Air Force vs Notre Dame

I made the quick 8 hour jaunt from Salt Lake to Colorado Springs, passing through some of the most ruggedly beautiful terrain the Rockies have to offer to watch the Irish visit the Air Force Academy. Passing through a few security checkpoints, we toasted a robust tailgating atmosphere with a few of Colorado's finest microbrews from Breckenridge Brewery. We then filed into Falcon Stadium where on a sunny, yet windy high plains afternoon, the Irish promptly grounded the cadets 39-17.

BYU vs San Diego State: Cougars on the prowl...

Nestled into the rocky hillside along the picturesque Wasatch Range, Lavell Edwards Stadium may claim one of the most awe inspiring backdrops in all of College Football. Claiming a few unique traits among the CFB landscape, BYU is the only alcohol free tailgating I have experienced in my travels. Naturally, I opted for student seating, and despite the obvious sobriety of all, it was surprisingly boisterous and loud. The team also sports an imposing Haka during their warmups, a feature introduced by the well represented Tongan members of the BYU squad.

The Cougars proved quite formidable in their home venue, after some they promptly thrashed the Aztecs in short order to the tune of 47-17.

Utah vs Boise State: Busted by the Broncos

On a clear fall afternoon in Salt Lake City, the Utes hosted prolific Boise State and their perennial quest for perfection. Since the departure of coaching prodigy Urban Meyer the year before, the hapless Utes barely put up a fight this day and were trounced in their own backyard 36-3.

Fiesta Bowl: Notre Dame vs Ohio State

After a successful 2005 campaign, the Irish took the field in Sun Devil Stadium against the Ohio State Buckeyes in a compelling Fiesta Bowl matchup. The outcome on the field, however, proved to be a disappointing way to end the season and would ultimately expose the defensive shortcomings of Charlie Weis. Despite the lackluster performance, there are far worse places to spend New Years than under the bright sunshine of Tempe, Arizona, and it was certainly a welcome respite from the long winter of the Midwest.


Final Score: Notre Dame 20 Ohio State 34