First season 1885 Stadium DU Stadium Seating capacity 30,000 | Last season 1960, 56 years ago Year built 1926 Field surface Natural grass | |
The Denver Pioneers football team formerly represented the University of Denver in college football. Football was once the most popular sport at the university; the first DU football game was played in 1885 against Colorado College, which is believed to be the first intercollegiate football game played west of the Mississippi River. Coach John P. Koehler led the team to its first conference title in 1909, and the 1917 team went undefeated.
DU's later football highlights include appearances in the 1946 Sun Bowl, 1947 Alamo Bowl, and 1951 Pineapple Bowl, but without wins. Denver won its fifth and final conference title in 1954. The football team played in a 30,000 seat stadium that stood on campus from 1926 to 1971.
The final season for DU football was in 1960; the program was discontinued in January 1961 for financial reasons. The Pioneers were 3–7 in that last season, but won their final game, 21–12 over Colorado State at DU Stadium on Thanksgiving.