Aug. 26, 2008

FSN Rocky Mountain’s live coverage of the Qwest Rocky Mountain Showdown featuring Colorado State vs. Colorado kicks off with the CU-CSU PRE-GAME REPORT outside on the south end of INVESCO Field Sun., Aug. 31 at 5:00 p.m. MT following the Colorado Rockies vs. San Diego Padres game. The Colorado State vs. Colorado game airs live nationally beginning at 5:30 p.m. on FSN with a half-hour postgame report following the game.

Host Tim Ring is joined by former University of Colorado quarterback Joel Klatt and former Colorado State QB and 2000 Mountain West Conference Co-Offensive Player of the Year Matt Newton to discuss the history of the rivalry and break down this year’s match-up, the 80th meeting between the two schools.

The pregame report features Klatt going to Boulder, Colo. as he spends a day with CU starting quarterback Cody Hawkins. Klatt follows Hawkins as the second-year starter heads to team meetings and prepares for afternoon practice. During practice FSN Rocky Mountain mic’d up Hawkins to hear inside information from the Buffaloes sidelines. Also on the pregame report, Marc Stout sits down with first year CSU coach Steve Fairchild who previews the 2008 Rams season and how this year’s showdown between CU and CSU will differ from years past. Alanna Rizzo provides live reports from around INVESCO Field with insight from fans and tailgaters of both schools.

Klatt recently finished his second season as a Colorado Crush analyst on FSN Rocky Mountain and returns for his third season as an analyst for the network’s telecasts of Colorado high school football. He also is a studio analyst for FSN LIVE, ROCKIES PREGAME REPORT and POSTGAME REPORT. Owner of 44 school records at the University of Colorado as the Buffs starting quarterback from 2003-05, Klatt was named the starting quarterback for CU in 2003 and earned honorable mention All-Big 12 during his sophomore and senior seasons. His teams were 3-0 against CSU when Klatt was a starter for CU.

Newton, a native of Englewood, Colo., was a three-year letter winner from 1998-2000 for Colorado State and helped his teams win back-to-back MWC titles. The Rams were 2-1 against Colorado during his playing days with both of the wins coming as a starter. In his final game against Colorado in 2000 he passed for 327 yards and two touchdowns in CSU’s 28-24 win.

Last year’s Qwest Rocky Mountain Showdown with a 10:00 a.m. MT kickoff registered a 9.6 rating (141,000 households) in the Denver DMA making it the second highest-rated college football game ever to air on FSN Rocky Mountain behind the 2006 game which registered a 11.3 rating (166,000 households).

Fans can show support for their team by stopping by the FSN Rocky Mountain pregame set and picking up a free rally towel with their respective school colors.