What Colorado Coach Deion Sanders Said About Ralphie VII

On Friday, Sept. 19, the Colorado Buffaloes announced their new live mascot, Ralphie VII. Ahead of the team's week 5 game against the No. 25 BYU Cougars, Colorado coach Deion Sanders spoke about what the new mascot brings to the program.

Oct 7, 2023; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders walks the sidelines as his team takes on the ASU Sun Devils at Mountain America Stadium. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

On Sept. 19, the Colorado Buffaloes announced a new live buffalo mascot, Ralphie VII. The news comes a couple of weeks into the season after the retirement of Ralphie VI.  Ralphie VII made her debut during Colorado’s matchup against the Wyoming Cowboys.

While speaking on Thursday during his coaches' show, Colorado coach Deion Sanders discussed how special Ralphie VII is. Colorado missed out on having a live mascot through the first two home games of the season. Through those games, Colorado went 1-1, defeating the Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens.

What Sanders Said About Ralphie VII

Sep 20, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders before the game against the Wyoming Cowboys at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Sanders discussed what it was like watching  Ralphie VII rehearse and emphasized her energy. Sanders called for people to take the new bison seriously after watching her train ahead of her debut.

“The new Ralphie ain’t no joke,” Sanders said. “It was unbelievable. I’ve been on the balcony watching the rehearsals, the practices, and they’ve been on point. I was afraid for the Ralphie handlers. New Ralphie got out that thing like a young, hungry freshman. Ralphie’s a dog.”

It is safe to say Ralphie VII is going to continue to bring the energy to Folsom Field when the Colorado Buffaloes play in Boulder. Perhaps the energy from Ralphie VII was just what the Buffaloes were missing to start the season.

Ralphie VII is a one-year-old American Bison weighing 700 pounds. She was donated to the University of Colorado by the Beauprez family, which owns Eagle's Wing Ranch near Steamboat Springs, Colorado.

Ralphie’s Iconic Colorado Tradition

Aug 29, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders during the first quarter against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Ralphie VI, nicknamed Ember, retired just a couple of days before the team’s season opener. The tradition of having Ralphie run on the field is one of the most iconic traditions in college football. The bison brings the energy to the stadium, in return helping fuel the football team.

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“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,” The director of CU's Ralphie Live Mascot Program, Taylor Stratton, said in a press release. “We’re excited to be adding a new Ralphie to the lineage of incredible buffalo that have represented the University of Colorado and have elevated the fans’ passion for our student-athletes.”

Apr 4, 2025; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders watches as his players go through drills at the University of Colorado NFL Showcase at the CU Indoor Practice Facility. Mandatory Credit: Michael Ciaglo-Imagn Images | Michael Ciaglo-Imagn Images

The nickname for Ralphie VII has yet to be revealed, though it could be announced at any point, as her handlers were waiting to name her until after her first run.

Can Ralphie VII Bring The Energy For Colorado?

The Buffaloes are coming off a win against the Wyoming Cowboys, which coincides with Ralphie VII’s debut. The Colorado Buffaloes are now 2-2 to start the season, going 0-1 in Big 12 conference play. Next up, the Buffaloes will have a big matchup taking place over the weekend.

Oct 19, 2024; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Colorado Buffalos head coach Deion Sanders against the Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Sanders and the Buffaloes will next face the No. 25 BYU Cougars on Sept. 27 at 8:15 p.m. MT. The game will be held at Folsom Field, and having Ralphie back could be the energy boost the Buffaloes need before facing an undefeated, ranked opponent.

With the late kickoff set, the Colorado Buffaloes are urging fans to make it to their seat at least 15 minutes early to be able to watch Ralphie VII run through the field ahead of the game.