FACTS & STATS: Site: Invesco Field at Mile High (76,125) -- Denver, Colorado. Television: FSN. Home Record: Colorado 0-0, CSU 0-0. Away Record: Colorado 0-0, CSU 0-0. Neutral Record: Colorado 0-0, CSU 0-0. Conference Record: Colorado 0-0, CSU 0-0. Series Record: Colorado leads, 58-19-2.

GAME NOTES: With new head coach Steve Fairchild now manning the sidelines for the Colorado State Rams, the program tries to get off on the right foot as they kick off the 2008 campaign against in-state rival Colorado on Sunday evening at Invesco Field in Denver. Fairchild climbs aboard the CSU bandwagon after long-time head coach Sonny Lubick decided to get off the merry-go-round following a disappointing 2007 campaign. Last year the Rams won a total of just three games the entire season, with one of those triumphs coming against a Georgia Southern program that lies outside the fabled Football Bowl Subdivision. Colorado State added wins against fellow Mountain West Conference foes UNLV and Wyoming and actually closed out 2007 with a two-game win streak, but was never really much of a threat to the rest of the league. As for the Buffaloes, they were break even after a dozen regular season games which was just enough to earn the team a date with Alabama in the Independence Bowl. Unfortunately, the result was a 30-24 loss to the Tide and gave the Buffs their third loss in the last four outings to close out the season. One of the highlights of the campaign for the Buffaloes, their second under former Boise State head coach Dan Hawkins, was the thrilling 65-51 triumph against an overrated Nebraska team in the regular season final at Folsom Field. As far as the all-time series between the teams is concerned, the Buffs hold a commanding 58-19-2 edge over this particular rival dating back to 1893 when Colorado blew the doors off CSU in a 70-6 final. More recently, CU has claimed victory in four of the last five meetings, including a thrilling 31-28 overtime triumph a season ago. As far as games played in Denver are concerned, each team has won four times.

Although Colorado ended up with a losing record after the postseason was taken into account, the level of success for the team was still head and shoulders above when the Hawkins plan had turned in during the 2006 slate, a mere two wins. Perhaps the most positive aspect of the team this season lies outside the lines, more specifically, in the fact that the entire coaching staff remains intact for the first time in two decades. Running with a no-huddle offense will certainly keep the Buffs on their toes and the opposition on their heels all at the same time. But make no mistake, having the son of the head coach (Cody Hawkins) calling the shots on the field as the quarterback certainly has its advantages. Although, with so many youngsters surrounding him Hawkins may again experience some growing pains. A handful of sophomores will get the majority of the carries coming out of the backfield and when Hawkins decides to turn his interests up the field, it will be another pair of sophomores in Scotty McKnight and Josh Smith who will be main targets.

Creating a push in the trenches and up the field was clearly an issue that needed to be tended to last season. Once the dust cleared the Buffs ranked last in the Big 12 Conference and 100th in the nation in terms of tackles for loss with just over five TFLs per outing. Getting to the quarterback proved to be quite a chore with the unit getting it done only 1.6 times per contest to rank 10th in the league and 95th in the nation. Taking Jordon Dizon, the runner-up to the annual Butkus Award certainly isn't going to help much in the middle of the field. Now just a sophomore, Jeff Smart is being asked to fill a huge void left by Dizon. The return of junior Marcus Burton after being academically ineligible should help smooth things over on the inside. Picking up the pieces on the outside will be senior Brad Jones who has shown potential here and there, but has to play more consistently. Having All-Big 12 cornerback Terrence Wheatley go in the second round of the most recent NFL Draft is another way to take a bite out of the Buffaloes, which means the secondary will have to heap even more pressure on Chapelle Brown and Gardner McKay.

Perhaps the most glaring aspect of the Colorado State offense last year was that it did not protect the quarterback well at all. The team was last in the Mountain West and 105th in the nation with more than three sacks allowed per contest, putting Caleb Hanie in harm's way far too often. This season coach Fairchild has to find a replacement for Hanie, but before handing the spot over to senior Billy Farris he made sure that everyone else had a chance to take up the position, which meant guys like Alex Kelly, T.J. Borcky and Klay Kubiak had their fair share of snaps as well. The problem is, no matter who lines up under center for the Rams, the fact remains that they'll have to find a whole new set of targets down the field after the team lost its top three receiving threats from a season ago. Dion Morton falls into one of the starting positions in all likelihood, but from there it could be any number of guys. Kyle Bell is on his way back to carry the ball out of the backfield, as is Gattrell Johnson, giving the unit one of the best one-two punches in the league.

The run defense was a huge concern for the Rams a season ago, and there's reason to believe it will be tested over and over again in 2008 as well. Last year the unit allowed three opposing teams to run for more than 320 yards in a single game, with Georgia Southern doing considerable damage near the end of the campaign with a whopping 349 yards. Put it all together and the team allowed an unhealthy 207.3 ypg on the ground, second-to-last in the MWC and 107th in the nation overall. The defensive line brings back a pair of experienced performers in Tommie Hill and Matt Rupp, playing at the end and tackle, respectively. As long as assistant head coach Larry Kerr can find the right pieces to fill in the gaps the front should hold its own well enough. As far as the linebackers are concerned, Jeff Horinek gets the call as the leader of the defense, coming back after leading the team with 94 tackles a season ago, the most by a Rams player in four years. Although they are both returning after having some difficulties last year on the injury front, Klint Kubiak and Mike Pagnotta can be counted on to close down the secondary for Colorado State.

With such a huge statement game right out of the gate for both teams, neither wants to have a letdown in the battle for state bragging rights. But with coach Hawkins scheming and having a returning quarterback to count on, it makes sense to favor the Buffaloes this time out.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Colorado 31, Colorado State 17

Sunday, August 31st, 7:30 p.m. (et).