‘This is a dream come true’ — BYU students go crazy for ‘Big Noon Kickoff’ in Provo

Plenty of college kids struggle to wake up for their early classes. But at BYU, getting up before sunrise to be part of a nationally televised pregame show is apparently no problem at all.

Fox’s “Big Noon Kickoff” made the trip to LaVell Edwards Stadium Saturday prior to the No. 14-ranked Cougars’ matchup with Arizona, and despite the tailgate beginning at 6:30 a.m. and live broadcast starting 90 minutes later, a sea of royal blue flooded the west stadium parking lot for the largest pre-show crowd in the history of “Kickoff.”

“We’re only in college once, BYU is 5-0 and Fox is in town,” BYU student Garrett Glauser said. “Why wouldn’t we be here?”

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Glauser’s tailgate experience began long before dawn on Saturday morning.

He and his friends were parked in line for the event beginning at 11 a.m. Friday and were eventually joined by hundreds of other students and fans who camped overnight to ensure they could be seen on Fox’s cameras once the show was live.

“Every Saturday morning I would flip between GameDay and Fox, just enjoying college football and all the hype it brings,” Shawn McDougal said. “So when they announced Fox was coming to Provo I didn’t believe it at first, I was so excited. Why not spend the night for it? I never thought they’d come to BYU. This is a dream come true.”

The overnight campers pitched tents, set up hammocks and even had projectors screening Friday’s matchup between Utah and Arizona State — with rowdy celebrations ensuing upon the Utes’ 27-19 defeat.

Penina Nacua — the mother of current Cougars receiver Tei Nacua and Los Angeles Rams star Puka Nacua — even swung by the line to drop off a hefty amount of fast food for the hungry fans.

When the live broadcast finally began Saturday morning, the Fox analysts were caught off guard by the overwhelming initial noise from BYU supporters.

The crowd screamed, sang, danced and shook the ground as if the set was a night club. The game against Arizona wouldn’t kick off for another six hours, yet the fans acted as if the Cougars had already just won by three touchdowns.

According to students, BYU’s 5-0 start to the season has electrified campus, especially considering the surprise of it all.

Over the summer, the Cougars were picked 13th in the Big 12 preseason poll, and now they’re being discussed as a legitimate contender to crash the conference championship game.

“It’s been crazy to see that they were projected to win only four or five games all season, that’s just insane to think now,” Glauser said. “Expectations all summer were really low, and to have them show out now has been crazy.”

Added fellow student Trevor Wach: “It just goes to show the culture Kalani (Sitake) has built for this team.”

Speaking of Sitake, he made a cameo on “Kickoff,” earning a hero’s welcome from the hometown fans and sharing a tender moment with friend, Fox analyst and former Utah head coach Urban Meyer, whose presence in Provo drew many a chorus of boos.

“If your rival likes you, you’re doing something wrong,” joked Meyer, who went undefeated against BYU during his two seasons at the helm of Utah football.

Other notable guests included Texas head coach and former Cougar Steve Sarkisian — who appeared virtually ahead of his team’s Red River Rivalry matchup with Oklahoma — and Hall of Fame QB Steve Young, who praised current BYU passer Jake Retzlaff for his performance thus far in 2024.

And of course there was Cosmo the Cougar, who made his entrance via parachute, hurdled Young and three fellow analysts, performed his famous table push-ups stunt and finished the morning by jumping through a ring of fire.

For some casual observers, Cosmo’s antics were shocking. But in Provo, locals call it “Saturday.”

As much fun as fans had with their cheers, signs and more during “Kickoff,” a win over Arizona to move to 6-0 and possibly jump into the top 10 of the AP poll would ring in a whole different level of hysteria around Cougar Town.

While BYU students say they’re having a blast with the recent football frenzy, they’re equally glad that the players are enjoying the ride as well.

“You can tell they’re all very unified and they’re all having fun,” student Brock Fillmore said. “Obviously they want to win and they’re working hard, but they’re not super stressed on the sideline, they’re working together, they love each other and there’s a real brotherhood there. They’re up getting hype with the crowd, it just motivates the crowd to get even more hype and it gives the team more energy.”