Denver, CO -- (Sports Network) - Cody Hawkins threw a touchdown and ran for two more as the Colorado Buffaloes opened their 2008 season with a 38-17 victory over the in-state rival Colorado State Rams at Invesco Field in Denver.

Hawkins threw for 214 yards on 20-of-29 passes while also tossing a pick for Colorado (1-0), which ended last season with a loss to Alabama in the Independence Bowl. Darrell Scott added 54 yards on the ground with a touchdown, and Scotty McKnight hauled in five passes for 67 yards and a TD.

Billy Farris completed 27-of-37 passes for 187 yards with a touchdown and two picks for Colorado State (0-1), which couldn't pick up a win in Steve Fairchild's coaching debut with the Rams. Gartrell Johnson carried the ball 12 times for 95 yards in the loss.

After a scoreless opening quarter, Hawkins found an open McKnight on a post route down the middle of the field for a 35-yard touchdown less than a minute into the second.

With the rain coming down hard, CSU was forced to punt on its next possession, but a high snap over the punter's head gave Colorado the ball at the five-yard line, and Hawkins punched in a one-yard score two plays later.

A Hawkins interception midway through the second led to the Rams' first score, as Farris found Dion Morton in the end zone for a 21-yard TD with under seven minutes to play in the first half.

Then the fireworks started as CSU's squib-quick on the ensuing kickoff was returned for a 93-yard score by Josh Smith. John Mosure answered right back on a 90-yard kickoff return of his own to make it a 21-14 game heading into the locker room.

Aided by yet another solid kickoff return from Smith, Hawkins scored on another one-yard plunge on the eighth play from scrimmage out of the break.

The Rams' Ben Deline cut into the 28-14 lead with a 26-yard field goal with just over two minutes to go in to the third quarter, but Colorado held the ball for the next seven-plus minutes and Eric Goodman kicked a 23-yard field goal to push the lead back to 14.

Scott sealed the game with a one-yard rush to pay dirt with just over two minutes left in the game.