On Sept. 24, thousands of BYU students lined up on Helaman Fields, waiting with anticipation for one of the university’s most iconic traditions: the True Blue Foam.
The event, known for its massive blue slip ’n slide covered with foamy blue bubbles, paints students head-to-toe in BYU blue and brings the entire campus together for an afternoon of fun.
The True Blue Foam has become a highlight of fall semester, a rite of passage for students and a symbol of BYU’s vibrant student life. But not many know that this fan-favorite event actually began decades ago — not with the iconic blue foam, but with eight inches of mud.
According to a 1998 Daily Universe article titled, “True Blue Football Pits Classes Against Each Other,” the True Blue tradition originally began as a spirited class competition.
The story starts back in 1963, when the first version of the event wasn’t blue at all, it was brown. That year, students gathered for what was known as the Mud Bowl, a messy football game played in nearly eight inches of mud on the Helaman Fields.
Male students competed in the game, while female students raced across the field during halftime in hopes of being crowned the Mud Bowl Queen.
For over 30 years, the Mud Bowl continued to be a fun, messy student tradition, until BYU decided it was time for a much bluer update. In 1997, the True Blue Football Classic was born, a flag football game that preserved the football element of the mud bowl, all while adding a very blue twist to the original mud bowl.
The True blue Football game featured eight teams, each playing four 15-minute quarters under intramural football rules. Teams were responsible for creating their own uniforms, mascots, and cheer squads. Awards were given out for Best Uniform, Best Mascot, Best Cheer Squad, The True Blue Award (for the best overall team), and the Edwards Award (for most valuable player).
Over time, though, the football element took a backseat and what remained was the foam. By the mid-2000s, the True Blue Foam had evolved into what it is today: a giant community-wide foam slide, where competition is replaced by connection.
“I’ve been looking forward to this all semester,” said Carson Mildon, a junior pre-med student. “There’s something about everyone covered in blue foam that just makes campus feel united and alive. You see people you’ve never met before, but for that hour, you’re all the same shade of blue.”
For others, the tradition carries personal significance and nostalgia. The blue foam has been around long enough for students to participate in the same event their parents once did.
The blue foam is much more than just a student activity it’s a reminder of BYU’s ability to blend community and faith all while making it a fun, unforgettable experience.
From muddy football fields to foamy slides, the True Blue Foam has transformed from a quirky student game into a rite of passage at BYU. Each year, thousands of students gather not just to get messy, but connect with other students and to be part of something bigger a blue event that keeps the Cougar spirit alive.
