The ride is over. A dream made absolute. A quest perfected.
Plays were made, some that would define an unbelievable season8212;plays from a group of cardiac kids who would leave college football with the task of scraping its jaw up from the living room carpet8212;week after week, game after game.
The Utes, a band of unusual suspects, accomplished something nobody expected.
There were stand-out plays that defined this season and quarterback Brian Johnson walked on water when it mattered most.
The season-opener at the Big House was deemed a “challenge” for the Utes. As soon as Johnson hit a streaking Jereme Brooks across the middle for a 55-yard gain, the muffed punt by Brooks that led to an early 7-0 Michigan lead was rendered inconsequential.
This team had resolve. It had a backbone.
With two minutes and 11 seconds left Oct. 2, Johnson looked up at the scoreboard and saw perfection and victory circling the drain. The score read 28-20, with the nod going toward an Oregon State team that had just beaten the formerly No. 1 USC Trojans. Johnson had taken an “average” pill up to that point. The athleticism and speed of the Beaver defense hounded Johnson for just over 58 minutes.
Utah’s fifth-year senior skipper looked into the stands and saw Utah fans shuffling out of Rice-Eccles Stadium dejectedly.
One thought ran through his mind.
“They’re about to miss a show,” Johnson said.
It was a show that resonated for the rest of the season in an already crazed, schizophrenic year of college football.
The clock read 1:37. Johnson and his 10 disciples stood at the OSU 25-yard line still down eight points. Lined up in the slot to Johnson’s right was Bradon Godfrey. Johnson clapped his hands and demanded the ball. The Beaver defense rushed in from all possible angles. Johnson would not be touched. He took a couple quick shuffle steps and let loose.
From the press box, the ball stayed afloat for what seemed like forever. Four converging OSU defenders looked primed to end the dream of going undefeated.
However, Johnson found his rhythm, poise and along with that, his man Godfrey for a 25-yard touchdown catch with a minute and 30 seconds left.
Godfrey popped up and let out a monumental, celebratory scream. He stood in the back of the end zone and flexed every muscle in his body. It was within the two-minute mark and it was Utah’s time, but Johnson exuded no emotion.
He calmly waltzed toward the end zone, knowing there was still work to be done. The two-point conversion was now Utah’s season.
It depended on Johnson, once again. And as he did all year long, he silenced the critics.
The play-action roll-out didn’t go as planned, so Johnson just did what he does best. He channeled his 2005 form and looked to possess 4.5 speed once again, reaching the pylon.
You know the rest of the story.
The defense holds, and Johnson shows off more heroics. Capping off a formerly insurmountable task, Louie Sakoda found the uprights from 37 yards out as time ticked off the clock at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
It all started with a senior quarterback who had seen his time on the hill flash before his eyes with less than two minutes left. He found the seam that would make it all possible.
Nothing can top 13-0, but a minute and 37 ticks left should ring in the minds of Utah fans for time and all eternity.
It certainly did for me8212;I had predicted a 30-28 victory for the Utes over OSU with a Louie Sakoda field goal as time expired a day before the game.
Utah’s most clutch athlete of all time didn’t let me down. The one point became trivial.
Chris Kamrani