Last year, the 2023 college football season in Colorado started out with two bangs: An absolute barnburner Rocky Mountain Showdown between CU and CSU went to double overtime (and kept many Coloradans up really late). And the Air Force Falcons jumped out to an exciting 8-0 start. But all three of those teams faded in the season’s second half.
With the 2024 kickoff right around the corner, we grabbed a few key notes for each of Colorado’s college football teams. If the time fans spent playing the EA Sports College Football 25 video game over the summer is any indication, we’re in for another season of passion and pageantry this fall.
College Football in Colorado: NCAA Division I Teams
You know the big three: CU, CSU and Air Force, but don’t forget about the UNC Bears.
U.S. Air Force Academy Falcons
Location: Colorado Springs
2023 Record: 9-4, 5-3 Mountain West. Won the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl against No. 24 James Madison.
Home Opener: Aug. 31 vs. Merrimack
Key Games: Oct. 5 vs. Navy; Nov. 2 at Army. See the full schedule at goairforcefalcons.com.
Preseason Media Poll: Projected to finish fourth out of 12 teams in the Mountain West.
Gameday Traditions
The entire experience of attending an Air Force game is an exercise in tradition. There’s plenty to look out for before the players even take the field: from the cadets marching onto the field (and high-tailing it for the stands soon after) and the Wings of Blue parachute team to the power and grace of the flying falcon mascots that can reach speeds of 200 miles per hour. And don’t forget the deafening sonic boom of the flyovers by the Air Force Thunderbirds or other impressive military planes, depending on the week.
Air Force Football Season Outlook
After winning eight straight games to start last season and rising as high as No. 17 in the college football rankings, the Falcons lost their final four games to finish 8-4. A 23-3 defeat to Army in Denver also meant the Falcons missed out on the coveted Commander in Chief’s trophy.
But Air Force rebounded nicely to beat James Madison in the Armed Forces Bowl, and they’ll be leaning on that momentum to carry them into 2024. They’ll need to as only four starters return from last year. The Falcons are 40-12 over the last four full seasons (excluding the shortened 2020 campaign).
Falcon Stadium will also have a new look this season, as the entire east side has been completely transformed. In addition to 1,200 new indoor and outdoor premium seats and decks on the north and south sides, the Kucera Legacy Center features an 11,000-square foot banquet hall that can be utilized year-round. Other changes include a brand-new stadium lighting system and new concession offerings such as nachos in a bomber shaped box.
Colorado State University Rams
Location: Fort Collins
2023 Record: 5-7, 3-5 Mountain West
Home Opener: Sept. 7 vs. University of Northern Colorado
Key Games: Sept. 14 vs. Colorado; Nov. 15 vs. Wyoming. See the full schedule at csurams.com.
Preseason Media Poll: Projected to finish fifth out of 12 teams in the Mountain West
Gameday Traditions
Rams fans hope “Comatose,” the 75mm field gun that was first fired at a Rams game in 1920, is put to work a lot this season. The cannon, under the care of ROTC cadets, fires during the national anthem, the opening kickoff and every time CSU scores.
CSU Football Season Outlook
The Rams were oh-so-close to taking down Colorado in Boulder last season and were up and down from there. The final “down,” a 27-24 loss at Hawaii that took CSU out of bowl contention, still stings for head coach Jay Norvell.
“We work really hard to be good in those situations. We made a couple of plays to put ourselves in position to have a chance to win the game, and I was just disappointed we didn’t finish it out with everything on the line,” Norvell said in an Aug. 2 press release. “I was very upset, and I’ve been upset ever since. I think it’s really motivated me to really look at our team and how we do things and what we’re doing. You have to be willing to change and make adjustments.”
Norvell enters his third season as CSU head coach, and the team returns quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi and dynamic wide receiver Tory Horton. The Rocky Mountain Showdown with CU and the Border War against Wyoming are both at home this year, giving the Rams an opportunity for a memorable season.
University of Colorado Buffaloes
Location: Boulder
2023 Record: 4-8, 1-8 Pac-12
Home Opener: Aug. 29 vs. North Dakota State.
Key Games: Sept. 7 at Nebraska; Sept. 14 at Colorado State. See the full schedule at cubuffs.com.
Preseason Media Poll: Projected to finish 11th out of 16 teams in the Big 12
Gameday Traditions
Run, Ralphie, run! The live buffalo mascot and her handlers lead the team onto the field in a rousing romp every home game. Ralphie first took the field pregame on Sept. 16, 1967.
CU Football Season Outlook
Two isn’t a prime number, but year two under Deion Sanders — aka Coach Prime — in Boulder is a “proof of concept” year after the initial excitement of a 3-0 start faded quickly in 2023. Sanders brought on new offensive and defensive coordinators for 2024 as he continues to put his stamp on the CU football program.
“I feel so much better about the team, not only because of the young men that we’ve accumulated inside this locker room but also the staff, in how they’re working together,” Sanders said in an Aug. 9 press release. “The coordinators are phenomenal. The support staff is second to none. I think we all really have a cohesive bond that’s truly admirable.”
Star wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter, quarterback Shedeur Sanders, and safety Shilo Sanders all return. With the Buffaloes headed to the Big 12, the schedule will feature games against the likes of Kansas State and Oklahoma State instead of USC and UCLA.
University of Northern Colorado Bears
Location: Greeley
2023 Record: 0-11, 0-8 Big Sky
Home Opener: Sept. 14 vs. Abilene Christian.
Key Games: Sept. 7 at Colorado State; Oct. 26 vs. Montana. See the full schedule at uncbears.com.
Preseason Media Poll: Projected to finish 12th out of 12 teams in the Big Sky
UNC Football Season Outlook
2023 was a challenging year for UNC, though four of their defeats were by eight points or fewer. Head coach Ed Lamb, entering his second season in charge, announced a slew of staff changes in January.
“As I evaluated the program, I felt shifting coaching responsibilities within our current coaching staff will make us better,” Lamb said in a January press release. “There is a sense of familiarity with our returning student-athletes on the roster, and the transition will be seamless. Excited to complete our 2024 recruiting class and get ready for spring practice.”
College Football in Colorado: NCAA Division II Teams
Did you know there’s a lot more college football in Colorado? Here’s the outlook for all six NCAA Division II teams. All of them are part of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC).
Colorado School of Mines Orediggers
Location: Golden
2023 Record: 14-1, 9-0 RMAC. Lost to Harding in the NCAA Division II football championship game.
Home Opener: Sept. 5 vs. West Texas A&M
Key Games: Oct. 26 vs. Western Colorado; Nov. 9 at CSU-Pueblo. See the full schedule at minesathletics.com.
Preseason Coaches’ Poll: Projected to finish No. 1 out of 10 RMAC teams
The Orediggers won their fifth consecutive RMAC title in 2023 and came up just short of a national championship for the second straight year, falling 38-7 to Harding.
Replicating their success in 2024 will look a little different, as Mines will be without quarterback John Matocha, the starter since 2019 and the NCAA Division II all-time total touchdowns record holder. Three transfers will look to be impactful this season: offensive lineman Noah Atherton (South Dakota State), quarterback Austin Gonzalez (Southern Miss), and wide receiver Mark McCurdy (Davidson).
Western Colorado University Mountaineers
Location: Gunnison
2023 Record: 10-2, 8-1 RMAC
Home Opener: Sept. 7 vs. Midwestern State University
Key Games: Oct. 26 at Colorado School of Mines; Nov. 2 vs. CSU-Pueblo. See the full schedule at gomountaineers.com.
Preseason Coaches’ Poll: Projected to finish second out of 10 RMAC teams
Western has finished no lower than second in the final RMAC regular-season standings since 2021. The Mountaineer Bowl, the team’s stadium, is debuting a two-year renovation this fall that includes improvements to the stands, press box, video board and more. Plus, a new lighting system will allow for the first night game in the stadium’s history.
Colorado State University Pueblo Thunderwolves
Location: Pueblo
2023 Record: 8-3, 7-2 RMAC
Home Opener: Sept. 7 vs. Texas Permian Basin
Key Games: Sept. 14 vs. Grand Valley State University; Nov. 9 vs. Colorado School of Mines. See the full schedule at gothunderwolves.com.
Preseason Coaches’ Poll: Projected to finish third out of 10 RMAC teams
The Thunderwolves won their final seven games in 2023. Second-year head coach Philip Vigil, who took over for longtime coach John Wristen (in charge since 2007), hopes to build on that momentum.
Colorado Mesa University Mavericks
Location: Grand Junction
2023 Record: 6-5, 5-4 RMAC
Home Opener: Sept. 14 vs. Central Washington University.
Key Games: Oct. 5 vs. Colorado School of Mines; Nov. 16 vs. Western Colorado. See the full schedule at cmumavericks.com.
Preseason Coaches’ Poll: Projected to finish fourth out of 10 RMAC teams
Colorado Mesa won four of their final five games in 2023, and take on Central Washington, CSU-Pueblo and Mines before mid-October. Mavericks fans will know where their team stands early on.
Adams State University Grizzlies
Location: Alamosa
2023 Record: 3-8, 2-7 RMAC
Home Opener: Sept. 7 vs. Western New Mexico University.
Key Games: Sept. 21 at Western Colorado; Sept. 28 vs. CSU-Pueblo. See the full schedule at asugrizzlies.com.
Preseason Coaches’ Poll: Projected to finish eighth out of 10 RMAC teams
The last winning season in Alamosa was 2013, and the Grizzlies will need a start like last year (all three wins came in their first five games) to have a shot at changing that statistic.
Fort Lewis College Skyhawks
Location: Durango
2023 Record: 0-11, 0-9 RMAC
Home Opener: Aug. 31 vs. William Jewell College.
Key Games: Nov. 2 at Adams State; Nov. 9 vs. New Mexico Highlands. See the full schedule at goskyhawks.com.
Preseason Coaches’ Poll: Projected to finish 10th out of 10 RMAC teams
It’s been tough sledding for football in Durango for several years now, with the Skyhawks last victory coming on Oct. 5, 2019. Hopefully Fort Lewis can break the losing streak in 2024.
