PHOTO: Flashback to 1973 PAGES 20

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LIVING YEARBOOK

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RAM LEGACY

A look at 100 years of CSU Homecoming football history

COLLEGIAN FILE PHOTO

By Damon Cook

@dwcook2001

Colorado State University has a long and prosperous history full of many traditions and events. One of those events is the Homecoming football game. This year, CSU will face Utah State University in the 100th anniversary of CSU’s first intercollegiate Homecoming football game. So how has the CSU football team fared over these years, and what kind of traditions have they created themselves?

The origin of Homecoming came from Charles A. Lory, who was president of the university when it was known as Colorado Agricultural College. He wanted an event in which alumni of the university could return once a year for a reunion. So in 1914, he organized the first-ever Homecoming game between alumni and the football team at the time.

“When Dr. Lory created the first Homecoming in 1914, it was meant to instill pride in the school and also return alumni to the campus in the form of reunions,” said John Hirn, volunteer historian for CSU Athletics.

The alumni won 3-0, Hirn added. The tradition of alumni versus the team held up for a few years, and then in 1922, CSU played their first intercollegiate Homecoming game against the Colorado School of Mines, which CSU won 19-0.

CSU has done a good job of keeping the general vibes up around Homecoming and tends to feel like a winning team during Homecoming. Darrell Blair, a senior instructor at CSU, said he feels the same way.

“In my opinion, I would hate to think that I’m wrong,” Blair said. “Typically we try to schedule a team that’s more beatable, and I think we’ve done well.”

Blair’s statement checks out. A list Hirn put together showcasing every Homecoming game CSU has ever played highlights that CSU has a winning record in their history playing in the Homecoming game at 51-45-1.

This year’s game against Utah State will be CSU’s 98th Homecoming contest. Only three times in Homecoming’s 100-year intercollegiate history has a game been canceled: twice for World War II in 1943 and 1944 and then during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

Over those 97 games, CSU football has come up with and displayed some great traditions. Most recently was the running of the original 1925 Homecoming flag. Hirn said that in 1925, a fan and future student of the University of Colorado Boulder stole the flag and that it was returned prior to Homecoming in 2014 — the 100th anniversary of Homecoming at CSU.

“The flag and its story of being returned to CSU on the anniversary of our 100th Homecoming intoxicated many people in the room, including the (former) interim (Athletic Director) John Morris,” Hirn said.

Since the return of the flag, CSU is 6-1 in their Homecoming contests. Colorado State will take on Utah State for their 20th Homecoming matchup Oct. 15. During the 19 contests, the record between the teams is 9-9-1, and the Rams won the most recent meeting 31-24 in 2016.

Reach Damon Cook at sports@ collegian.com.

GAME GUIDE

CSU football looks for Homecoming win against 2-4 Utah State

By Kaden Porter

@kqporter5

After sneaking out of Reno, Nevada, with their first win of the season last week, Colorado State University football will try to stay undefeated in Mountain West Conference play when they host Utah State University Oct. 15, for Homecoming & Family Weekend.

The Rams earned their first win of the season against the University of Nevada, Reno despite not scoring an offensive touchdown. They’re now 1-4 this season overall and 1-0 in conference.

“Though it wasn’t pretty at times, it was really a satisfying team win,” head coach Jay Norvell said at his weekly press conference. “I thought our defense was outstanding.”

Meanwhile, Utah State is 2-4 on their season so far. Like CSU, one of the Aggies’ losses came as a blowout to a Football Championship Subdivision team at home, losing to Weber State University 35-7 Sept. 10.

Utah State is 1-1 in conference play, most recently upsetting the United States Air Force Academy 34-27 Oct. 8. They have scored at least 20 points in all but two games this season, so CSU’s defense will look to remain in stellar form after carrying the Rams to the win last week.

“I just really think (Utah State University) is a hard-playing team that’s getting better,” Norvell said.

With quarterback Clay Millen likely to miss another week with his shoulder injury, Giles Pooler will get the start for the Rams.

“We had some passing success with Clay (Millen) in there, so we really need him back,” Norvell said.

Utah State holds the betting edge with the majority of sportsbooks favoring the Aggies over the Rams by around 10 points. The last time the two programs played, Utah State escaped with a 26-24 victory Oct. 22, 2021.

The game will be CSU’s 98th Homecoming football game in the university’s history. The Rams have compiled a 51-45-1 record in previous Homecoming games, winning six of their last seven since 2014.

“I just really think (Utah State University) is a hard-playing team that’s getting better.”

JAY NORVELL

CSU FOOTBALL HEAD COACH

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY SOPHIA SIROKMAN THE COLLEGIAN

The game is slated to kick off at 5 p.m. Oct. 15.

“We’re very excited to come back home,” Norvell said.

Reach Kaden Porter at sports@ collegian.com.