Oh man, what a weekend.  What a freaking amazing weekend.  Big victories at home are one thing, but throw in a road trip, ESPN GameDay, a hostile road environment and one of the most thrilling games I’ve ever seen, complete with a ridiculous ending, and you’ve got yourself one memorable weekend.

I must admit, before Saturday I’d started becoming a little soured on road trips.  After all, the Bears are only 8-14 during road games I’ve attended, and last year was especially bad — my three road trips were @ Tennessee, @ Arizona, and @ USC.  How very disappointing.  TwistNHook actually begged me not to attend the Holiday Bowl, considering me some sort of bad luck charm.  Fortunately for me, I don’t listen to TwistNHook often.  I went to the game anyway and had a fabulous time.

For sheer joy, however, there’s nothing quite like taking down a Pac-10 foe in their house.  USC in 2000 was like that, in part because ‘SC fans are such jerks that rubbing anything in their face is fun.  Washington in 2002 was like that in part because it snapped a 19-game, 25-year losing streak to the Huskies.  But the game this weekend?  Oh man, this was something else.

Oregon fans were so loud the entire game, and after the fumble into the end zone, they got very quiet.  It was weird, actually.  My seats were behind the end zone the Ducks were driving to, a little right of the left pylon, so I had a perfect view of the play.  As soon as I saw it, I knew it was a touchback and that we had just won.  As I go crazy and start cheering, a few other people around me do the same, but a lot of people stand around looking confused (including the referees).  It’s a rather obscure rule, so I can understand the reaction.  The crowd starts rumbling as people figure out what’s going on and pass the message along.  Still no signal from the field, however, and people start wondering if we’ll get jobbed á la Oklahoma last year.  The replays clearly show that the receiver was neither out of bounds nor across the goal line.  Could they possibly screw this one up?  That’s about the time the crowd starts chanting "That’s our ball!  That’s our ball!"

And the signal:  "The ruling on the field stands.  Touchback.  California ball."  Huge!  Everyone goes crazy, falling over each other in the hugging, high-fiving, and yes, kissing that ensued.  Except of course for the 50,000 Oregon fans, who file dejectedly towards the exits.  We wave goodbye, as well as our made-for-TV sign, "Thanks for Tedford!"  It’s a big party.  I’m hoarse throughout the numerous chants of "This is Bear Territory."  There’s an ecstatic energy in the air.  Suddenly, everyone with a blue t-shirt is my best friend.

That’s what I’m talking about, baby!

We must have hung around another 45 minutes before the stadium staff kicked everyone out. Everyone was answering phone calls and text messages from friends watching at home, then singing with the band until they left, then heading down to the field and cheering on each individual player as they left the locker room.  We got to run around on the turf, attempting field goals and dancing in the giant ‘O’ in the center of the field.  Eventually, we’re thrown out by the security guards in big blue raincoats, but that only begins the next phase of partying:  the drunken reveling bar hop.  Ah yes, with a big road victory to buoy us, the partying would be going on for quite some time.  Yes indeed.