BOULDER, Colo. — Get ready Buffs fans. It's game time! CU Boulder has their home opener Friday at 6 p.m. against Georgia Tech, and it's a sold-out crowd.
Fans and students entering the stadium for the first time this season may notice some changes.
"We do have a brand new student section. It's called 'The Charge', which is a new moniker this year," Director of Strategic Communications Steve Hurlbert said. "[Students] can also register to be the student fan of the game and get honored during the during game on the field."
Athletes will notice, and feel changes too.
A brand new turf field has been installed using organic wood pellets, keeping the field cooler. Denver7 was previously told this is good for the environment and players.
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Coach Prime will be on the sidelines of that turf field Friday, following a previous health scare.
"We've seen just a rapid upward trajectory of the team and the time that he's been here. And we expect that to happen in year three too. We expect the team continue to get better and again, you know, just the excitement to keep, you know, to keep growing and growing," Hurlbert said.
However, there is one less than exciting change. The team will not be led out by a live buffalo.
Ralphie Six has retired due to an "indifference to running." The university is in the process, though, of training Ralphie Seven.
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"She's not quite ready yet. We're on the buffalo's timeline, and out of the you know, the safety and the happiness and the well being of Ralphie Seven, we want to make sure that when she's out there, she's ready," Hurlbert said.
He said the team is hoping to have a new mascot at some point this football season, but there's no timeline yet.
As a reminder to students, there is a tailgate at Farrand Field before the game. Then you can walk to the stadium together.
