?

The baton signals the pep band to start playing, and Jackson is off.

Jumping up, Jackson starts dancing her dance. She shimmies, she shakes and for the minute or two that follow, all eyes in Rice-Eccles Stadium are on her.

The MUSS crowd below cheers, and Jackson smiles, then blows kisses back.

She does it because, for the extent of the song, Terri Jackson is not Terri Jackson. She is the “crazy lady”–and she is a star.

Jackson, or as students have dubbed her, “the crazy-third-quarter lady,” started dancing in the pep band section at every home and away game because of her dedication, she said.

Seven years ago, the band director at the time asked a group of people who were dancing at a tailgate party near the stadium to join him in the Marching Utes section.

After several games, the tailgaters filtered away and Jackson was the only one left.

Jackson then took over the spot as “the crazy-third-quarter lady” when “Bubbles,” the woman who danced before her, quit after 12 years.

The only difference between her and “Bubbles,” Jackson said, is the fact that “Bubbles was more voluptuous and had bigger boobs.”

The 56-year-old Jackson, however, is more dedicated, she said, because she doesn’t plan on quitting anytime soon.

“It’s actually an honor to dance with the band,” Jackson, said. “They love me, and I really do love them.”

Chandra Young, who plays with the Marching Utes, said “the crazy-third-quarter lady” is one of the highlights of the game.

“She is just the coolest person,” said Young, a freshman in music. “And she’s really nice and down-to-earth.”

And for the record, Jackson said she would like to clear rumors that she is related to any of the players.

The 27 on her jersey stands for her February birthday and the letters “TLCAJ” stand for her full name.

She loves dancing with the band so much, she said, because she gets to cheer for the Utes, something she didn’t have the chance to do when she was a student at the U.

Graduating in ’76 with a bachelor’s degree in special education, Jackson worked close to 40 hours a week and enrolled in more than 20 credit hours per semester.

Now, Jackson works as a counselor for Granite School District. She has two children and two grandchildren, who are more than used to seeing her as a hometown celebrity.

“We love her. She’s crazy, but that’s just who she is,” said Jackson’s daughter, Kylee Jackson. “She’s not just energetic here, either; that’s how she’s always been.”

Judy Blackburn, who worked for guest services at Rice-Eccles Stadium, said she admires Jackson because of her famous dance, something Blackburn could never do.

“I like her because she’s just out there being silly and does what she feels like doing,” Blackburn said.

Her favorite game, she said, was the Emerald Bowl against Georgia Tech in 2005 because “the U was the underdog; we weren’t expecting them to win.”

The U beat Georgia Tech 38-10.

During the UNLV game, one long-time fan, Abby Spencer, came up to Jackson and asked for an autograph.

“She’s just a woman with a lot of energy, and it would be really cool to dance with her,” Spencer said.

After asking several times, Spencer, a junior in cosmetology at Salt Lake Community College, was allowed to sit with Jackson during the rest of the third quarter.

“I love the celebrity status,” Jackson said. “People say I have a lot of energy, so it makes me wonder what I was in a past life.”

As for how long she’ll continue to be “the crazy-third-quarter lady,” Jackson said she doesn’t plan on quitting anytime soon.

“It’s an honor to do this and very flattering,” Jackson said. “I think I will do it until I die.”

Lennie Mahler

“She’s just a woman with a lot of energy, and it would be really cool to dance with her,” longtime fan Abby Spencer said about “crazy lady” Terri Jackson at the Sept. 28 football game against UNLV at Rice-Eccles Stadium.

Mike Terry

Terri Jackson, also known as “the crazy-third-quarter lady, busts a move during the third quarter of the Utes’ Sept. 5 football game against TCU at Rice-Eccles Stadium.