Colorado State University Athletics
Colorado A&M hosted Colorado on Thanksgiving Day in 1923
This Week in CSU Football History -- Thanksgiving History
11/21/2018 9:18:00 AM | Football
A look at CSU Football games played on Thanksgiving Day from 1899-1978
by John Hirn
CSU Athletics Historian
Thanksgiving Day and football have been an American tradition since the first season of College Football in 1869. Since 1899, Colorado State Football has had its share of traditions on Thanksgiving Day. From a forfeit to a championship decision and a Republican protest, the Aggies and Rams have played 41 games on Thanksgiving Day, 42 if you count the 1899 forfeit in Wyoming.
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Since the first official game in 1903, CSU football has a 15-24-2 record, with 35 games played on the road and only six games played in Fort Collins. CSU Football has played the University of Denver the most and holds an all-time record of 6-4 against the Pioneers. CSU has played in nine different states and have faced 15 different schools on Thanksgiving.
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There have been some very notable games played on Thanksgiving with the first being the infamous forfeit in Laramie for the first-ever CSU/Wyoming game. The Cowboys argued over the official rules and with less than four minutes remaining in the game, and the Aggies ahead, Wyoming struck the rulebook from the official's hands and the game was declared a forfeit. Wyoming counts this game in their official record, but CSU does not because the game was not completed.
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In 1923, Colorado Field and all of Fort Collins saw fans from four different states flock to the championship game of the 1923 season. Both the Aggies and University of Colorado were tied for the conference title and faced one another to decide who would carry the trophy off the field. Railroad bridge material was used as makeshift bleacher seating to cram an estimated 20,000 people into the stadium built to seat approximately 7,000 people. After fans packed Fort Collins restaurants to eat their Thanksgiving meals, a standing room only crowd watched a grudge match on the field with CU coming out the winners by a field goal.
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In 1939 and 1940, there were two Thanksgiving Days celebrated in Colorado. The Federal Holiday was one week prior to the day the Aggies played, but due to an objection to President Franklin Roosevelt's change making Thanksgiving the third Thursday in November in order to extend the Christmas shopping season, 16 states celebrated both the federal holiday and the "traditional" last Thursday of November holiday. This was known as "Franksgiving" or the "Republican Thanksgiving" in protest of the president who was a Democrat.
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Over time, the NFL took control of the annual Thanksgiving Day football games. The Detroit Lions played the first NFL Thanksgiving game in 1934 and have played continuously since 1944. In 1966 the Dallas Cowboys began their annual Thanksgiving Day football game, which has almost ended a tradition of collegiate football on the third Thursday of November.
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In 2018 the Rams play their first Thanksgiving Day game since 1978 and will take on the Air Force Falcons. It will be the first Thanksgiving Day since 1919 that a CSU team has played in Colorado Springs and the first time CSU has faced the Falcons on Turkey Day.
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CSU Athletics Historian
Thanksgiving Day and football have been an American tradition since the first season of College Football in 1869. Since 1899, Colorado State Football has had its share of traditions on Thanksgiving Day. From a forfeit to a championship decision and a Republican protest, the Aggies and Rams have played 41 games on Thanksgiving Day, 42 if you count the 1899 forfeit in Wyoming.
Â
Since the first official game in 1903, CSU football has a 15-24-2 record, with 35 games played on the road and only six games played in Fort Collins. CSU Football has played the University of Denver the most and holds an all-time record of 6-4 against the Pioneers. CSU has played in nine different states and have faced 15 different schools on Thanksgiving.
Â
There have been some very notable games played on Thanksgiving with the first being the infamous forfeit in Laramie for the first-ever CSU/Wyoming game. The Cowboys argued over the official rules and with less than four minutes remaining in the game, and the Aggies ahead, Wyoming struck the rulebook from the official's hands and the game was declared a forfeit. Wyoming counts this game in their official record, but CSU does not because the game was not completed.
Â
In 1923, Colorado Field and all of Fort Collins saw fans from four different states flock to the championship game of the 1923 season. Both the Aggies and University of Colorado were tied for the conference title and faced one another to decide who would carry the trophy off the field. Railroad bridge material was used as makeshift bleacher seating to cram an estimated 20,000 people into the stadium built to seat approximately 7,000 people. After fans packed Fort Collins restaurants to eat their Thanksgiving meals, a standing room only crowd watched a grudge match on the field with CU coming out the winners by a field goal.
Â
In 1939 and 1940, there were two Thanksgiving Days celebrated in Colorado. The Federal Holiday was one week prior to the day the Aggies played, but due to an objection to President Franklin Roosevelt's change making Thanksgiving the third Thursday in November in order to extend the Christmas shopping season, 16 states celebrated both the federal holiday and the "traditional" last Thursday of November holiday. This was known as "Franksgiving" or the "Republican Thanksgiving" in protest of the president who was a Democrat.
Â
Over time, the NFL took control of the annual Thanksgiving Day football games. The Detroit Lions played the first NFL Thanksgiving game in 1934 and have played continuously since 1944. In 1966 the Dallas Cowboys began their annual Thanksgiving Day football game, which has almost ended a tradition of collegiate football on the third Thursday of November.
Â
In 2018 the Rams play their first Thanksgiving Day game since 1978 and will take on the Air Force Falcons. It will be the first Thanksgiving Day since 1919 that a CSU team has played in Colorado Springs and the first time CSU has faced the Falcons on Turkey Day.
Â
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