If the Colorado Buffaloes are looking for a theme for the 2018 season, “Rivalries” might be a good choice.
Colorado and the Pac-12 Conference announced the 2018 season schedule on Thursday, and it opens with a bang for the Buffaloes.
Mike MacIntyre’s squad will play its traditional opener against in-state rival Colorado State on Sept. 1 (Labor Day Weekend) at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.
They’ll follow that game by rekindling a rivalry with former Big XII foe Nebraska on Sept. 8 in Lincoln. CU is just 18-48-2 all time against the Cornhuskers and will look to end a three-game losing streak. The two teams last met in 2010 before Nebraska departed for the Big Ten and CU joined the Pac-12.
The Buffs will host only one “cupcake” opponent in 2018, when New Hampshire visits Boulder on Sept. 15.
The Pac-12 schedule-makers were kind to Colorado to start conference play, as they host UCLA (a Friday night game) and then Arizona State. They follow that with a pair of tough road games at USC and Washington.
Oregon State comes to Boulder to finish off the October schedule. CU then travels to Arizona for a Friday night contest on Nov. 2. They host the Cougars of Washington State the next week.
CU closes out the home portion of their schedule with Utah on Nov. 17. It will mark the first time since Utah and Colorado joined the Pac-12 that the inter-mountain rivals do not close the regular season against one another.
Colorado closes the regular season in Berkeley against Cal the Saturday after Thanksgiving.
The Pac-12 Championship is scheduled for Nov. 30 in Santa Clara, Calif.
| Date | Opponent | Site |
| Sept. 1 | Colorado State | Denver |
| Sept. 8 | at Nebraska | Lincoln |
| Sept. 15 | New Hampshire | Boulder |
| Sept. 22 | BYE | |
| Sept. 28 (Fri.) | UCLA | Boulder |
| Oct. 6 | Arizona State | Boulder |
| Oct. 13 | at Southern California | Los Angeles |
| Oct. 20 | at Washington | Seattle |
| Oct. 27 | Oregon State | Boulder |
| Nov. 2 (Fri.) | at Arizona | Tucson |
| Nov. 10 | Washington State | Boulder |
| Nov. 17 | Utah | Boulder |
| Nov. 24 | at California | Berkeley |
| Nov. 30 | Pac-12 Championship | Santa Clara |