Cougars (and their fans) on the road
LAWRENCE, Kansas – “They travel well” is something you can plan to hear when it comes to BYU fans and away games. With a sellout crowd of 47,233 at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium for the game against Kansas on Saturday, there were certainly many BYU fans to be found.
David Nelson, from Spanish Fork, Utah, traveled to Kansas to support his son, junior defensive tackle John Nelson.
“It is great to see the BYU support no matter where they are playing, whether Arkansas, Las Vegas, or Florida. There are always fans who show up,” he said.
Not only are there die-hard Cougar fans who are willing to make the trek Midwest, there are also BYU fans worldwide due to the nature of the brand and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Alan Lovejoy made the trip from St. George, Utah, this weekend but was found donned in a hat with both the BYU and Kansas University logos. Alan and his wife are BYU graduates, but Alan became a Jayhawk as he attended their medical center, and his wife grew up in Kansas City.
“I win today either way,” Lovejoy said.
Brent Lamb lives in Kansas City, Kansas, and is no stranger to having the Cougars come to play close to where he lives. “I lived on the Big Island, and my dad would take us to Oahu to watch the games,” Lamb said. “It is awesome that they are playing close to us now.”
There is no shortage of families at BYU games, including away ones.
Steven Buchanan traveled to the game from Utah to meet his sons, Mark, from New York, and Matt, from Colorado, here in Kansas. “We like to pick a game a year and meet up as a family,” Matt Buchanan said.
Joining the Big 12 Conference brings the Cougars to a new level of Power 5 competition, which means Cougar fans, no matter where the game is held, need to be louder than ever.
“It is an amazing experience to be a part of the Big 12 Conference,” Nelson said. “It shows the strength of the BYU football brand, the ability of the players to compete at a high level, and the first-class coaching. It is just going to build from here.”
