2023 Mascot Hall of Fame Best Collegiate Live Animal Program Award Winner
Ralphie is the live buffalo mascot of the University of Colorado Buffaloes, competing in the Big 12 Conference. The Buffaloes play their home games at Folsom Field in Boulder, Colorado, a stadium set against the dramatic backdrop of the Rocky Mountains and that has hosted one of college football’s most breathtaking pregame traditions for over five decades. Ralphie earned the 2023 Mascot Hall of Fame Best Collegiate Live Animal Program Award for a program that has grown from a borrowed baby buffalo in a pen to a full-scale, highly trained live mascot operation that draws gasps from first-time visitors every single time.
From Mr. Chips to Ralphie — A Buffalo Tradition Takes Shape
Live buffaloes made occasional appearances at Colorado games in the early years — sometimes in a pen on the field, sometimes transported in a trailer. In the 1940s, the university kept a baby buffalo at the University Riding Academy. The first buffalo named “Mr. Chips” appeared at the 1957 CU Days Kickoff Rally and was cared for by a men’s honorary society.
The turning point came in 1966, when the Student Body Government decided Colorado needed a full-time live buffalo mascot. Freshman Class Officer Bill Lowery spoke with his father, who purchased and donated the original Ralphie to the university in March of that year. Ralphie first appeared on the sidelines on October 1, 1966 — Colorado beat Kansas State 10-0 that day, which set a promising precedent.
The Charge That Starts It All
Around that same time, head football coach Eddie Crowder was approached with the idea of having the buffalo charge across the field before the game, with the team following close behind. After considerable discussion, the tradition made its debut on September 16, 1967 — Colorado beat Baylor 27-7. Ralphie has been leading the team onto the field ever since, sprinting across the turf at full speed guided by a team of trained student handlers who keep pace alongside her in what is genuinely one of the most physically demanding mascot handler jobs in all of college sports.
A Living Symbol of the Rocky Mountain West
Each Ralphie is a female American bison, chosen for their more manageable temperament relative to males, though “manageable” is a relative term when discussing an animal that can weigh over 1,000 pounds and reach speeds of 25 miles per hour. The current Ralphie carries the legacy of every buffalo who has run before her, representing not just a football team but the wild, open spirit of Colorado itself.
American bison were nearly driven to extinction in the late 19th century, with the population dropping from an estimated 30–60 million animals to fewer than 1,000 by the 1880s. Conservation efforts have since brought the population back to roughly 500,000 — meaning Ralphie’s presence on a football field is not just entertaining, it’s a small symbol of one of America’s greatest wildlife comebacks.
