FORT COLLINS — Colorado State’s annual “Ag Day” is always a special day on the football calendar.

The Rams wear their bright orange “Aggie” uniforms to honor the school’s rich history, dating back to its founding as Colorado Agricultural College in 1870. CSU is taking an additional step to make this year’s “Ag Day” even more special by retiring the No. 14 across all sports in honor of the late Lt. Col. John Mosley.

Mosley, who is a member of both the Colorado State Athletics Hall of Fame (1998) and Colorado Sports Hall of Fame (2009), was the first Black letter winner in football at what was then called Colorado A&M. He was also an all-conference performer on the wrestling team, becoming just the second black wrestler in school history.

The Denver native attended Manual High School and was his class valedictorian, earning a national merit scholarship in the process, before enrolling at Colorado A&M in 1939.

After graduation, Mosley became one of the first Black bomber pilots in U.S. history and one of the few Black pilots during World War II as a member of the Tuskegee Airmen.

He also served in the Korean and Vietnam Wars, retiring with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

CSU will officially retire Mosley’s No. 14 during a ceremony at Saturday’s home opener against Northern Colorado. Mosley’s name will become the fourth placed on Canvas Stadium’s honor ring. Current Rams athletes, including football wide receiver Tory Horton, can continue to wear the No. 14 for the remainder of their careers.

“I don’t think any of us can really understand the times that he came up in,” Rams coach Jay Norvell said. “It’s tough being the first. I’ve had some people in my family that were the first. My dad (Merritt Norvell) was the first black athletic director at Michigan State. I’ve been the first African-American coach at a couple different schools. To be first at that time is much different than now.

“For him to do all of the things that he accomplished, he was a unique, incredibly talented individual and a leader in his own right. To be a pilot at that time and to represent this country the way that he did — and this university — is pretty special.”

Mosley and his wife, Edna, moved to Aurora in the 1960s and were heavily involved in the community. The couple have an elementary and middle school, Edna and John W. Mosley P-8, named after them in Aurora. It opened in 2015, shortly after John died.

One of John and Edna’s four children, Eric, will be in attendance at Saturday’s game. Norvell said Eric will address the team before the game on Friday.

“We’re very excited to have them back and honored,” Norvell.