8 Years Ago Today

It was an incredible atmosphere. Sat in first tier, student side - loudest I've heard Kyle in my 29 seasons going to games. I couldn't hear myself think.

That was one of my favorite games that I’ve attended in person.

The bonfire game, the comeback against Ok State, and that Nebraska game stand out to me.

I skipped a not-so-close friend's wedding (well just the reception, only family was invited to the wedding ceremony) so I could go to this game.

I regret some decisions in life, but definitely not that one.

My last game as a student (same for my then-girlfriend Aggiebelle--I proposed less than a month later). First/only time I'd ever camped out for tickets. Just felt it was going to be a big one. My brother was a walk on that year. I asked him before every game what his honest opinion was. Whether he actually thought we'd win or not. He'd accurately called every game to that point (including the OU game a few weeks earlier), so when he told me "yeah, we're gonna do it," I latched onto that and didn't let go.

It was Aggiebelle's last march-in as a cadet, so I usually walked next to the outfit as they made their way from the Quad to Kyle Field, then I'd meet up with her under the south bleachers for bootline so we could give my brother a high-five as the team made their entrance. I remember looking up through the gap in the bleachers as the drums started and the shite stopped me in my tracks. Everybody had a 12th man towel and was on beat. I'd never seen it that lit at kickoff from that vantage point before. One of the security guys (older black guy in a yellow coat) next to me was staring at the scene just slack jawed. He turned towards me and just shook his head and said "that's beautiful, man."

Camping out for tickets paid off--we got seats on the track by the student side of the 10 yard line on the north side in front of Corps block. The game was amazing--I'm a fan of defensive struggles, so it was exactly the kind of game I was hoping for. Weirdly enough, it didn't really hit me that it was the last time on the student side doing all that comes with it, until I saw the FTAB come off the field. They had to pass right in front of us on their way back to their seats and almost all the seniors were in tears. shite got real for me in that moment.

Perhaps there have been louder games and moments in Kyle Field, but the sustained cacophony of the 2nd half experienced at field level was absolutely insane. Most everyone around me including myself was hoarse by the middle of the 3rd quarter. And we kept on fricking yelling. That's how I'll always remember Kyle Field as a student. Seeing the 12th Man towels fly after the final defensive stand, rushing the field with Aggiebelle, randomly running into Damani (I still don't know how that happened, we were all just running around yelling ), and getting to sing the War Hymn and Saw 'Em off facing the 12th Man at the final home game was some storybook shite to an overinvested fan like me. I was just glad I wasn't the only one emotional walking off the field.

Incredible night. Will never forget it

That's good stuff right there.

quote:

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Everybody had a 12th man towel and was on beat. I'd never seen it that lit at kickoff from that vantage point before. One of the security guys (older black guy in a yellow coat) next to me was staring at the scene just slack jawed. He turned towards me and just shook his head and said "that's beautiful, man."

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Yes it was

I watched the game in a hotel bar in Atlanta. Even on TV, it was epic. Got a tad overserved. After the game, I walked up to every stranger I encountered and said something like: “Sell your stocks. The world is ending. Texas A&M just beat Nebraska.”