SALT LAKE CITY — Even though Saturdays are big shopping days elsewhere, things are normally quiet at the University of Utah campus bookstore.

But this isn’t your typical Saturday, especially with Pam Cannon around.

“Go Utes! Yeah! Woo!” she yelled while shopping for new University of Utah gear.

Cannon is a big fan of the Utes football team.

“I’m an official cheerleader,” she laughed while waving pom poms. “We’re going to the Rose Bowl! Woo! Yeah!”

After Friday night’s big win over the Oregon Ducks for the Pac-12 Championship, Cannon wanted to be at the bookstore early.

“Quack quack,” she said with another laugh.

Of course, she’s not the only one.

Lots of Utes fans were here.

Sometimes you cover a story and run into a person who makes the story a bajillion times better. That's what happened when we went to the @UUtah campus bookstore to talk to Utes fans about the big win last night… and met Pam Cannon. @KSL5TV at 5. pic.twitter.com/VEvTJfbnUx

— Alex Cabrero (@KSL_AlexCabrero) December 4, 2021

You could feel the buzz and excitement about getting a bid to play at the Rose Bowl.

“We’re trying to go,” said Chloe Henderson, who works at the campus bookstore. “Got to convince mom for us.”

For those fans coming back to Utah, it’s not often the trip back from Vegas on Interstate 15 comes with so much happiness.

“Man, it was awesome,” said Quinn Kimball, who did a phone interview with us while heading home in a van full of Utes fans. “To beat Oregon, kick some serious butt. Celebrate with my buddies, go Utes!”

His buddies started chiming in.

“Go Utes!”

“Go Utes!”

“Go Utes!”

Kimball and more than 20 of his buddies were at the game, celebrating every touchdown.

But why this win for Utes fans might feel so good is because with everything happening in the world right now, and all the division, this was an escape.

It’s where your political, and lately medical, beliefs didn’t matter, because cheering for the Utes brought so many people together.

“I mean, how much better can it be than that?” said Cannon.

It’s exactly what sports are supposed to be about.

“Go Utes! Woo!” yelled Cannon as she left the store. “See you at the Rose Bowl!”