Ralphie Traditions & Records - University of Colorado Athletics

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Ralphie runs at all home football games, and travels to attend bowl games and conference championship games. Over the years of the program, Ralphie has also made a handful of special trips to lead the football team onto the field at away games.

Colorado is one of only a few schools where the home team comes out first. This is to ensure the visiting team does not get in the way of Ralphie running.

Ralphie sometimes wears a custom-made banner blanket that reads "Go Buffaloes" on one side, and "Beat [the opposing team]" on the other side, such as "Beat CSU."

Ralphie travels in a highly customized aluminum stock trailer, purchased in 2012 through generous donations to the program. Ralphie and her trailer are pulled through the University Hill neighborhood before games to excite students and fans on her way to the stadium.

Each year the Ralphie Handlers take a yearly trip to a buffalo ranch to learn more about buffalo, their behavior, and to see just how big male bison can get.

Ralphie is held in a secret location so that she will not be harassed or harmed, keeping her and the public safe.

When Colorado introduces a new Ralphie and she attends her first game, the team has a record of 4-1. When a retiring Ralphie attends her last game, the team has a record of 3-2. Additionally, when a Ralphie runs at her first game, the team has a record of 4-1. When a Ralphie runs at her last game the team has a record of 1-4

Ralphie I’s first game: 10/1/66 W, 10-0, CU vs Kansas State
Ralphie I’s first run: 9/16/67 W, 27-7, CU vs Baylor
Ralphie I’s final game and run: 11/18/78 L, 16-20, CU vs Iowa State, first half
Ralphie II’s first game and run: 11/18/78 L, 16-20, CU vs Iowa State, second half
Ralphie II’s final run: 12/31/86 L, 9-21, CU vs Baylor
Ralphie II’s final game: 9/19/87 W, 31-17, CU vs Stanford
Ralphie III’s first game: 9/26/87 W, 26-17, CU vs Washington State
Ralphie III’s first run: 11/7/87 W, 27-10, CU vs Missouri
Ralphie III’s final game and run: 11/28/97 L, 24-27, CU vs Nebraska
Ralphie IV’s first game and run: 9/5/98 W, 42-14, CU vs Colorado State
Ralphie IV’s final game and run: 8/31/08 W, 38-17, CU vs Colorado State
Ralphie V’s first game run: 9/6/08 W, 31-24, CU vs Eastern Washington
Ralphie V’s final run: 10/5/19 L, 30-35, CU vs Arizona
Ralphie V’s final game: 11/23/19 W, 20-14, CU vs Washington

Conference Championship Game Runs (team record of 1-3):

12/1/01 – Big 12 Championship, CU beat Texas 39-37
12/7/02 – Big 12 Championship, CU lost to Oklahoma 7-29
12/4/04 – Big 12 Championship, CU lost to Oklahoma 3-42
12/3/05 – Big 12 Championship, CU lost to Texas 3-70

Bowl Game Runs (team record of 9-15):

12/23/67 – Bluebonnet Bowl, CU beat Miami (FL) 31-21
12/13/69 – Liberty Bowl, CU beat Alabama 47-33
12/12/70 – Liberty Bowl, CU lost to Tulane 3-17
12/31/71 – Bluebonnet Bowl, CU beat Houston 29-17
12/28/72 – Gator Bowl, CU lost to Auburn 3-24
12/27/75 – Bluebonnet Bowl, CU lost to Texas 21-38
1/1/77 – Orange Bowl, CU lost to Ohio State 10-27
12/30/85 – Freedom Bowl, CU lost to Washington 17-20
12/31/86 – Bluebonnet Bowl, CU lost to Baylor 9-21
12/29/88 – Freedom Bowl, CU lost to BYU 17-20
1/1/90 – Orange Bowl, CU lost to Notre Dame 6-21
1/1/91 – Orange Bowl, CU beat Notre Dame 10-9
12/28/91 – Blockbuster Bowl, CU lost to Alabama 25-30
1/1/93 – Fiesta Bowl, CU lost to Syracuse 22-26
1/2/95 – Fiesta Bowl, CU beat Notre Dame 41-24
1/1/96 – Cotton Bowl, CU beat Oregon 38-6
12/30/96 – Holiday Bowl, CU beat Washington 33-21
1/31/99 – Insight.com Bowl, CU beat Boston College 62-28
1/1/02 – Fiesta Bowl, CU lost to Oregon 16-38
12/28/02 – Alamo Bowl, CU lost to Wisconsin 28-31
12/29/04 – Houston Bowl, CU beat Texas-El Paso 33-28
12/27/05 – Champs Sports Bowl, CU lost to Clemson 10-19
12/30/07 – Independence Bowl, CU lost to Alabama 24-30
12/29/16 – Alamo Bowl, CU lost to Oklahoma State 38-8

Mile High Stadium Game Runs (team record of 13-6):

9/5/98 – CU beat CSU 42-14
9/4/99 – CU lost to CSU 14-41
9/2/00 – CU lost to CSU 24-28
9/1/01 – CU beat CSU 41-14
8/31/02 – CU lost to CSU 14-19
8/30/03 – CU beat CSU 42-35
9/9/06 – CU lost to CSU 10-14
9/1/07 – CU beat CSU 31-28
8/31/08 – CU beat CSU 38-17
9/4/10 – CU beat CSU 24-3
9/17/11 – CU beat CSU 28-14
9/1/12 – CU lost to CSU 22-17
9/1/13 – CU beat CSU 41-27
8/29/14 – CU lost to CSU 31-17
9/19/15 – CU beat CSU 27-24
9/2/16 – CU beat CSU 44-7
9/1/17 – CU beat CSU 17-3
8/31/18 – CU beat CSU 45-13
8/30/19 – CU beat CSU 52-31

Away Stadium Game Runs (team record of 8-4):

11/2/68 – Game in Lawrence, Kansas, CU lost to Kansas 14-27
10/24/70 – Game in Colombia, Missouri, CU lost to Missouri 16-30
11/21/70 – Game in Colorado Springs, Colorado, CU beat Air Force 49-19
10/28/72 – Game in Colombia, Missouri, CU lost to Missouri 17-20
10/13/73 – Game in Ames, Iowa, CU beat Iowa State 23-16
10/5/1974 – Game in Colorado Springs, Colorado, CU Beat Air Force 28-27
10/19/85 – Game in Ames, Iowa, CU beat Iowa State 40-6
11/1/86 – Game in Stillwater, Oklahoma, CU beat Oklahoma State 31-14
10/1/88 – Game in Ft. Collins, Colorado, CU beat CSU 27-23
11/11/89 – Game in Stillwater, Oklahoma, CU beat Oklahoma State 41-17
9/7/96 – Game in Ft. Collins, Colorado, CU beat CSU 38-34
9/23/06 – Game in Athens, Georgia, CU lost to Georgia 13-14

When Ralphie does not run at a game at Folsom Field (team record of 7-7):

10/4/69 – CU beat Indiana 30-7
9/12/87 – CU lost to Oregon 7-10
9/19/87 – CU beat Stanford 31-17
9/26/87 – CU beat Washington State 26-17
10/17/87 – CU beat Kansas 35-10
11/26/99 – CU lost to Nebraska 30-33 OT
11/28/03 – CU lost to Nebraska 22-31
10/22/05 – CU beat Kansas 44-13
10/3/15 – CU lost to Oregon 24-41
9/23/17 – CU lost to Washington 10-37
11/17/18 – CU lost to Utah 7-30
10/25/19 – CU lost to USC 31-35
11/9/19 – CU beat Stanford 16-13
11/23/19 – CU beat Washington 20-14

Spring Football Games:
Ralphie regularly runs at spring football scrimmages.

Ralphie makes a special run before the start of a Colorado Women’s Soccer game every year. When she runs before a soccer game the team has a record of 5-7.

10/5/07 W, 4-0, CU vs Nebraska
10/26/08 L, 1-2 OT, CU vs Texas A&M
10/2/09 W, 5-1, CU vs Oklahoma
10/10/10 W, 3-1, CU vs Iowa State
10/30/11 L, 0-1, CU vs USC
10/7/12 L, 1-2, CU vs Stanford
10/6/13 W, 1-0, CU vs Oregon
9/27/14 L, 4-2, CU vs California
10/11/15 L, 0-3, CU vs Washington State
10/30/16 L, 0-3, CU vs USC
10/8/17 L, 0-3, CU vs Stanford
10/7/18 W, 2-1 in OT, CU vs Washington
10/27/19 did not run vs. California due to snow

Ralphie also makes a special run or an appearance before the start of a Colorado Women’s Lacrosse game. When attends a lacrosse game the team has a record of 3-0.

2/22/14 W, 13-10, CU vs Regis, Run
2/12/17 W, 11-10, CU vs Northwestern, Appearance
4/27/18 W, 16-6, CU vs. Oregon, Run and Appearance (Pac-12 Tournament semifinal)

Ralphie celebrates the Fourth of July with Boulder locals, running before the firework display at Folsom Field. Ralphie’s Independence Day Runs:

2007 – 7/4/2007, Run and appearance
2008 – 7/4/2008, Run and appearance
2009 – 7/4/2009, Run and appearance
2010 – 7/4/2010, Did not run, appearance only
2011 – 7/4/2011, Run and appearance
2012 – Canceled
2013 – 7/4/2013, Run and appearance
2014 – 7/4/2014, Run and appearance
2015 – 7/4/2015, Did not run, appearance only
2016 – 7/4/2016, Did not run, appearance only
2017 – 7/4/2017, Run and appearance
2018 – 7/4/2018, Did not run, appearance only
2019 – 7/4/2019, Did not run, appearance only

Ralphie visits the coliseum each January to attend CU Night at the rodeo during the National Western Stock Show. National Western Stock Show Runs:

1987 – 1/15/1987 – 1/25/1987
2007 – 1/19/2007, Appearance only, first year attending for just an appearance on CU Night
2008 – 1/18/2008, Appearance only
2009 – 1/23/2009, Appearance only
2010 – 1/22/2010, Appearance only
2011 – 1/21/2011, Appearance only
2012 – 1/20/2012, Appearance only
2013 – 1/25/2013, Run and appearance, first year running at the rodeo
2014 – 1/24/2014, Run and appearance
2015 – 1/23/2015, Run and appearance
2016 – 1/22/2016, Run and appearance
2017 – 1/20/2017, Run and appearance
2018 – 1/19/2018, Run and appearance
2019 – 1/25/2019, Run and appearance
2020 – 1/24/2020, Appearance only

Cumulative Ralphie Football Game Runs (as of the end of the 2019 season)

Folsom Field Games: 296
Mile High Stadium Games: 19
Away Stadium Games: 12
Conference Championship Games: 4
Bowl Games: 24
Football Team Record When Ralphie Ran at Folsom Field: 183-111-2
Football Team Record When Ralphie Ran at Any Game: 214-139-2
Football Team Record When Ralphie Did Not Run At Folsom Field: 7-7
Total Games: 355