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The college football season has begun and for the 47th year in a row the University of Denver will have no team of its own to cheer for.
The Rocky Mountain Showdown is the closest the University of Denver will be to the pigskin flying through the air at the college football level. It is the interstate rivalry between the University of Colorado and Colorado State held at Invesco Field at Mile High.
This year the big game took place on September 1st. The first ever game between CU and CSU took place on February 10, 1893 in Fort Collins with the Buffs cruising to a 70-6 victory. Colorado leads the all-time series by a 57-19-2 count, but also plays in a tougher conference, the Big 12. The Rams of Colorado State play in the Mountain West Conference, which features such schools as Utah, BYU and TCU.
“This one definitely starts the season off with a bang. Everybody wants to get on the field and we were no different. It gives you an edge in practice when you know you got a rivalry to prepare for to help get through those dog days of summer camp,” said CU freshman quarterback Cody Hawkins.
The Game:
Hawkins helped lead his team to a thrilling 31-28 overtime win over the Rams this year. A game that featured a back-and-forth battle but in the end the Buffs stepped up when they needed to.
“It can if you let it, but if you go to practice on Monday and think about Cal then we will forget about it,” said CSU junior Klint Kubiak about how the loss will effect his team. Kubiak and his freshman brother both play for the Rams and their dad is the head coach of the NFL’s Houston Texans.
Last season the two teams played in the second week of the season, but this year the game started off the season, which is good and bad in the opinions of some Ram players.
“I mean you play high emotional, high profile right off the bat, anytime you can have that it is great, I would never change this game I would rather have it be the first game every year,” said senior tight-end Kory Sperry.
“It doesn’t matter either way, I would almost rather have a first game before a big game, but that is stuff that we both have to deal with,” said senior defensive lineman Erik Sandie.
One interesting fact about the game this season is that it started at 10 a.m., the earliest start to a football game in school history for both programs.
“It’s different, a lot of guys would rather play under the lights, but this time there is no waiting, you wake up and you play,” said Sperry.
