End Of An Era: Last Game Played At CSU's Historic Hughes Stadium

By Dillon Thomas

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (CBS4) - After 48 years of hosting Colorado State University Rams football games, fans bid their final farewell to Hughes Stadium Saturday night.

CSU plans to open a new on-campus stadium for the 2016 season.

"Hughes is such a gem. I think the whole world deserves to see how great CSU is," said Jenny Evans, a CSU senior.

Evans and her family have hosted one of CSU's biggest tailgates for years.

"It doesn't matter if we win or lose. We are still the best team in the Mountain West," Evans said.

However, Saturday night's tailgate was different, because her grandfather, Merf, was there as well. At 96-years-young, Merf recalled the day he signed up to play for the Rams, after returning from war.

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"The first table there was (Harry) Hughes, with a big sign that said, 'start here,'" Merf said.

Merf only played under Coach Hughes for a short period, well before a stadium was named after him.

"(The football field was) behind the old main," Merf said. "There was a bleacher of hard, wood seats."

Merf said he was still amazed to see his old coach's name on the stadium.

Merf's backstory, mixed with years of cheering on the Rams, made Saturday's farewell to Hughes all that more difficult for his granddaughter.

"The best Saturdays of our lives have been spent here at Hughes. We are all so lucky to be here," Jenny Evans said.

CSU named the road which the new stadium is located Hughes Way to honor the late coach.