Return of Rocky Mountain Showdown could come sooner than expected

When Colorado athletic director Rick George decided to not schedule the annual Rocky Mountain Showdowns with the Colorado State Rams following the 2020 season, fans along the front range and throughout the state were disappointed to see a possible end to Colorado’s best in-state football rivalry.

When the Buffs scheduled a home-and-home with another member of the Mountain West, agreeing to play Air Force in 2021 and 2022, CSU fans were annoyed, feeling like the Buffs were scared to face the Rams on a yearly basis. The CU faithful justified canceling the series, with many believing CU had more to lose than gain with an annual series with the green and gold, both financially and in the win vs. loss column. Beat CSU is what CU is supposed to do in their eyes, so a win isn’t necessarily flashy and a loss hurts the Buffs big time.

Although the termination of the annual meeting was never likely to be permanent, the the thought of a football season without the RMS just did not feel right. Recently, the Colorado AD implied that the return of the showdown could possibly come sooner than expected.

“Joe Parker and I have had a number of conversations,” George said, according to a general release from the University of Colorado. “I would expect us to do something or make some kind of announcement, maybe before this football season, on the future.”

When we reached out to Colorado State’s media relations, the school could confirm Parker and George have been talking and the earliest season the two have non-conference openings is 2023.

Excitingly, the return of the game would also mean that the game would no longer be played in Denver and would be played on the perspective campuses.

“With their new stadium, and with Folsom … for us, we need to do that (play on campus), and I think with a new football stadium for them, they’re going to want to host it there as well,” George said. “I can’t speak for them. But we won’t do a deal to play that series if it includes Denver.”

The rivalry game could be renewed as soon as 2023 and 2024, but no sooner, due to non-conference matchups already in place. Bringing the Buffs and their fans to Fort Collins would likely be beneficial for the local business like restaurants and bars, especially those nearest the on-campus stadium.

CSU – CU began in 1893 and the two schools played each other annually nearly every year until 1958, when Colorado refused to play in Fort Collins and the decrepit Colorado Field on campus. Ironically, nearly 60 years later, the addition of a new, shiny on-campus stadium is what will bring the Buffs back, who last played at Sonny Lubick Field at Hughes Stadium in 1996.

All-time, Colorado holds the 63-22-2 advantage over Colorado State, but CU holds only a slim 6-4 advantage since 2006.

Related: Ram Ruckus’ re-vamp looks to increase student participation and engage with student fans.

Updated look at on-campus stadium: photos and more.