Deion Sanders and his Colorado Buffaloes take the field Saturday night in the Rocky Mountain Showdown against in-state rival Colorado State. This will be just the second time since 2019 that the Buffaloes and Rams have faced off.
Last season’s installment was one for the history books. The two teams combined for 917 total yards and 78 points as Colorado State pushed then-No. 18 Colorado into two overtimes before the Buffaloes were able to come up with a 43-35 triumph. Colorado State quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi had his coming out party with 367 yards passing and three touchdowns, and Shedeur Sanders continued his power-conference emergence with 348 yards passing and four touchdowns of his own. \
Follow along with LIVE UPDATES from Colorado-Colorado State, live on CBS at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Fowler-Nicolosi and Sanders are both back for 2024’s installment, though the situation is slightly different. Colorado isn’t entering as a ranked, heavily favored, ascending (at least perceived) powerhouse. The Buffaloes already have their backs against the wall following a 28-10 Week 2 loss to Nebraska, though a win against the Rams can make a lot right.
Colorado State, meanwhile, bounced back from a Week 1 drubbing at the hands of Texas with a 38-17 win against Northern Colorado in Week 2. Beating Colorado might just give the Rams the momentum they need as they search for their first bowl appearance since 2017. CSU would also love to break its six-game losing streak to the Buffaloes.
How to watch Colorado vs. Colorado State live
Date: Saturday, Sept. 14 | Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Canvas Stadium — Fort Collins, Colorado
TV: CBS | Live stream: CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App (Free)
Streaming on Paramount+ with Showtime (Try It Free)
Colorado vs. Colorado State: Need to know
Horton vs. Hunter worth the price of admission: Colorado State wide receiver Tory Horton — who did get banged up against Northern Colorado — vs. Colorado cornerback Travis Hunter is a matchup that could happen on NFL Sundays. It’s lucky for us, then, that we’re graced with such a prominent showdown this early in the season. Horton had 16 catches for 133 yards and a touchdown against the Buffaloes last year, but Hunter has made it a point to consistently lock down the other team’s best offensive threat. Grab some popcorn.
Opportunity for Colorado’s offensive line to bounce back: Colorado State has struggled to find a pass rush after losing Mohamed Kamara, who had two sacks against Colorado last year, to the NFL. The Rams have just one sack through their first two games and that came in the season opener against Texas. Colorado, which has struggled along both lines of scrimmage throughout Sanders’ tenure, let Nebraska get to quarterback Shedeur Sanders six times. Suffice to say, something has to give in Saturday’s game. Maybe the Buffaloes can start to impose their will and have a bit of a bounce back.
Last chance to see the Rocky Mountain Showdown for a while: Whoever wins Saturday will have bragging rights for at least the next five years. Though the two teams used to play annually, COVID-19 restrictions during the 2020 season and complications from conference realignment meant a different approach to scheduling Colorado vs. Colorado State. The two played last year and will obviously play this year, but there will be a hiatus until 2029-30 for another home-and-home, with Colorado State hosting first. That on again, off again schedule continues through 2038, with six games scheduled between Saturday and then.
Colorado vs. Colorado State prediction, picks
Colorado is 2-5 under Sanders outside the friendly confines of Folsom Field. We’ve already seen how things can unravel for the Buffaloes on the road this season. They had nine penalties for a total of 104 yards against Nebraska last week and failed to find any sort of rhythm as their first five offensive drives ended in three punts, a turnover on downs and a pick six. It will also be interesting to see how Sanders’ team responds from adversity. The 2023 showed us that the wheels can come off quickly if losses start stacking up. Not picking Colorado State to win, but the Rams should be able to keep it close. Pick: Colorado State +7.5
Which college football picks can you make with confidence in Week 3? Visit SportsLine to see which teams will win and cover the spread — all from a proven computer model that has returned over $2,000 in profit since its inception — and find out.
