COLORADO: MASCOT: RALPHIE

One of college football’s most grand entrance into a stadium is takes place at Colorado’s Folsom Field when the school’s football team follows its mascot’s charge.  With Ralphie’s storming the field generating flashbacks from the old west, visiting teams learn first hand what intimidation is all about.  The raging moment that features more than 1000 pounds of stampeding flesh darting toward the visiting sideline takes place before the game and the third quarter.

The first buffalo sighting at CU took place in 1934, following the school’s embracing of the Buffalo nickname.  A buffalo calf and a real cowboy keeper were paid $25 to support the school during a late season victory over the University of Denver.

mascot.  Perhaps country music singer Charlie Pride had Colorado's Buffalo mascot in mind when he sang: "Let the chips fall, let them fall where they may."  The old saying that “You better what your step when the chips are down,” might have also applied to the mascot’s naming.

Salaam won the 1994 Heisman Trophy after rushing for a school-record 2,055 yards and 24 TD's.  Salaam's performance helped spark the Buffaloes to an 11-1 record including a Fiesta Bowl victory over Notre Dame.  

Four consecutive 200-yard games helped Salaam to gain momentum in the Heisman race that also featured a strong push from Penn State's Ki-Jana Carter The exclamation mark on Salaam beat Carter by 842 points in the Heisman voting and left for the NFL with a year of eligibility remaining.  The former Colorado RB was drafted in the first round of the 1995 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears with the 21st pick.