BYU football: What is so special when the Cougars hit the road?

BYU fans showed up for the Cougars' upset victory over the Baylor Bears Saturday, Sept. 28,. 2028, in Waco, Texas. Cougar fans are being noticed at the games and in the communities where the Cougars play.

As Kalani Sitake stood and waved to another throng of BYU fans at McLane Stadium in Waco, Texas, on Saturday afternoon, the BYU head coach couldn’t help but get emotional. His Cougars had just defeated Baylor 34-28 for the program’s first Big 12 win away from home, but his heart was touched by the loyal showing of followers whenever BYU hits the road.

“We still have a lot of work to do still, but it feels good. I’m just happy the guys played well. I’m glad they performed well in front of our fans. We love our fans so much. They are part of us.” — BYU coach Kalani Sitake

“Awesome! I love them,” Sitake told BYUtv. “I am one of them.”

Having grown up a BYU fan living outside of Utah, Sitake understands the gathering power of BYU’s athletic teams — most notably, his football program. It’s more than just a game; it is a galvanizer. Sitake also knows that travel isn’t cheap, and neither are the tickets, but a community of fans, young and old, come anyway.

Special Collector's Issue: "1984: The Year BYU was Second to None" Get an inclusive look inside BYU Football's 1984 National Championship season. Buy Now

“We still have a lot of work to do still, but it feels good,” Sitake said. “I’m just happy the guys played well. I’m glad they performed well in front of our fans. We love our fans so much. They are part of us.”

Some fans travel thousands of miles to get to the games, while others drive just a few blocks. Even more impressive is the fact that they come no matter whether the team is winning or losing — but winning certainly helps — and these Cougars are winning.

BYU’s victory at Baylor gave the Cougars their first 5-0 start since 2001. The unbeaten September also has BYU up to No. 17 in the AP Top 25 and tied at the top of the Big 12 standings. Their projected win total from ESPN’s computer rankings has skyrocketed from 4.7 to 9.3.

All the while, BYU fans have found ways to contribute off the field. By the time the football team left Waco, area alumni donated 1,092 pounds of food and money to the Shepherd’s Heart food pantry to distribute to Texans in need. BYU alumni staged a similar service project at the SMU and Wyoming games.

Bob Gager started the Shepherd’s Heart pantry 15 years ago to assist the needs of the Waco community — needs that have exploded this year. His start-up project has grown into the largest faith-based pantry in central Texas. The pantry has served 73,149 families through the first nine months of the year, while assisting thousands more in other capacities, including meals at school.

What Gager saw Saturday from BYU fans was something he hadn’t seen before.

BYU players recognize BYU faithful in the stands after the Cougars' updated win over the Baylor Bears Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Waco, Texas. | BYU Photo

“This is the first time it’s happened,” Gager said of a visiting school staging a food drive for the opposing team’s community. “I really appreciate you guys. I was so impressed. So impressed. The tailgate party that they set up there was like setting up a small city overnight. It was huge.”

Kickoff time for the game wasn’t announced until six days prior, which had BYU alumni in the region scrambling to pull it off. For Gager, a 40-year resident of Waco and a Baylor fan, the act of giving on a game day left a tremendous impression.

“We are just the hands and feet. What we do every day is Matthew 25 in action,” Gager said. “If you have done it unto the least of these, you have done it unto me. That’s what it’s about. Who is your neighbor? Cougars or Bears — it doesn’t make any difference. There are no brands on who your neighbor is. What (Latter-day Saints) did this past Saturday was terrific.”

Last week, BYU fans helped Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson raise over $60,000 to pay for cancer treatments for Johnson’s former high school principal. The surge in support came after BYU’s 38-9 win in Provo.

Prior to the game, Johnson issued a plea to his followers to donate for each touchdown he scored over the course of the season. BYU held his offense to three field goals, but Cougar fans opened their wallets, and the dollar figures raced past the initial fundraising goal of $20,000.

When asked about the BYU fans and their contributions, Johnson said, “It just goes to show that there are a lot of great people in the world.”

The BYU Alumni Association has made it a point to leave a positive mark on wherever the football team plays. Their efforts turned a lot of heads last year when the Cougars went to Arkansas for the first time and upset the Razorbacks 38-31.

After the game, an Arkansas fan tweeted, “I’m a Hog fan and they just came to town, donated 40lbs of food, beat us, prayed for us, and left town. Felt like being slapped by a man.”

Mission accomplished — minus the slapping.

BYU head coach Kalani Sitake acknowledges BYU faithful in the stands after the Cougars' updated win over the Baylor Bears Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Waco, Texas. | Jaren Wilkey, BYU Photo

Dave McCann is a sportswriter and columnist for the Deseret News and is a play-by-play announcer and show host for BYUtv/ESPN+. He co-hosts “Y’s Guys” at ysguys.com and is the author of the children’s book “C is for Cougar,” available at deseretbook.com.

Click here to read article