Folsom Field celebrates 100 years, among oldest stadiums in college football history
Folsom Field's centennial season is underway. The historic stadium has a legacy spanning nearly a century, and it is a testament to both time and transformation.
The stadium, which was built in 1924, has been through a number of renovations. It has also been the home to unforgettable moments throughout its existence.
Today, it stands as one of the oldest stadiums in college football history. The stadium was built in less than 300 days at a cost of $65,000 nearly 100 years ago.
It is now tied for the 21st oldest venue in the football bowl subdivision and the fifth oldest in the PAC-12. The original stadium in 1924 could only hold 26,000 fans.
"There were 22 sections divided by radial aisles installed, the same set-up in the lower bowl that remained the same until a slight alternation on the northeast side in 2015. An estimated 90% of the football players on the CU roster helped work on the stadium, including painting white numerals on all the seats, as many were putting themselves through school," said Plati.
Since major upgrades to the stadium in the past century the Folsom field can now seat more than 50,000 spectators.
Dave Plati, Athletics Historian for the University of Colorado Boulder says the beauty of this stadium is unlike others.
"I think when you look at all the stadiums across the country, I think Folsom Field is really hard to top for its natural beauty," said Plati.
The stadium is known for its stunning views of the Flatirons. The stadium originally known as Colorado Stadium has been home to a number of renovations over the years.
According to Plati, there have been four major renovations through the years. In 1944 the stadium became known as Folsom field in honor of former coach Fred Folsom..
According to Plati upon its completion, it was the first structure of its kind in the Rocky Mountain region. The stadium was paid off in less than a decade, and would undergo several renovations and additions through the years; at present, the oldest thing in the stadium are the brick wall façades on the west side, the outside of Balch Fieldhouse which was built in 1936.
Plati adds a 15,000-seat addition was completed in time for the 1956 season, adding a second level (or deck) of seating to the stadium that cost $1.25 million and upped the capacity to 45,000. It has gone through several alterations since to bring it to its current capacity of 50,183.
"If you look at pictures of the stadium from that time, you can see weeds growing underneath the dirt under the wooden bleachers. So that's when we put in our trademark silver bleachers," said Plati.
But it has also been home to a number of icons and iconic moments
From Byron Whizzer White - Buffs' first All-American, Heisman Trophy runner up and an associate of the Supreme Court Justice under JFK to Rashaan Salaam - the Buffs' only Heisman trophy winner.
One of the most memorable plays from Salaam includes when he raced 67 yards for his 24th touchdown of the 1994 season versus Iowa State. This would then put him over the 2,000-yard mark for the season en route to winning the Heisman Trophy.
Another unforgettable moment, the historic 62-36 victory against their arch-rivals the Nebraska Cornhuskers in 2001 powered by Chris Brown's six touchdowns that left fans in a frenzy in 2001.
Any of Chris Brown's six touchdowns, where on most he ran over or through Nebraska defenders in a 62-36 win to give CU the Big 12's north division title. His six scores came from 12, 1, 36, 1, 13 and 8 yards as he gained 198 yards on 24 carries, never tackled for a loss in the process.
Brett Heinzerling, a now-CU Boulder alum was a student at the time, he says it was Thanksgiving break and he was on campus. He was offered $300 for his ticket to attend the game, he thought about it, but then denied the offer and attended the game. He does not regret it.
"It was the best game I have ever been to in my life, it was amazing, nobody sat down for the entire first half," said Heinzerling.
Another unforgettable moment in Folsom Field's history happens to be Oct. 25, 1986, when the Buffs defeated Nebraska in a game known as "The Turning Point." This victory marked a significant milestone for coach Bill McCartney and the school's program.
Folsom Field's journey to its centennial season is rich with memories, legendary players, and historic moments that have left their mark on the stadium's legacy and former players.
Darian Hagan, Buffs legendary quarterback recalls his favorite moment at Folsom Field, his pitch to J.J. Flanagan on Nov. 4, 1989, against Nebraska.
"People say why did I pitch the ball when I could just put my foot on the ground and catch it and score the touchdown, and people don't realize that a year ago before that, J.J. was going to score against them and fumbled. So I was just repaying the favor and pitching it to him so he can live in glory forever," said Hagan.
Now, with Coach Prime at the helm, there's a chance to revive the winning energy that has defined this stadium's legacy as it embarks on its 100th season.
Aside from football, this stadium has also hosted more than 30 major concert series and witnessed countless jaw-dropping plays that continue to resonate with fans.
Their sold-out crowd wasn't a football game, it was a Fleetwood Mac concert in 1977.
