Why is it called the Rumble in the Rockies? Colorado vs Utah rivalry history explored

The Rumble in the Rockies is a college football rivalry between the Colorado Buffaloes and Utah Utes that started in 1903.

Colorado and Utah were both part of the Rocky Mountain Conference, and given that both states feature plenty of Rocky Mountains, the Rumble in the Rockies was donned the name for the rivalry.

From 1903 until 1962, Utah and Colorado played each other nearly every year, and was the second-most played game between the schools, outside of Utah State and Colorado State.

However, after the 1962 meeting, a second consecutive win by Utah, the teams stopped playing against each other.

The Rumble in the Rockies returned to being played in 2011 when both the Buffaloes and Utes joined the Pac-12. Before being in the same conference, Colorado was playing Nebraska on Thanksgiving weekend while Utah was playing in-state rival BYU.

Although both schools are joining the Big 12 next season, it's uncertain if the rivalry will continue on Thanksgiving weekend.

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Rumble in the Rockies history

The first game in 1903 was won by the Colorado Buffaloes with a score of 22-0. Colorado started the rivalry by winning the first three years.

However, Utah now leads the all-time series 34-32-3 and are currently on a six-game win streak dating back to 2017.

In the history of the Rumble in the Rockies, the longest win streak is nine by Utah from 1925 until 1933, while the largest margin of victory was a 54-0 win by the Buffaloes in 1951.

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Who's favored to win this year?

The Utah Utes are set to host the Colorado Buffaloes on Saturday at 3 p.m. ET and Utah is a massive 23.5-point favorite.

Colorado enters the game with a 4-7 record and has lost five straight games after starting the year 3-0.

Utah, meanwhile, is 7-4 and has lost two straight games to Arizona and Washington.