One could argue that what makes college football special is the traditions associated with it. Those CFB fans who follow Boise State know that they have a tradition that sets them apart from the rest of NCAA Division I football: Their blue turf field.
Since the installation of the blue turf (known as “The Blue” or “smurf turf”), Boise State has compiled a winning record at home. The first game on blue turf, a 74-0 win over Humboldt State (now known as Cal Poly Humboldt), was on September 13, 1986.
Inside the Boise State Blue Field
Many fans may not know that blue turf is not just a tradition but also legally trademarked by the Broncos. This basically means that other colleges speak to Boise State before changing the color of their turf. It’s more of a tradition.
Recently, this tradition was broken when SUNY Morrisville colored their turf black without speaking to Boise State. While this breaks the long-standing tradition, there are no official updates on whether it is legal or illegal. But things look upwards for the Broncos.
Boise State opened its 2025 season with a 34-7 loss on the road at South Florida. The Broncos’ first home game of the year is Friday night against Eastern Washington, with the home field indicating that Boise State could be in range for its first win of the season.
According to Boise State’s athletic department, the blue turf’s home field advantage has caused more opponents to false start since 2018 than any other FBS team (as of 2024).
Boise State has one of the coolest things in sports – blue uniforms on a blue field. I’ll never understand why they mess with it.
Get cute on the road all you want. Home games should be all blue, every game. https://t.co/mHL7RAOz6p
— B.J. Rains (@BJRains) September 4, 2025
According to Cohen IP, the school received federal trademark protection for the “smurf turf” in 2011. This means that Boone State has an exclusive license for a blue turf field.
So while other schools, such as the University of New Haven, can utilize a blue and yellow turf field, a solely blue field is likely only to be seen at Boise State for quite some time.
As of 2024, the Broncos have recorded 16 undefeated seasons in the 38 years that the blue turf has been utilized, failing to lose at home on The Blue in 42% of those years.
Going into the rest of the year, Boise State entered 2025 with short odds and a loaded roster. They were not only chasing another conference title, but also back-to-back playoff appearances.
The Broncos recorded 122 rushing yards and 256 passing yards in their first game of 2025. Hopefully, the blue turf’s power will help them generate more offensive production and capture the first win of the year. They have also recorded at least 90 yards passing and 90 yards rushing for 39 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the country.
Kick-off is slated for 9:00 p.m. EST against Eastern Washington at Albertsons Stadium.
