Colorado football has never relied on flashy costumes or cartoon mascots to excite fans. The Buffaloes have something much more impressive than other schools’ costumed mascots or symbolic logos: a live bison roaring across the field, thrilling fans and frightening rivals alike. As the announcer yells, “Here comes Ralphie!” the stadium bursts into action as handlers run alongside the enormous animal, leading her in a horseshoe-shaped run that has turned into a sporting show. And now it looks like there’s a new bison in town!

The Ralphie tradition began back in 1934 when the buffalo was chosen as Colorado’s official mascot. Since then, every generation has a unique story to tell, whether it’s Ralphie I winning the title of Homecoming Queen in 1971, Ralphie II escaping a failed prank, or Ralphie V emerging as the group’s fastest and strongest member. As fans eagerly await who will lead the Buffaloes football into the future, every retirement brings back a mixture of nostalgia and excitement. Once again, that moment has finally arrived.

A recent X post by Bleacher Report stated, “BREAKING: Colorado announces their latest mascot, Ralphie VII, will debut vs. Wyoming. Ralphie VII is a one-year-old American Bison who weighs 700 lbs.” Whether you’re a die-hard Buffs fan or just a casual college football fan, most people agree that Ralphie’s run is one of the coolest things they’ve ever seen on the field. Colorado missed the thrill in their season opener this year, so the tradition had to wait a little. But that all changes this weekend. Boulder fans will finally have their chance once more as a brand-new Ralphie is about to emerge from the tunnel.

Ralphie VII’s debut is scheduled for Saturday night for the sold-out matchup with Wyoming. The one-year-old bison, which weighs around 700 pounds, has been training with the Ralphie Handlers for this particular run for the past few months. Program director Taylor Stratton couldn’t hide her excitement either, saying, “Ralphie’s run is iconic and our fans, students, faculty, staff, and alumni take an incredible amount of pride in this tradition which transcends sports. We’re excited to be adding a new Ralphie to the lineage.”

Ralphie VII replaces Ralphie VI, also known as Ember, who retired before the season due to her “indifference to running,” as CU described it. Ember and Ralphie V are now back on the ranch, having a great time. Colorado, however, maintains that the new Ralphie is “definitely not indifferent to running,” and that’s kind of very important when your job is to run across Folsom Field at almost twenty-five miles per hour. While Ralphie VII will be stealing the spotlight on the sidelines, the action under center is just as gripping.

Ralphie VII debuts amid Colorado QB shuffle

Of course, the mascot isn’t the only attraction in Boulder this weekend. The quarterback position in Colorado football is currently the most uncertain. Deion Sanders and the Buffs have been desperately trying to determine who their new quarterback is since Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders left for the NFL. In Week 1, Kaidon Salter was selected, but by Week 3, three different quarterbacks had already taken the field: Salter, Ryan Staub, and freshman Julian Lewis. It’s been a revolving door, and the 1-2 start shows that.

Last week against Houston, Staub had his opportunity, but it didn’t quite work out. After two interceptions, Colorado’s Big 12 opener ended in a 36–20 loss. Salter is thus expected to regain his position against Wyoming on Saturday night. When Deion appeared on Buffs Daily earlier this week, he attempted to minimize the chaos by stating, “It’s there. It’s to be had. People, they just gotta step up and do it. And take accountability and do it.” He added that consistency will come eventually, even if it takes the “long way” to get there.

Consistency is actually the crux of the problem. The Buffs have displayed moments of brilliance, such as two second-quarter touchdown drives against Houston and a significant comeback victory over Delaware, but they are unable to put it all together. Salter, a capable dual-threat, now has another opportunity to establish himself. Someone has to “step up and do it,” as Coach Prime stated, and Salter must be that person if Colorado hopes to even their record at 2-2.

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