Colorado 41, Colorado State 27: Connor Wood completed 33-of-46 passes for 400 yards and three touchdowns and Will Oliver kicked four field goals as the Buffaloes started the Mike MacIntyre coaching era with a victory in the annual Rocky Mountain Showdown in Denver.

Paul Richardson, who sat out the 2012 season with a knee injury, caught 10 passes for 208 yards - including touchdown grabs of 82 and 75 yards. The latter score came with 3:36 left and clinched the win for Colorado. The victory also snapped an eight-game losing streak for the Buffaloes, who finished 1-11 last season.

Sophomore Joe Hansley caught eight passes for 91 yards and a touchdown and also returned a punt 74 yards for another score to lead Colorado State, which failed in its attempt to pick up back-to-back wins over the Buffaloes for the first time since 1999-2000. Junior Garrett Grayson, named the starting quarterback for the Rams just prior to kickoff, finished 22-of-39 for 201 yards.

Colorado State, which trailed 20-10 at halftime, battled to take a 24-23 lead in the third quarter thanks to Hansley's punt return and a 2-yard touchdown run by Kapri Bibbs. But Colorado took the lead for good with 13:07 remaining on a career-best 52-yard field goal by Oliver.

The Buffaloes took control of the game a couple minutes later when cornerback Greg Henderson picked up a fumble by Bibbs and raced 53 yards for a touchdown. After Jared Roberts booted a 30-yard field goal to trim Colorado's lead to 33-27, Wood connected with Richardson, who tip-toed up the left sideline for a touchdown.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Wood's 82-yard first-quarter touchdown heave to Richardson was the longest pass play for Colorado in 10 seasons. ... WR Charles Lovett, Colorado State's top receiver in 2012 with 35 receptions, didn't play because of a knee injury. ... Colorado State starting TB Donnell Alexander left the game in the first quarter after just two carries with an undisclosed injury. He did not return.