When Gov. Jared Polis was asked who he believes will win between the University of Colorado Boulder and Colorado State in their sought-after Rocky Mountain Showdown matchup, he gave a gubernatorial answer, “The state of Colorado wins on Saturday.” 

The meteoric rise of the Colorado Buffaloes under coach Deion Sanders has brought a plethora of a attention to the state, and some of Colorado’s leaders on Wednesday took advantage of that popularity to highlight the universities’ economic contributions.     

And with both teams matching up for the first time since 2019 and all eyes set on Boulder, Polis, along with U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse, held a brief press conference on Wednesday to highlight the benefits that both universities bring to the state – outside of the gridiron. 

Polis noted that, while the two schools are rivals on-field, their off-field relationship is anything but. He said the two universities have worked together to create over 1,900 scientific papers and have helped employ over 50,000 Coloradans. 

He called both schools a “powerful economic engine for our state.”

“We may be rivals on the field, but CU Boulder and Colorado State are partners in advancing Colorado’s economy, health, climate and quality of life,” said Philip DiStefano, chancellor of the University of Colorado Boulder. 

DiStefano said that, through collaborative research, the schools brought in over a billion dollars in grant money in 2022, helping to boost the state’s economy.

They also discussed the advantages that the nationally-televised game will bring to the universities, “shining a light on everything we do in Colorado,” Amy Parsons, president of Colorado State University, said.

“We’re so excited to really highlight what CSU and CU bring, not just to Colorado, but to America and the world through this high profile national showcase,” Polis added.

On top of the $1.9 billion in yearly research grants, CSU and CU have 700,000 alumni, 380,000 that still live and work in Colorado. The two univerities also educate 100% of the doctors and veterinarians earning their credentials in the state.