Gone to Seed

Kansas 57, Texas 56 (OT)

November 13, 2021 • DKR

We got a new head coach this year. The previous coach learned what the coach before him had figured out: You can’t lose to Kansas. Welp, about that.

We never led in regulation, but when we tied the game with 22 seconds left, we thought we would steal this one from the Jayhawks. We scored a TD in overtime, but then so did Kansas. And then KU went for 2. And then they got it. Grrrr. We didn’t realize it then, of course, but the Jayhawks’ big win over us was the beginning of a turnaround for their program that included a head-turning start to their 2022 season. 

Highlights from this game: Cara and family were there! Cara and her three youngest even came early for the Bevo Blvd. festivities. Again, it was a shame they didn’t get to see a win, but it was great to spend time with them.

RIP Jake 😦

GOAT Cat Osterman

Davis made the big screen!

T’s postgame body language speaks for all of us.

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Doubled Up the Double-T

Texas 70, Texas Tech 35

September 25, 2021 • DKR

Our guys made it look easy, running all over the Red Raiders. It gave us hope for conference play, even if it turned out to be false hope.

It was an all-around glorious day, with plenty of sunshine to light up Bevo Blvd. and Smokey’s Midway.

Posing with AD Chris Del Conte

Texted this one to Katie in Lubbock

On the field, the Horns were rollin’, and Texas Mariachi and Ray Benson were rockin’!

Special appearance from Texas Mariachi

Ray Benson serenades us at halftime

And the pièce de résistance: Southwest Airlines fixed the errant apostrophe that was buggin’ the crap out of me!

So all in all, a great day!

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Back in Bevo Business

Texas 38, Louisiana 18

September 4, 2021 • DKR

Hey, it’s good to be back home again! As the PR materials proclaimed, “Home is where the Horns are.”

After the weird 2020 season, it was great to get back to tailgating and Bevo Blvd., back to having a full stadium, back to seeing the Longhorn Band at the game. Everybody was in a great mood to be getting back to business, and more than a couple of times, I had to wipe away a tear or two, just so grateful to have this Longhorn family reunion after a year away.

Because of construction on the new Moody Center directly across from our old tailgate, our guys had to find a new hangout. Athletic Director Chris Del Conte himself suggested this patch of grass just north of Bevo Blvd., and it worked out beautifully! It’s super close to Hook ‘Em’s Hangout where all the food trucks are parked, so everyone can grab whatever they want to eat. It’s not far from the alumni center, either, so a restroom is nearby. 

The Ragin’ Cajuns use a pepper for their apostrophe, so I used peppers for this Hook ‘Em!

Our new entrance

Sign o’ the times!

With the Learfield Director’s Cup for the best athletic program in the country

T shows Cory Redding other signatures on Ronnie’s trailer

Cory Redding signs Ronnie’s trailer

The Tailgate Masterminds (with Cory Redding)

New coach Steve Sarkisian knew this was a must-win, and win he did! It took both Hudson Card and Casey Thompson to take Sam Ehlinger’s place, but they threw for three combined touchdowns, and Bijan Robinson again rushed for 100+ yards.

The 2021 season brought us the chance to get back to our old ways while embracing the new.After spending last season in a nearly empty DKR, it was a blast to have seats full again. Speaking of seats, this season took us away from our Section 1 spot near the exit on row 52. With the exception of the COVID year, we had been there since 2002, but the new south endzone made our old seats too close to the edge and Godzillatron. The new standing-room terraces also blocked the view of the scoreboard. John T. asked and received a better place for us, and we ended up on a lower row in Section 2, just a tiny bit to the north but low enough that we could still get an unobstructed view of the screen. Steve and Brian, the father-son pair who had sat beside us for those 18 years on row 52, made the move, too! In our new location, we made new friends of the guys who sat in front of us, and they soon became tailgate regulars. 

The Sunday after the game, Dede and I got to see our volleyball team beat Stanford in Gregory Gym. We have seen volleyball play TCU in Fort Worth bunches of times, but it was a thrill to see them in the rockin’ Greg, their home court.

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Not-So-Jolly Ranchers

Texas 36, Oklahoma State 30

September 21, 2019 • DKR

Oklahoma State’s mascot may be the Cowboy, but we sent those ranchers home a little less jolly. This was a close one, but the Horns pulled off the win in an electric DKR as Sam Ehlinger led the team and MOC Matthew McConaughey led the cheers.

A week after our reunion with our friend in Houston, we had the pleasure of sharing gameday with our friend from New Jersey! Greg just happens to have earned his undergrad degree from Okie State, so we had to make sure he wasn’t wearing any traffic-cone orange under his Longhorn attire. Just kidding. We know Greg bleeds burnt orange!

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Mike Madness

LSU 45, Texas 38

Sept. 7, 2019 • DKR

Woulda, coulda, shoulda. This is the one that got away. We were oh-so-close to pulling off this upset over the eventual 2019 national champs. Only Auburn and Bama played them closer. Not that it matters. We had College Gameday on the Forty, and DKR was rockin’, but this loss really stung.

Maybe that’s why I lost the “E” and “A” of the TEXAS I so dutifully spelled with Mike & Ike candy. The Mike & Ikes were in tribute to Mike the Tiger, the handsome fella Katie and I had met in Baton Rouge while on our epic Sugar Bowl road trip.

If only the “E” and “A” were all we lost that day!

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Bulldog Bullies

Texas 45, Louisiana Tech 14

Aug. 31, 2019 • DKR

After the huge New Year’s Day victory in the Sugar Bowl, we had a looooooong wait until we could see our Horns back in action. When we finally made it to the 2019 season opener, we spelled TEXAS with dog treats, but Longhorn fans were the ones who feasted.

Bevo Blvd. was a blast, as was the tailgate filled with friends old and new. We did have one particularly special pause in the levity, however, when we honored our dear friend Travis who had passed away over the summer. Travis, John T.’s dad, was a tailgate staple for many years, and we miss him dearly. One of his T-shirts held his spot at the tailgate on that special Saturday. Hook ’em forever, Travis.

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Winds of Change

Texas 24, Iowa State 10

Nov. 17, 2018 • DKR

The Cyclones blew into town, but the Horns, still sailing on the strong West Texas win from the previous week, withstood the storm. Our guys never trailed in this one, and with a win, came to within one win from clinching a spot in the Big 12 championship game.

The win (and fireworks!) capped off a fantastic day. My niece’s family joined us at Bevo Blvd. and the tailgate, and because this was our home finale, we relished our time with our football family, too.

The last home game is always sad, but it’s a good time to recognize how lucky we are to have shared those special moments on the Forty. 

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Can’t Move That Mountain

West Virginia 42, Texas 41

Nov. 3, 2018 • DKR

Back and forth and back and forth. A bunch of lead changes made this one exciting, but the Mountaineers TD and 2-point conversion with seconds left put this game into the loss column.

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The Hat at Home

Texas 23, Baylor 17

Oct. 13, 2018 • DKR

After the previous week’s big win over our biggest rival, Bevo Blvd. was rockin’! Ryan and Katie were with me to see Bevo’s grand entrance, and then we got to pose with the star of the moment, the Golden Hat trophy. 

Later, I ran into an old friend from church, and then we caught wind that online quiz show host Scott Rogowsky, the HQ-tie himself, was at the Chase booth, we managed to find him in the crowd for selfies.

In the game, QB Shane Buechele came up big, helping us get a good lead at the half that Baylor couldn’t quite overcome.

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Rubber Match

Texas 37, USC 14 

Sept. 15, 2018 • DKR

In 2017, the Horns rebounded from a disappointing loss to Maryland by coming THIS CLOSE to beating the favored SC Trojans. Some might call it a moral victory, but as encouraging as it was, it still counted as an L.

Because of that, the hype for the Trojans’ 2018 visit to Austin was off the charts. Pregame, Nissan’s Heisman House was on the 40, hosting our own Ricky Williams. Once again Bevo Bold was hoppin’, and a huge crowd migrated from the streets to the stands, ready for a great game.

Boy, did our Horns deliver!

A record crowd—including Trojan-conqueror Vince Young—watched the Horns get win #900 handily. What an amazing day!

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