Rocky Mountain Showdown

| team2logo = Colorado State Rams wordmark.svg

| team2logo = Colorado State Rams wordmark.svg

| sport =

| sport =

| firstmeeting = February 10, 1893<br />Colorado 70–6

| firstmeeting = February 10, 1893<br />Colorado 70–6

| mostrecent = September 14, 2024<br>[[2024 Colorado Buffaloes football team|Colorado]] 28–9

| mostrecent = September 14, 2024<br>[[2024 Colorado Buffaloes football team|Colorado]] 28–9

| nextmeeting = September 15, 2029<br>at [[Canvas Stadium|Fort Collins]]

| nextmeeting = September 15, 2029<br>at [[Canvas Stadium|Fort Collins]]

The ”’Rocky Mountain Showdown”’ is the name given to the ”’Colorado–Colorado State football rivalry”’.<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 1, 2018 |title=Rocky Mountain Mowdown: CU Buffs dominate Colorado State |url=https://www.denverpost.com/2018/08/31/colorado-offense-dominates-colorado-state/}}</ref> It is an American [[college football]] intrastate [[college rivalry|rivalry]] between the [[University of Colorado Boulder|University of Colorado]] [[Colorado Buffaloes football|Buffaloes]] and the [[Colorado State University]] [[Colorado State Rams football|Rams]]; the winner of the game receives the ”’Centennial Cup”’. It began in 1893 and was played annually from 1899 to [[1958 Colorado Buffaloes football team|1958]],<ref name=”maysn”>{{Cite news |date=May 2, 1979 |title=Colorado schools may meet again by 1981 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=NpYyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=SucFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5075%2C308819 |work=Lawrence Daily Journal-World |location=Kansas |page=23 |agency=Associated Press}}</ref> except for 1901, 1905, and 1943–44. It was revived in [[1983 Colorado Buffaloes football team|1983]] and played periodically until it became an annual rivalry once again from 1995 to 2019. Since 2019, it has again been played periodically.

The ”’Rocky Mountain Showdown”’ is the name given to the ”’Colorado–Colorado State football rivalry”’.<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 1, 2018 |title=Rocky Mountain Mowdown: CU Buffs dominate Colorado State |url=https://www.denverpost.com/2018/08/31/colorado-offense-dominates-colorado-state/}}</ref> It is an American [[college football]] intrastate [[college rivalry|rivalry]] between the [[University of Colorado Boulder|University of Colorado]] [[Colorado Buffaloes football|Buffaloes]] and the [[Colorado State University]] [[Colorado State Rams football|Rams]]; the winner of the game receives the ”’Centennial Cup”’. It began in 1893 and was played annually from 1899 to [[1958 Colorado Buffaloes football team|1958]],<ref name=”maysn”>{{Cite news |date=May 2, 1979 |title=Colorado schools may meet again by 1981 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=NpYyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=SucFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5075%2C308819 |work=Lawrence Daily Journal-World |location=Kansas |page=23 |agency=Associated Press}}</ref> except for 1901, 1905, and 1943–44. It was revived in [[1983 Colorado Buffaloes football team|1983]] and played periodically until it became an annual rivalry once again from 1995 to 2019. Since 2019, it has again been played periodically.

From 1998 to 2019, the game has usually been played in [[Denver]]<!–, Colorado,–> at [[Mile High Stadium]] and its replacement, [[Empower Field at Mile High]], although the 2004, 2005, and 2009 games were played at CU’s [[Folsom Field]] in [[Boulder, Colorado|Boulder]]. Empower Field, the home of the NFL’s [[Denver Broncos]], is considered neutral ground for both teams and has a greater capacity than either home stadium. Since 2019, the game has returned to being played at campus sites.

From 1998 to 2019, the game usually played in [[Denver]]<!–, Colorado,–> at [[Mile High Stadium]] and its replacement, [[Empower Field at Mile High]], although the 2004, 2005, and 2009 games were played at CU’s [[Folsom Field]] in [[Boulder, Colorado|Boulder]]. Empower Field, the home of the NFL’s [[Denver Broncos]], is considered neutral ground for both teams and has a greater capacity than either home stadium. Since 2019, the game has returned to being played at campus sites.

In August 2009, both universities agreed to extend the Showdown until 2020, with the 2010–19 games all to be played at Broncos Stadium. The game was played in Boulder as planned in 2009. In 2015, Colorado athletic director [[Rick George]] stated that he wanted to return the series to campus sites, but that it was not in Colorado’s best interest to extend the series.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kensler |first=Tom |date=February 4, 2015 |title=Colorado likely to end football series with CSU after 2020 meeting |url=http://www.denverpost.com/colleges/ci_27461235/colorado-likely-end-football-series-csu-after-2020 |access-date=November 2, 2016 |website=denverpost.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=February 2, 2015 |title=Colorado-Colorado State Football Series Could Be Ending |url=http://www.fbschedules.com/2015/02/colorado-colorado-state-football-series-could-be-ending/ |access-date=August 25, 2016 |publisher=Fbschedules.com}}</ref>

In August 2009, both universities agreed to extend the Showdown until 2020, with the 2010–19 games all to be played at Broncos Stadium. The game was played in Boulder as planned in 2009. In 2015, Colorado athletic director [[Rick George]] stated that he wanted to return the series to campus sites, but that it was not in Colorado’s best interest to extend the series.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kensler |first=Tom |date=February 4, 2015 |title=Colorado likely to end football series with CSU after 2020 meeting |url=http://www.denverpost.com/colleges/ci_27461235/colorado-likely-end-football-series-csu-after-2020 |access-date=November 2, 2016 |website=denverpost.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=February 2, 2015 |title=Colorado-Colorado State Football Series Could Be Ending |url=http://www.fbschedules.com/2015/02/colorado-colorado-state-football-series-could-be-ending/ |access-date=August 25, 2016 |publisher=Fbschedules.com}}</ref>