An in-state rivalry takes place in the opening week of college football tonight when the Colorado State Rams take on the Colorado Buffaloes. The game is scheduled for a 9:00 p.m. start time and it will be televised nationally on FOX Sports 1. Currently the odds for the game have the Buffaloes favored by a field goal in this one.

The Rocky Mountain Showdown is being played in Denver tonight. It's the 86th meeting between these two rivals and playing on the opening game of the season certainly have to pull a lot of attention their way. These two schools have met on the gridiron every year since 1995 and in the last 23 games overall Colorado holds a 17-6 advantage.

Colorado State gained a lot of steam toward the end of last season, winning six of their last eight games overall. The Rams also knocked off Washington State in the New Mexico Bowl, 48-45. That bowl game was the first in five seasons for Colorado State.

The Buffaloes won this rivalry game last season in the opener, 41-27, but they went on to just a 4-8 record overall. Not good. The previous two years Colorado had gone just 4-21, so there is some progress being put together for this program. 

With both teams attempting to build their programs back to being solid, this game should be pretty good. Rivalry games to open the season should always be looked at as both clubs have the date circled from the time they open practice for the upcoming season. 

Expect both teams to want to establish the run game, too. Both teams are uncertain how good they can be this season. There's turnover on both rosters, but the biggest impact might come from Rams running back Dee Hart, who transferred in from Alabama. He was a 5-star recruit coming out of high school and should help lessen the blow of losing Kapri Bibbs. 

We like Garrett Grayson in this one, as well. The QB for Colorado State will be able to do just enough as the Rams win despite being an underdog here.

Free Pick: Colorado State 28, Colorado 27

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