Colorado State University Athletics
Memorable Moments: Homecoming Celebrates 100th Game
10/24/2024 2:00:00 PM | Football
Boise State win in 2023 stands out in game’s lore
On Saturday, the century-old tradition of homecoming will return to the CSU campus as parents and families converge together to celebrate all that is Colorado State University. This year's football game marks a milestone in CSU's homecoming history as it will be the 100th intercollegiate football game played for the celebration of homecoming. While there have been many memorable homecoming games since 1922, it is doubtful any can live up to the shocking come-from-behind upset victory over Boise State in 2023.
Â
The tradition of homecoming football began with the first official homecoming event scheduled by then college president Dr. Charles A. Lory, who in 1914 created the annual campus holiday to bring alumni back to the campus and interact with students of the day. An exhibition game was staged between alumni football players and the 1914 Aggies football team, a game in which the old men won 3-0 over the varsity team. The exhibition football game is believed to have lasted until 1921 as no official intercollegiate homecoming games have been recorded in newspaper files.
Â
In 1922, Harry Hughes's Aggies shut out the Colorado School of Mines 19-0 in the first game of the long list of homecoming contests. Many more games would follow, but which ones would go down in CSU's football history as epic, or even close to the win over Bose State in 2023?
Â
Looking at the closest games that have been played and mean something to a football season, the first of these important homecoming games came in 1933 against Utah State, in the 12th homecoming game. The Utah Aggies were, at the time, a bitter rival of the Colorado Aggies and both teams had been fighting tooth and nail for the conference championship in 1933. In a game that was scoreless until late in the fourth quarter, star halfback Wilbur "Red" White's late 33-yard run set up a Julius "Bud" Damman field goal to win the game and lead the Colorado Aggies to a tie for the 1933 conference championship.
Â
Since CSU is honoring the late, great Lt. Col. John Mosley in 2024, his first homecoming win on Colorado Field occurred in 1940, during his sophomore year. Again, Colorado State played Utah State, a school CSU has played more times on homecoming than any other school. (Keep reading, you will see.) Thanks to Lewis "Dude" Dent's rushing prowess, The Colorado Aggies won a tight 14-13 win in the 19th homecoming game, Mosley played guard in that game. It is worth mentioning they had the coolest nicknames back in the 1930s and 1940s, guys like Red, Bus, Dude, Tuffy and of course Fum.
Â
Missing two years for homecoming due to WWII, there were few games worth mentioning, even during the winning seasons of the Bob Davis Era. The Rams won the 32nd in 1955 against, yep you guessed it, Utah State, and went on to the conference championship, but it was a lopsided victory. In game No. 44, the last homecoming game at Colorado Field before moving to the foothills, the Rams beat Utah State 17-14. In game #46, the 1969 Rams won their first homecoming game at Hughes Stadium, a 35-26 win over West Texas A&M. (You thought it was going to be Utah State.)
Â
Since the Rams are playing New Mexico this year, it is noteworthy to mention the 54th game was in 1977 against the Lobos and the best Rams team of the 1970s beat them 14-9 as they headed toward a 9-2-1 season. The Rams have gone on to beat New Mexico in three more homecoming games, in 1987, in 1990 and most recently in 2018.
Â
Prior to the Boise State upset in 2023, many Ram fans will say the 2014 come-from-behind win with a field goal kick in the last seconds of the 91st game against -- yep, Utah State -- was one of the best games of the past 10 years. Then again, a sold-out Hughes Stadium for its last homecoming game against, Utah State two years later was another highly memorable homecoming victory.
Â
As CSU plays the century homecoming game on Saturday, surprisingly not against Utah State, there are sure to be many more memorable games ahead. The 2024 game is the latest date in October a homecoming game has been played since the 59th homecoming game, which was on October 30, 1982, a 38-13 win over UTEP. Homecoming is a great time to bring all Rams together, past, present and future and football is the perfect way to bring the Ramily home.
Â
Â
The tradition of homecoming football began with the first official homecoming event scheduled by then college president Dr. Charles A. Lory, who in 1914 created the annual campus holiday to bring alumni back to the campus and interact with students of the day. An exhibition game was staged between alumni football players and the 1914 Aggies football team, a game in which the old men won 3-0 over the varsity team. The exhibition football game is believed to have lasted until 1921 as no official intercollegiate homecoming games have been recorded in newspaper files.
Â
In 1922, Harry Hughes's Aggies shut out the Colorado School of Mines 19-0 in the first game of the long list of homecoming contests. Many more games would follow, but which ones would go down in CSU's football history as epic, or even close to the win over Bose State in 2023?
Â
Looking at the closest games that have been played and mean something to a football season, the first of these important homecoming games came in 1933 against Utah State, in the 12th homecoming game. The Utah Aggies were, at the time, a bitter rival of the Colorado Aggies and both teams had been fighting tooth and nail for the conference championship in 1933. In a game that was scoreless until late in the fourth quarter, star halfback Wilbur "Red" White's late 33-yard run set up a Julius "Bud" Damman field goal to win the game and lead the Colorado Aggies to a tie for the 1933 conference championship.
Â
Since CSU is honoring the late, great Lt. Col. John Mosley in 2024, his first homecoming win on Colorado Field occurred in 1940, during his sophomore year. Again, Colorado State played Utah State, a school CSU has played more times on homecoming than any other school. (Keep reading, you will see.) Thanks to Lewis "Dude" Dent's rushing prowess, The Colorado Aggies won a tight 14-13 win in the 19th homecoming game, Mosley played guard in that game. It is worth mentioning they had the coolest nicknames back in the 1930s and 1940s, guys like Red, Bus, Dude, Tuffy and of course Fum.
Â
Missing two years for homecoming due to WWII, there were few games worth mentioning, even during the winning seasons of the Bob Davis Era. The Rams won the 32nd in 1955 against, yep you guessed it, Utah State, and went on to the conference championship, but it was a lopsided victory. In game No. 44, the last homecoming game at Colorado Field before moving to the foothills, the Rams beat Utah State 17-14. In game #46, the 1969 Rams won their first homecoming game at Hughes Stadium, a 35-26 win over West Texas A&M. (You thought it was going to be Utah State.)
Â
Since the Rams are playing New Mexico this year, it is noteworthy to mention the 54th game was in 1977 against the Lobos and the best Rams team of the 1970s beat them 14-9 as they headed toward a 9-2-1 season. The Rams have gone on to beat New Mexico in three more homecoming games, in 1987, in 1990 and most recently in 2018.
Â
Prior to the Boise State upset in 2023, many Ram fans will say the 2014 come-from-behind win with a field goal kick in the last seconds of the 91st game against -- yep, Utah State -- was one of the best games of the past 10 years. Then again, a sold-out Hughes Stadium for its last homecoming game against, Utah State two years later was another highly memorable homecoming victory.
Â
As CSU plays the century homecoming game on Saturday, surprisingly not against Utah State, there are sure to be many more memorable games ahead. The 2024 game is the latest date in October a homecoming game has been played since the 59th homecoming game, which was on October 30, 1982, a 38-13 win over UTEP. Homecoming is a great time to bring all Rams together, past, present and future and football is the perfect way to bring the Ramily home.
Â
Colorado State Football: Ellis (L) and Rogers (R) Postgame (Northern Colorado, 2025)
Saturday, September 06
Colorado State Football: Avant (L) and Fowler-Nicolosi (R) Postgame (Northern Colorado, 2025)
Saturday, September 06
Colorado State Football: Jay Norvell Weekly Press Conference - Week 2 (2025)
Monday, September 01
Colorado State Football: Long (L) and Warren (R) Postgame (Washington, 2025)
Sunday, August 31