Goal: To thoroughly experience gameday at every FBS college football stadium. STADIUM COUNT: 113/134
Driving into Boulder, Colorado is a memorable sight. With the Rocky Mountains to your left and the famous red tiled roofs of Colorado’s campus blanketing the city, you get a sense of something special. Set against the Flatirons, Folsom Field provides some of the best views in college football. Parking was a challenge, but once I was set, the tailgating atmosphere proved to be worth the parking fees.
One Oklahoma debacle shy of being undefeated, the Longhorns visited. Boulder flaunting their weapons – namely quarterback Vince Young and tailback Cedric Benson. Even the live Buffalo that leads Colorado onto the field appeared intimidated by the strong Texas contingent and their all cowboy band playing “Texas Fight” on repeat. On yet another gorgeous day at Folsom Field with the autumn foliage outlining the Rocky Mountains, a raucous, yet wary crowd gathered to see if the Buffaloes had what it took to lasso the Longhorns.
To my pleasant surprise, my one-hundredth game turned out to be a blast. Never would I have imagined this milestone to take place on a Friday night in Fort Collins, Colorado. However, I learned a bit more about the intensity of small town rivalries. The trail blazed from Laramie down I-80 and I-25 is just close enough to spawn a deep loathing between these two opponents. They play for the coveted Bronze Boot and whether you are wearing a cowboy hat or ram horns, the trophy means intense bragging rights and often a bowl placement.
Everything came together nicely for Colorado’s homecoming game – perfect weather in the low seventies and an enthusiastic crowd. However, the Buffaloes neglected to schedule the traditional cupcake opponent. Instead, the undefeated and speedy Cowboys rode into town looking to spoil the day. Many fans, including the band, traveled from Stillwater to see their Oklahoma State team continue their winning ways. Our seats had us surrounded and devoured by energetic fans colored in proud orange.
In a place where the dorms are the most densely populated area of the entire state, Wyoming football would hardly seem like much of an attraction. However, the Cowboys are all that the state has in the way of sports. The most interesting fact about War Memorial Stadium is that it has the highest altitude of any Division I-A football field at 7,220 feet. Driving from Denver to Laramie is a bit of an adventure. Civilization begins to get diluted in the wide-open ranges and mountain peaks. Soon, the mountains are gone and all that remains are rock formations and open spaces. You have reached Wyoming. With the mountains gone, it is natural to think that you have descended. However, the roads rise to meet the mountains and it is evidenced by the ear popping that occurs along I-25. It is wide-open, sparse land that suddenly opens up to a cute college community. The stadium is a beautiful venue lined with pine trees and horizon lines meeting the blue sky. Gameday in Laramie can be a pretty big deal since choices on what to do in Wyoming are quite limited. Football season is counted down on many Cowboy calendars across the state.
Now nearing my one-hundredth game, I begin to reflect on all the places I have been. Many would assume that the Rose Bowl or Notre Dame Stadium would be my proudest accomplishment. However, after attending War Memorial Stadium, this venue surged to the top of the list. Clearly, Laramie, Wyoming can only dream of being in the same league as Pasadena or South Bend, but there exists a valid reasoning for my choice. As I sat inside War Memorial on a perfect October afternoon, I realized that my fervor for college football had reached a higher ground – and I mean that figuratively and literally as Wyoming’s home rests at the highest elevation of any football stadium in America (7,220 ft.).
Hughes Stadium is set far from the campus of Colorado State in Fort Collins, Colorado. The setting is amazing as it rests up against the Rocky Mountain foothills. But, it sits all alone. Looking at it, you wouldn’t imagine that the stadium could provide such a wild atmosphere. Surrounding the stadium are acres of land used for parking. The scene is quite chaotic…much like a rock concert. Police pointing cars in all directions, vehicles bumping along on the rocky grass and drunken college students swarming the area. Night games are commonplace at Hughes Stadium, which only gives the student body more time to fill their student bodies with alcohol. The lawn outside the stadium is an all-evening party up to kickoff. The sun disappears behind the mountains and its game time.
Colorado State likely held the most anticipation for getting their first home game of the season underway. Having started the season with a heartbreaking loss to rival Colorado in Boulder and a crushing shutout loss to top ranked USC, playing in front of a friendly bunch of folks could prove to be the best remedy for their woes. The Golden Gophers travel from Minneapolis with an undefeated record attached to their luggage. The Rams may be glad to be home, but Minnesota may have not been the most welcome guest. The Gophers come in with an impressive running game, while Colorado State still searches for corks to plug their leaky defense.
Every edge of every seat at Folsom Field would be worn thin by the conclusion of this heart-halting contest. For me, this game would complete a major first in my tour – watching two division one games in one day. Part one of the double header had Cal devouring Air Force in impressive fashion. Tonight’s game served up a heaping helping of hate as the green and gold and black and gold collided in every imaginable way. Flags staked in the ground bearing the CU emblem welcomed fans as they traveled up the Boulder Turnpike toward campus. The energy intensified as Boulder appeared framed breathtakingly against the Rockies. Tailgating and parking was as competitive as on the field action as fans crammed into the city and billows of smoke emanating from grills signaled the opening of a fresh season. Colorado students belted the fight song and interrupted themselves with harsh heckling of CSU fans that passed by. Dusk settled in and the stadium reverberated with anticipation.
Air Force fans traveling along I-25 suddenly experience a traffic jam about two miles from the exit to Falcon Stadium. The cause of the slow crawl becomes evident upon exiting as several military personnel guide cars down different pathways toward the game site. Many security measures have been taken here and an escort by the Air Force is one of them. Open spaces surround your journey to the stadium – all except for one large aircraft that greets you and points in the desired direction.