As thousands of fans clad in black and gold streamed into Folsom Field on Saturday to watch the University of Colorado Buffaloes edge out the Eastern Washington Eagles 31-24, sophomore Ryan Corey summed up the atmosphere nicely.

"Football is back, and it's not going anywhere soon," said Corey, a psychology major at CU and a self-described football fanatic, who offered handshakes and high-fives at one stadium entrance.

Corey was among a crowd of 46,417 who came to cheer on the Buffs in their home opener, and herald the start of fall football in Boulder.

"I love Boulder, I love CU and I love the Buffs, and we're gonna win," Corey said. "I'm gonna do my part and cheer the team on at all the home games."

Outside the field, vendors also were getting back into the swing of the season.

Thousands of free foam fingers were distributed, and some mobile eateries offering half-pound burgers and foot-long bratwurst said they were running out of supplies because business was so brisk.

Connor King, a 14-year-old Broomfield High School student selling game programs to benefit his wrestling team, also was running out of product.

"It's been very busy," King said. "Half the programs are gone, and I've been here for about half an hour."

Tailgaters also were out in force Saturday, although the festivities normally associated with Franklin Field had to be moved because the grass was too moist to have cars rolling on the turf, officials said.

Still, the pre-game fun found its way onto nearby street sides and parking lots.

Kristi Miller, a Denver resident and CU alumna, brought with her a basket of beef brisket and watermelon to feed three generations of her family who came to see the game.

"It's so much fun," she said.

Her father -- 82-year-old Frank Prager, who graduated from CU in 1949 -- said he still loves to come watch the sport.

"How can you help not loving it," he said, noting that not much has changed in either tailgating or football in the five decades he's followed the Buffs.

The student section inside Folsom on Saturday once again was overflowing with anxious fans, who went on an emotional roller coaster as the Buffs battled a points deficit through the end of the fourth quarter.

Ryan Ornberg, a sophomore at CU, said he's hopeful fans will pack the stadium as the season progresses.

"Hopefully, we can bring out more people after the big win against (Colorado State on Aug. 31)," Ornberg said. "The student section will be as big as it always is."

The crowd, police said, was particularly well-behaved for the first home game of the season.

"When games are fairly close like today's was, we have less business because people spend more time watching the game," CU police Cmdr. Brad Wiesley said.

Police records from Saturday show 18 of 22 people ejected from the game were intoxicated, and nine students were referred to CU's Office of Judicial Affairs for either alcohol or marijuana-related issues.

One person was taken to a detoxification center and one person was arrested on suspicion of obstructing police.

Despite the electrifying final minutes of the game -- in which Colorado cornerback Cha'pelle Brown picked off a pass from Eastern Washington quarterback Matt Nichols and returned it for a touchdown with 1:44 left to play in the game -- no one stormed the field.

Police in riot helmets and a human shield of private security staff stood at the ready, though, and maintenance crews were quick to tear down the field-goal posts after the final seconds.

Contact Camera Staff Writer Heath Urie at 303-473-1328 or urieh@dailycamera.com.