Look: 100 Years of Homecoming
Homecoming History
A sampling of a century of CU homecoming football programs, from the early 20th century to the 1980s. Then, as now, programs offered essential information about both teams in the contest, such as rosters, coaches and key players. The university's alumni magazine, the Colorado Alumnus, also dedicated space to homecoming happenings.
CU hosted its first official homecoming in 1914, 100 years ago.
After six years of “Alumni Day” celebrations during which the CU football team played against an alumni team, the 1914 homecoming celebration featured an intercollegiate matchup. CU took on Utah Nov. 7, 1914, and won 33-0.
A new stadium — Colorado Stadium, later renamed Folsom Field — was dedicated on Homecoming Day 1924. By 1934, the buffalo had become a popular theme and from then on, CU’s athletics teams were known as the Buffaloes.
It was also in 1934 that a live buffalo became part of the CU-Boulder tradition: For the final game of the season, a group of students paid $25 to rent a buffalo calf along with a real cowboy as his keeper. At the 100th homecoming — when CU football takes on UCLA — Ralphie and her student handlers can be expected to make a dramatic on-field appearance.
Photography courtesy CU Heritage Center