And sorry they could not travel both
And be one traveler, long they played
In 2000, some 20 years ago, a fledgling Boise State squad met on the field of battle with a Miner team that had seen a resurgence for the first time since the Stull years in the late 80s. Both teams had persisted through a fine season and were now in the national spotlight in the Humanitarian Bowl just before New Year's Eve. Boise State was just in the infancy stage of its now-legendary rise to football prominence having risen from the ranks of Division 1-AA, now FCS, in the early 90s. Under former UTEP assistant Dirk Koeter from the Stull years, BSU stood poised to make a giant leap in its football legacy. But so was UTEP under Gary Nord. Both teams aspired to turn the promise of a brighter future into reality.
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Despite all their differences, both teams took the field under very similar circumstances. Both fighting to gain respectability in the now FBS. Both from the mountain west region of the country. Both would be battling in the Western Athletic Conference, at least for a few more years before UTEP would make the jump to CUSA. Both with an equal opportunity to build their programs into consistent winners.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
The result of the game is perhaps not as important as what would result in the years since. Boise State went on to win a hard-fought match against a very good Miner team. Their history after that first big win in their program history speaks for itself. UTEP experienced success as well and at the height of their popularity, jumped to a sexier albeit more disparate conference - a Confederation of diverse and widespread schools with less in common than the schools they had left behind. Some of those schools have been clamoring to return to their roots for a very long time.
Two roads diverged, will join again this Friday night. Redemption perhaps? No. Not in one game. But perhaps a new and different future awaits both teams.
Two roads diverged on a blue field, and They—
They took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
And be one traveler, long they played
In 2000, some 20 years ago, a fledgling Boise State squad met on the field of battle with a Miner team that had seen a resurgence for the first time since the Stull years in the late 80s. Both teams had persisted through a fine season and were now in the national spotlight in the Humanitarian Bowl just before New Year's Eve. Boise State was just in the infancy stage of its now-legendary rise to football prominence having risen from the ranks of Division 1-AA, now FCS, in the early 90s. Under former UTEP assistant Dirk Koeter from the Stull years, BSU stood poised to make a giant leap in its football legacy. But so was UTEP under Gary Nord. Both teams aspired to turn the promise of a brighter future into reality.
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Despite all their differences, both teams took the field under very similar circumstances. Both fighting to gain respectability in the now FBS. Both from the mountain west region of the country. Both would be battling in the Western Athletic Conference, at least for a few more years before UTEP would make the jump to CUSA. Both with an equal opportunity to build their programs into consistent winners.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
The result of the game is perhaps not as important as what would result in the years since. Boise State went on to win a hard-fought match against a very good Miner team. Their history after that first big win in their program history speaks for itself. UTEP experienced success as well and at the height of their popularity, jumped to a sexier albeit more disparate conference - a Confederation of diverse and widespread schools with less in common than the schools they had left behind. Some of those schools have been clamoring to return to their roots for a very long time.
Two roads diverged, will join again this Friday night. Redemption perhaps? No. Not in one game. But perhaps a new and different future awaits both teams.
Two roads diverged on a blue field, and They—
They took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
