If you followed Colorado football over the past 40 years you might assume that the official school colors are gold and black. Actually the official school colors are silver and gold which explains the silver hued helmet (with buffalo horns) pictured above that the team wore as late as 1961.

The "Buffalos" nickname first appeared in 1934. It originated from a contest held by the school newspaper aptly named the "Silver and Gold Record." The winning entry earned a handsome sum of $5.00! For the final game of the 1934 season, some students paid $25 to rent a buffalo calf mascot along with a real cowboy as his keeper. It took the cowboy and four students to keep the calf under control on the sidelines. Prior to 1934, CU athletic teams usually were referred to as the "Silver and Gold," but other nicknames included Silver Helmets, Yellow Jackets, Hornets, Arapahos, Big Horns, Grizzlies and Frontiersmen.

A strange but true fact -- both Colorado and its major intrastate rival Colorado State have both worn, albeit in different years, a similar logo theme (animal horns) on their helmets. While you are contemplating if this has ever happened before (with other intrastate rivals) please enjoy this wonderful authentic reproduction of the vintage CU helmet. Thanks Ken.If interested in any of these Colorado helmets please click on the photos below.