Albertsons Stadium

Albertsons Stadium on the Boise State University campus is home to one of the most recognizable football fields in college sports: the Smurf Turf, a vivid blue artificial surface that has been Boise State's visual signature since 1986. The blue turf was the first non-green playing field in college football and caused immediate controversy, both aesthetically and competitively.

The stadium holds about 36,000 and is consistently one of the louder venues in the Mountain West conference. Boise State football has been a genuine national success story — the 2007 Fiesta Bowl upset of Oklahoma is the most famous game in school history. Even if you are not a football fan, a game day in Boise is an experience worth catching, with tailgating that spreads across campus and the Greenbelt.

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A story
Boise State's blue turf, introduced in 1986, was the first non-green artificial playing surface in college football. Coach Lyle Smith chose blue to match the school colors and because it was a good way to get national attention — which it did, though not always approvingly. The conference eventually changed its rules to prohibit matching turf and uniform colors for visiting teams, since opponents struggled to see Boise State defenders against the blue field.

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