Lytle: From Lil Wayne to Tory Horton’s passing clinic, final thoughts from the Rocky Mountain Showdown

BOULDER — There was so much to digest from a late, late night (and very early morning).

It was a Rocky Mountain Showdown for the ages.

I wrote plenty about the game and what it means in my game story and column, but a 4 a.m. drive home after finishing postgame writing from Boulder left plenty of additional time to ruminate.

Here are a smattering of random thoughts and observations from the Showdown.

The show of Prime mania

There is no denying that a game in Boulder right now is an EVENT.

It’s not just a football game, it’s a show. Part football, part WWE, part celeb gala and, at least Saturday, part concert.

When a live Buffalo running on the field isn’t the craziest part of pregame, you know something’s up.

Lil Wayne rapping CU out of the tunnel with a custom tune is simply wild. You just don’t see this type of stuff in college sports.

There was Deion Sanders’ pregame field stalk down the CU sideline and up part of the CSU side (any other coach in FBS that would do that? Don’t think so) and celebrity after celebrity after celebrity.

I’m curious with all the show, can CU players sustain it for 12 weeks? Surely Deion, Shedeur and Shilo Sanders can. They’re pros in it and feed off it, but you do wonder if it could be draining to some.

No matter how you feel about it all, there’s no denying that it is supremely fascinating.

Tory Horton stars

CSU’s receiver was the best player on the field Saturday night. He glides with the ball in his hand, seemingly out-running everyone without effort. He had several great cuts and big yardage after the catch.

Horton finished with 16 catches for 133 yards — 101 yards coming after the catch. The 16 catches is a CSU single-game record, breaking Jeff Champine's mark of 14 set in 1983.

His sideline toe-tap was stunning and it may not have even been his best play.

That would be his 30-yard TD pass to Dallin Holker. CSU worked on the play in practice this week and it was a dime from Horton — it needed to be with Holker well covered.

Get this: Horton has now thrown four passes in his college career, completing all four for 109 total yards and a touchdown.

Game teetered on the edge

Deion Sanders said it became personal when Jay Norvell made his hat and glasses remark, but that’s a naïve response. The game is always personal.

CU fans love to shout about how it’s not a rivalry, but then spend all year mad online yelling at CSU fans. Rams fans take this as something akin to a Super Bowl. It’s very personal from both sides.

There was a near-fight pregame, the first quarter was a cauldron and multiple times it went over the line. Henry Blackburn’s late hit on Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders’ eye poke (or attempted poke) of Mohamed Kamara were ugly moments. So were some of the social media reactions from fans.

The players finally settled a bit into a normal game rhythm a bit after the first quarter. It’s a tough line to toe of carrying the energy of the game but not going overboard.

What a game it was, though

There were so many twists and turns. The first quarter alone had the drama of a full game.

CSU still should have won. I felt certain of it at the time and it proved true, the Rams had to go for two in the first overtime to decide it then. The defense was gassed (and Kamara was ejected by that point) and the likelihood of matching Sanders score-for-score moving on wasn’t good.

One day I should publish my unfinished game stories that get killed when a result flips late. I had a good one for a CSU win.

Rocky Mountain Showdown belongs on campus

There was a time where Denver was the right place for the Rocky Mountain Showdown, but that’s now over. This game belongs on campus.

The game and atmosphere were the stuff of big-time college football. Can’t wait for 2024 in Fort Collins.

Why not every year?

It’s simply absurd that after these teams meet in 2024 the series is then off again until 2029.

Best Rocky Mountain Showdown ever?

This was the best Rocky Mountain Showdown since … ever? From a game entertainment perspective it certainly has a case for the best one, especially considering the national attention it received.

If not the best, it’s right up there.

Follow sports reporter Kevin Lytle on Twitter and Instagram @Kevin_Lytle.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Lil Wayne to Tory Horton: Final thoughts from the Rocky Mountain Showdown