Coach Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes will introduce a new live buffalo mascot before kickoff Saturday night at their sold-out football game against Wyoming. Her name is Ralphie VII, the newest “Ralphie” bison to charge onto the turf at Folsom Field after the previous mascot, Ralphie VI, “retired” amid an “indifference to running.”
The new Ralphie, a 1-year-old, weighs 700 pounds. The university said she is a gift from the Beauprez Family, who are multigenerational University of Colorado alumni and owners of Eagle’s Wing Ranch outside of Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
She replaces Ralphie VI, who was put out to pasture in retirement with Ralphie V. Her retirement was announced before the season after four years of service, most of which were marked by slow and short runs on the field before games, especially in her last appearance at the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio in December.
By contrast, the university said Ralphie VII “is definitely not indifferent to running.”
Colorado’s football team took the field in its past two home games without any traditional pregame run from Ralphie. Sanders was asked about that after his team lost the season opener against Georgia Tech on Aug. 29.
“I’m not disappointed,” Sanders said. “Ralphie gotta do what Ralphie gotta do. I think you guys have taken a day off, right? … So give Ralphie some grace. I mean, she had a good run, right. So they’re preparing another Ralphie. … And we gonna be all right. Ralphie’s gonna be straight.”
Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer. Email: bschrotenb@usatoday.com