Exactly. I think our stadium being on campus is probably the #1 thing that sets us apart from CSU. You may think our tailgating sucks because we're not in one huge lot outside of Hughes, but that to me is a huge part of the college atmosphere - being on campus. I hate tailgating at Invesco - whether it's a Bronco game or the RMS - there's no atmosphere - just concrete. Wherever you walk in Boulder around campus on a Fall Saturday, there are people tailgating - Franklin Field, Kittridge, Farrand, business school, Sewall Beach, practice field lots/Boulder Creek. Yep, maybe we don't do it in a huge group, but our surroundings help make it special.
Like 'leash mentioned, our team walking off the bus, through a tunnel of fans, past the buffalo & into the stadium is cool. I've only gotten to be a part of it a couple of times but it's actually pretty impressive.
The band walking around the different tailgating areas & playing the fight song. Again cool. Yes, I guess they could do that at CSU but again, being all around campus to me is a big difference of what makes Boulder a great gameday atmosphere.
The way the team comes out onto the field (especially night games) is awesome. Coming out of the tunnel, through the fog machine, following Ralphie - pure awesomeness.
The student section can be absolutely incredible (when they show up on time). For some of the big-time games - OU '07, the FSU, WVU & I expect the Georgia game, they are color-coordinated, fired up, LOOOUUUDD & very much a part of the experience too. When the students are fired up, the alums are fired up.
I think it's a combination of all I stated above. Our fanbase has it's share of bluehair, ho-hum fans that yell at you to sit down, that sit on their hands, that get mad when it's too loud, etc. But I think that overall, we have a larger number of fans that share a love of football, a love for their alma mater (or for 67% - their favorite school they didn't attend), a love for Boulder & it's surroundings, and a love for the gameday atmosphere that makes the Boulder experience pretty special.