Decisions on future of CU-CSU series likely soon
By Bruce Plasket 
| August 23, 2009 | 10:21 PM
With both the Colorado and Colorado State football teams undecided about who will start at quarterback in the 81st game between the two, the future of that series — and the much-debated future location of those games — could be determined before either team announces a starter for the Sept 6 game in Boulder.
Indications are the series between Colorado’s two biggest schools, the revival of which was spurred by unveiled threats from state lawmakers a decade ago, will continue and is likely to return to Invesco Field.
After this year’s game, the schools will be contractually bound to play only the 2010 game scheduled for Fort Collins. Both sides, however, have hinted that they are close to coming to an agreement to extend the series. That much is nearly certain, but the locations of games beyond 2010 is up in the air.
CSU has made clear its preference to play the game at Invesco Field in Denver, which holds over 75,000 fans and provides both schools with revenue far exceeding what can be earned in their home stadiums. CU, determined to keep six home games per year in Folsom Field, has been less enthusiastic about staging the game in Denver. Since CSU hosts the 2010 game, it would seem to be in the driver’s seat in determining if that contest will be in Denver.
After 2010, the situation get a little more complicated. CU’s 2011 schedule contains a road trip to Hawaii during the first week — normally the date of the CSU game. CU, however, currently has an open date in the third week of the 2011 season, so there is room for the game if the two sides can agree to it.
Don’t look for the game to me moved to the late-season rivalry week where teams play for stuff like oaken buckets, apple cups and brass boots. It can’t be done. CSU’s Border War with Wyoming currently occupies that week, while CU is locked into the lucrative Nebraska series on the day after Thanksgiving.
The biggest indicator that the CU-CSU series will return to Denver in 2011 at the latest is a CU official’s comment this weekend that an announcement is hoped for during the Aug. 31 Denver Metro Sports Commission luncheon. The DMSA essentially puts on the game, and the luncheon seems an odd place to announce that the game is not coming back to Invesco.
The DMSC may be just hoping the logjam in discussions breaks before the luncheon, but probably not.
In addition to a financial windfall amounting to several hundred thousand dollars, CSU has another reason to play the game in Denver. The Rams, who have a rather dismal all-time record of 19-58-2 against the Buffs, have nearly broken even with CU in games played in Denver. CU leads the Mile High-Invesco series by a slim 5-4 margin.
Since the 2000 season, CU is 6-3 against CSU, but only 4-4 in games played in Denver. The 2004 and 2005 games were played in Boulder and CU won both.
Cody Hawkins, Colorado State University football, Dan Hawkins, Grant Stucker, Invesco Field, Jon Eastman, Klay Kubiak, Steve Fairchild, Tyler Hansen, University of Colorado football
