Why is Colorado called the Buffaloes? Details about mascot Ralphie and more

The Colorado Buffaloes are one of the most popular teams in college football. The program is coached by Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders and is home to Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter.

The University of Colorado athletics team has been called the Buffaloes since 1934. That year, the Silver & Gold newspaper held a competition to choose an official school nickname.

Numerous names were submitted by the institution's students, such as Rockies, Golden Buffaloes and Mountaineers. However, at the end of the competition, the name "Buffaloes" emerged victorious.

Why the Buffaloes?

The selection committee chose the name Buffaloes due to its unique characteristics. The name denotes strength, resilience and determination, which the university athletics team has embodied over time.

The Buffaloes nickname had become a significant part of the university's identity. Now, the team has a live Buffalo as their designated mascot.

Introducing Ralphie the mascot

In 1966, the University of Colorado needed a full-time Buffaloes mascot. The first Ralphie was in March of that year. Since then, there have been six Ralphies to represent the Colorado Buffaloes on game day.

Here's a look at their tenures:

• Ralphie I, October 1, 1966 – November 18, 1978
• Ralphie II (Moonshine), November 18, 1978 – September 19, 1987
• Ralphie III (Tequila), September 26, 1987 – November 28, 1997
• Ralphie IV (Rowdy), September 5, 1998 – August 31, 2008
• Ralphie V (Blackout), September 6, 2008 – November 23, 2019
• Ralphie VI (Ember), September 1, 2021 – present

Ralphie, the mascot, is popular in Colorado Buffaloes' lore and is most famous for its pregame run. Before home games, Ralphie, accompanied by "The Ralphie Handlers," runs around the Folsom Field in a horseshoe pattern at speeds that could reach 25 mph. The Ralphie run is repeated before the start of the third quarter of the fixture.

The Colorado Buffaloes haven't had a true winning season since 2016

The Buffaloes have had a challenging time recently. The franchise last had a "winning season" in 2020 under Karl Dorrell when they started the year 4-2. However, the season was called off early due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Hence, the Buffaloes' last true winning season came in 2016 under Mike MacIntyre. They went 10–4 that season and compiled an 8-1 record in the process.

However, it has been less positive since, as the program has suffered numerous losing seasons since that fruitful season. Their fans will be hoping for a better showing in 2024 as Coach Prime enters his second season as the Buffaloes head coach.