Colorado vs. Colorado State game: Revisiting rivalry’s most memorable moments before series goes on hiatus

The 93rd edition of the Rocky Mountain Showdown will take place Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET on CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App (Free). For the first time since 1996, Colorado State will host Colorado in Fort Collins. This series between the flagship universities in the Centennial State started in 1893, and the rivalry was played annually from 1899-1958 before resuming in 1983.

Colorado has won the last six meetings, and none were more polarizing than last year’s showdown in Boulder. The Buffaloes came from behind to defeat the Rams 43-35 in double-overtime to move to 3-0 to start the Deion Sanders era. 

Colorado leads the all-time series 68-22-2, but there have been dozens of electric moments: the Rams’ 19-14 upset over the No. 7 Buffaloes in 2002, marquee quarterback play from Joel Klatt and Bradlee Van Pelt in the early 2000s, and the “tear gas” game in 1999 most notably among them. 

This will mark the final matchup in this series until 2029, with the two teams scheduled to meet six times between 2029 and 2038. With this being the final game for the foreseeable future, here are some of the biggest moments from the rivalry ahead of Saturday’s clash on CBS. 

1. Colorado moves to 3-0 under Deion Sanders

When: Sept. 16, 2023 | Result: Colorado 43, Colorado State 35 (2OT)

This was one of the most iconic moments of the Rocky Mountain Showdown. It had it all: Shilo Sanders‘ 80-yard pick six to open the scoring, Travis Hunter leaving the game with an injury, and Shedeur Sanders architecting a game-tying drive in the final moments. Colorado State star wide receiver Tory Horton had a monster performance, catching 16 passes for 133 yards and a touchdown. The chatter and build-up around this game ended with a wholesome moment when Hunter and Colorado State DB Henry Blackburn — the player who laid the big hit on the Colorado star — met up for a game of bowling to raise money for charity.

2. The “tear gas game”

When: Sept. 4, 1999 | Result: Colorado 41, Colorado State 14

In the final moments of Colorado’s blowout win over Colorado State, Denver Police dispensed tear gas on fans in the stands. While Colorado players were walking to the locker room, fans started tossing cups, bottles, and other debris, causing the northeast stands to be filled with tear gas. Denver Police Capt. R.A. Ryan said after the game that many fans were “pretty well intoxicated,” which “caused” the tear gas to be dispensed. According to the Denver Post, some fans in the northeast corner chanted “goal post,” indicating they would try and rush the field to tear them down. 

3. Rams pull top-10 upset

When: Aug. 31, 2002 | Result: Colorado State 19, Colorado 14

Coming off a 10-3 campaign in 2001, Colorado opened the season ranked No. 7 but fell to its in-state rival in a thrilling ending. With Colorado State trailing 14-13 with less than seven minutes to play, Van Pelt turned an option play into a 23-yard touchdown burst. The iconic moment came when Van Pelt broke the plane and spiked the football on the side of a Colorado player’s helmet. Colorado State would stop Colorado and fourth down on the ensuing possession to seal the win.

4. Buffs start winning streak in dramatic fashion

When: Sept. 19, 2015 | Result: Colorado 27, Colorado State 24 (OT)

Colorado State running back Jasen Oden Jr. scored a 1-yard touchdown run with 4:29 in regulation to send the game to overtime, and the period beyond regulation provided another Kodak moment in this series. Colorado State kicker Wyatt Bryan’s 27-yard field was blocked by Tedric Thompson, and Colorado kicker Diego Gonzalez redeemed himself from a missed field goal at the end of regulation with a 32-yard walk-off kick. This started Colorado’s current six-game winning streak over Colorado State.

5. Rams win last matchup for 25 years

When: Nov. 22, 1958 | Result: Colorado State 15, Colorado 14

Colorado State won a nail-bitter over Colorado in what marked the final game in this series for 25 years until it resumed in 1983. In 1995, this series was resumed as an annual rivalry until the COVID-19 pandemic forced the game to be canceled in 2020 due to the Pac-12 restricting its members to play conference opponents only. This rivalry will take a five-year hiatus before it’s resumed in 2029.