The blue football field at Boise State used to be the big joke around college football. The rural legend was that migrating ducks would crash-land on it thinking it was a pond or lake.

Now that Boise State can hang with the big boys of college football, opponents are taking the blue field a little more seriously. The "Smurf Turf" combined with Boise State's uniforms of a very similar shade make the Broncos difficult to see.

Oregon State is taking the whole thing so seriously it had its practice field painted blue this week to allow players to get used to it. The Beavers will only get their first look at the turf at Boise State field during pregame warmups on Saturday because their travel plans and a high school game Friday night don't allow them to have a full practice.

According to the Eugene (Ore.) Register-Guard, an anonymous donor paid for Oregon State to paint its practice fields.

Boise State has won 44 straight at Bronco Stadium and is 63-2 at home since 2000.

In related news, Eastern Washington is the new Boise State, and red is the new blue. Eastern Washington is counting on a similar wave of novelty interest as a result of installing a bright red field.

Mixed results on that so far. Eastern Washington, which plays in the Football Championship Subdivision, which was formerly Division I-AA and should just be called the minor leagues -- is 2-1 after winning its first game on the red field.