Canvas Community Classic returns through 2025 with high school football at Canvas Stadium

Chris Abshire, Fort Collins Coloradoan
·4 min read

The Canvas Community Classic is officially an annual affair.

Fort Collins-area high school football rivalry games will return to Canvas Stadium on Colorado State University's campus for the next three seasons, Poudre School District and Canvas Credit Union officials announced Monday.

"We were thrilled with the success of the inaugural Canvas Community Classic, and we look forward to repeating that success, not only this coming fall, but for many years to come," said Steve Ferrero, Canvas’ chief community engagement officer.

The 2022 debut edition featured the four Class 5A city high schools. They'll be back for future years, while the new Timnath and Wellington high schools will also join the event beginning in 2024.

"We are so excited for year two of this event and extremely grateful for the continued partnership with Canvas Credit Union, as well as Colorado State's willingness to make available this beautiful venue," said PSD athletic director Brandon Carlucci.

Canvas Classic football matchups for 2023, 2024 and 2025

Some scheduling conflicts (more on that below) mean that city teams will maintain the same matchups as the inaugural year and rotate through the event in the 2024 and 2025 seasons.

Here are the matchups and dates for each season:

2023

Week 6: Oct. 6, 2023

  • Fossil Ridge vs. Fort Collins (4:30 p.m.)

  • Rocky Mountain vs. Poudre (7 p.m.)

2024

Week 5: Sept. 27, 2024

  • Timnath vs. Wellington (4:30 p.m.)

  • Poudre vs. Rocky Mountain (7 p.m.)

2025

Week 5: Sept. 26, 2025

  • Fort Collins vs. Fossil Ridge (4:30 p.m.)

  • Wellington vs. Timnath (7 p.m.)

What determined the Canvas Classic schedules?

The schedule was affected by several different conflicting elements, like:

  • the availability of Canvas Stadium around the CSU football schedule

  • whether the available date falls in the conference or nonconference part of the CSU and high school seasons

  • Poudre likely becoming a Class 4A football team in the 2024-25 CHSAA cycle

For example, all four city teams are currently in the same football league, meaning it was simpler in 2023 to get other league teams Boulder and Fairview to swap certain dates for conference games.

And CHSAA football schedules (for upper classes) are structured to have the first five weeks be nonleague games, followed by league action in the final five weeks.

The 2023 version is in week 6 of the high school slate due to CSU football's previously scheduled game against Utah Tech on Sept. 30.

All of these factors meant it was most feasible to maintain city rivalry matchups from the 2022 version while rotating the new schools in.

"Scheduling matchups remain the same due to the CHSAA two-year cycle," Carlucci said. "If even one matchup were to change, it would create a domino effect impacting the schedules of multiple teams within a league."

Still a community event

Rocky Mountain High School unified football team takes on Poudre High school during halftime during the Canvas Community Classic football game at Canvas Stadium in Fort Collins on Sept. 30, 2022.
Rocky Mountain High School unified football team takes on Poudre High school during halftime during the Canvas Community Classic football game at Canvas Stadium in Fort Collins on Sept. 30, 2022.

Just like the matchups, the community focus will remain the same and at the forefront.

Each year's event will celebrate the Fort Collins area and Poudre School District community, with Canvas and PSD facilitating festivities.

"This event is much bigger than two football games," Carlucci said. "It's a celebration of kids and community. We felt last year's Community Classic was a great success and hope to make it bigger and better in the years to come."

Carlucci also said exact community elements for the 2023 event have not been completely solidified yet. The inaugural edition featured events for community attendees like:

  • a Unified flag football game

  • pep bands from each school

  • CSU ROTC cadets firing the 'Comatose' cannon

  • a Ram Town play area for kids outside the stadium

  • RamVision and other CSU game-day elements operating in the stadium

"What a unique opportunity to bring the entire community together to celebrate and, hopefully, create lasting memories for our students, athletes, coaches, family, and friends in an amazing setting like Canvas Stadium," Ferrero said.

Tickets for the 2023 games will again be $12 for the general public but free to all PSD students and employees with their school ID.

What happened in the 2022 games?

Fossil Ridge senior Ryan Pollyea (7) and his teammates rush to celebrate winning the Harmony Cup with the student section during the Canvas Community Classic at Canvas Stadium on Sept. 30, 2022. Fossil Ridge beat Fort Collins 46-21.
Fossil Ridge senior Ryan Pollyea (7) and his teammates rush to celebrate winning the Harmony Cup with the student section during the Canvas Community Classic at Canvas Stadium on Sept. 30, 2022. Fossil Ridge beat Fort Collins 46-21.

Here are the results from the football games in the Canvas Community Classic's first season:

  • Fossil Ridge beat Fort Collins 46-21.

  • Poudre beat Rocky Mountain 34-7.

Here is The Coloradoan's coverage from the event:

Best of:Top performances from Canvas Community Classic rivalry high school football doubleheader

Lyell:Everyone's a winner in high school football doubleheader at CSU's Canvas Stadium

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Canvas Classic: Fort Collins football games return to CSU through 2025

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