It’s a tale as old as time: Two universities play each other in a football game. Two universities cook up an intense rivalry spanning over a century. Two universities are set to battle each other in an athletic competition that, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, was last played in 2019. Two universities have a history of academic collaboration with over 1,900 co-authored articles. 

While opponents on the field, academics at University of Colorado Boulder and Colorado State University frequently collaborate on various research projects. With topics ranging from environmental sciences and engineering to education and visual arts, the research on both campuses continues to improve lives in Colorado and worldwide.

Ahead of this week’s Rocky Mountain Showdown, librarians at CU Boulder have counted more than 1,900 articles co-authored by the Buffs and the Rams. About 1,400 of these articles are available through open access (OA)—a method of publication that enables research to be freely available to the public—that scholars globally can access to leverage their knowledge and expertise for the betterment of humanity.

As you’re gearing up to watch the two teams vie for the Centennial Cup (don’t forget to wear black!), remember that CU Boulder and CSU are not only rivals on the field but partners in innovation for the State of Colorado and beyond!