BOULDER, Colorado — When BYU took the field against Colorado Saturday night in Boulder, it marked the Cougars’ first visit to Folsom Field since 1981.
Wait, what?
Yes, BYU and the Buffaloes have only been back in the same conference for a year — the two schools were previously Rocky Mountain and Skyline Conference members together from 1922-47 — but given that they come from neighboring states, it’s still a bit surprising that they don’t share much modern day history.
Special Collector’s Issue: “1984: The Year BYU was Second to None”
Get an inclusive look inside BYU Football’s 1984 National Championship season.
In fact, Saturday wasn’t just BYU’s first trip to Boulder since ‘81 — it was the Cougars’ first regular season matchup against Colorado since then.
BYU played the Buffaloes in the 1988 Freedom Bowl and again in last year’s Alamo Bowl, where Kalani Sitake’s squad won in convincing 36-14 fashion.
Colorado joining the Big 12 not only brings the Cougars and Buffaloes into each other’s lives again, but it’s a big deal for local BYU fans in the Centennial State who can see their team without traveling too far — a luxury that had largely disappeared after the Cougars left the Mountain West Conference more than a decade ago and stopped playing Colorado State regularly.
“Growing up, I was always wishing that Colorado would play BYU because I wanted to see both teams play more often,” said BYU alumna McKayla Chambers, who actually grew up in Colorado as a Buffaloes fan. “Now that they are playing each other, it’s kind of a tear. Do I cheer for my childhood team and make my dad proud, or do I root for my alma mater and go with my roots?
“… I was always jealous that CU always played Utah (in the Pac-12), but it was always easy to cheer for CU in that situation. I’m grateful that…
..
[ad_2]