While some Colorado coaches have been reluctant to say it, Mike MacIntyre does not hesitate to declare Utah to be a football “rival.”
During his postgame remarks after Colorado’s 44-10 loss at No. 3 Oregon last weekend, MacIntyre referred to the upcoming 11 a.m. Saturday matchup with the Utes in Boulder as an important game for the Buffs, who are winless in league play. One of those reasons, he suggested, is because CU views Utah as a rival.
Colorado (from the Big 12) and Utah (from the Mountain West) joined the Pac-12 prior to the 2011-12 academic year. Geographically, they are natural rivals within the makeup of the Pac-12. And the conference tried to facilitate a new rivalry by scheduling the CU vs. Utah football game at the end of the season and making them “travel partners” for other sports.
MacIntyre broached the rivalry subject prior to the Buffs vs. Utes matchup last fall, and he mentioned it again last weekend without any prompting.
“Utah is a very good football team,” MacIntyre said. “It’s our rival game. It’s a rival to me. It may not be (to Utah), but it sure is to the kids in our locker room.”
The past three meetings have been as hard-hitting and competitive as rivalries are apt to be.
Colorado claimed its first-ever Pac-12 road victory in 2011 with a season-ending 17-14 win in Salt Lake City. Utah won 42-35 in 2012 in Boulder, with a fourth-quarter kickoff return for a touchdown being the difference in Jon Embree’s final game. The CU coach was fired two days later. Last year, Utah held off visiting Colorado 24-17.
Colorado (2-9, 0-8 Pac-12) hopes to avoid becoming the first Buffs team to complete a season without a conference victory since going 0-5 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference in 1915. That’s right, almost a century ago.
Utah (7-4, 4-4) is looking to get back on track and gain some momentum for its bowl appearance after losing three of its past four games. For a game that will create no buzz nationally, both teams see much at stake. “For those guys in the locker room and for us coaches, this is a really big football game,” MacIntyre said. “It would feel awesome to send those seniors out with a good taste in their mouths.”
Starting guard Daniel Munyer is one of 20 Colorado seniors.
“I’m going to embrace the moment, enjoy being with my team for this last game,” Munyer said. “I only have one game left as a Buff, only one game left with this team. Taking it all in this week will be a big deal to me.”
Especially if that culminates with a win.
Tom Kensler: tkensler@denverpost.com or
