The Colorado Buffaloes are gearing up for an exciting start to their second year under head football coach Deion "Coach Prime" Sanders. On Thursday, they will officially open the season against North Dakota State at Folsom Field in Boulder. The Bison, boasting an impressive record of 82-18 in the postseason and 17 national titles, will undoubtedly provide a challenging test for the Buffaloes.

Notably, this game marks Colorado's return to the Big 12 Conference, and the team is entering the season with a brand-new football stadium videoboard. Construction for the videoboard, located on the south end of the stadium, began earlier this year in January. CU Athletic Director Rick George highlighted that this new addition is more than five times the surface area of the previous board, making it larger than the national average of all schools within the Power Four conferences.

The upgraded videoboard, measuring 130 feet wide by 36 feet high, is a significant improvement over its predecessor, standing eight feet taller and 98 feet wider. Additionally, the ribbon board below the videoboard has been significantly expanded, stretching over 1,000 feet from the north end of the club level to Balch Fieldhouse. CU Athletic Director Rick George expressed his enthusiasm, stating that the video board will enhance the game day experience for the fans in their first season back in the Big 12 Conference.

The majority of the approximately $15 million project was invested in the steel infrastructure to support the videoboard. With such a massive upgrade, the CU Buffs aim to create an electric atmosphere at Folsom Field during game days.

Excitement for the upcoming season is further elevated by the fact that Colorado's first four games have already been scheduled to air on major networks such as NBC, ABC, CBS, and ESPN. This will mark the second time in CU's history that they will appear on three out of the four major networks in the United States in the same season. Furthermore, with FOX being a partner of the Big 12, CU Athletics believes that there is a possibility of the Buffs appearing on all four networks in the same season for the first time ever.

Amidst the anticipation, the CU Buffs have achieved another significant milestone, as season tickets for the 2024 football season are completely sold out. This marks the second consecutive season where season tickets have sold out and the 10th time in the history of the program. Interestingly, this is also the second time that season tickets have sold out before August of an upcoming season, with the previous occurrence being last year. Prior to the last sell-out occurrence, it had been 27 years since CU last sold out of season tickets, accomplishing that feat from 1990-1996. The only other time CU had sold out of season tickets was during the 1972 season.

With the renewed energy surrounding the team, CU Athletics is elated by the overwhelming support from fans, with a season ticket renewal rate finishing above 98% for the second consecutive year, setting new records for the university.

As the Colorado Buffaloes prepare to face North Dakota State in their season opener, the team is fired up with their new videoboard and the knowledge that their loyal fanbase has completely sold out season tickets once again. It promises to be an exciting season for the team as they aim to make a mark in their return to the Big 12 Conference.