Long before it became a corridor for modern road trips, mountain commuters, and interstate commerce, U.S. Highway 50 was envisioned as a vital lifeline binding the American landscape together.
As the historic highway approaches its grand 100th anniversary this November, the celebrations are extending far beyond roadside markers and historical societies. In Colorado, the centennial milestone is playing out on the gridiron, where three proud Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference universities are locked in an intense, asphalt-bound battle for football supremacy.
This autumn, as the legendary highway hits its century mark, the football schedules have aligned to turn Highway 50 into a literal gauntlet of rivalry games. The 2026 season marks the 26th time Colorado Mesa University, Colorado State University Pueblo, and Western Colorado University will meet each other on the football field in the same year.
With Colorado Mesa losing the first two games this season in the U. S. Highway 50 Cup to Western Colorado (31-17 on September 19 in Grand Junction) and CSU Pueblo (35-23 on September 26 in Pueblo), the ThunderWolves will be seeking their third-straight trophy when the Mountaineers visit the Steel City on November 14 in the regular-season finale for the two nationally ranked schools.
Western Colorado is the oldest of the three schools, founded in 1901 (Colorado State Normal School, 1901–1923; Western State College, 1923–2012; Western State Colorado, 2012–2018; Western Colorado University, 2018- present).
Colorado Mesa was founded in 1925 and transitioned to a 4-school athletic program in the fall of 1975 (Grand Junction Junior College (1925-1937); Mesa College, 1937-1988; Mesa State College, 1988-2011; and Colorado Mesa University, 2011-present)
Colorado State Pueblo was founded in 1933 and transitioned to a 4-school athletic program in the fall of 1963 (Southern Colorado Junior College, 1933-1937; Pueblo Junior College, 1937-1963; Southern Colorado State College, 1963-1975; University of Southern Colorado, 1975-2003; Colorado State University Pueblo, 2003-present).
Here are the U.S. Highway 50 Cup fictional recipients who won both games in the same season against their rivals.
- CSU Pueblo (13) – 1979, 1980, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2024, 2025
- Western Colorado (7) – 1977, 1978, 1981, 1984, 2021, 2022, 2023
- Colorado Mesa (4) – 1982, 2008, 2009, 2016
- Tied (1) – 1983
The Road Map of Rivalry
The first two games in the U.S. Highway 50 rivalry during the 2026 season happen in the final two weeks of September, with the middle school at the western university, which has to travel east the next week.
The Western Leg Concludes: The September drama along the corridor kicked off with a statement. On September 19th, the highway’s western bookend hosted Colorado Mesa as eighth-ranked Western Colorado came to Grand Junction and Stocker Stadium. The Mountaineers overcame an early deficit by rattling off 24 unanswered points to secure a 31-17 road win, defending their ranking and taking the first major Highway 50 gauntlet game of the season. READ MORE
Shifting Eastward: With the first leg in the books, the action now shifts sharply eastward for the next chapter on September 26th. Colorado Mesa packed up its gear and traveled 285 miles down Highway 50 to face fifth-ranked CSU Pueblo where the Mavericks dropped a 35-23 decision at the ThunderBowl. READ MORE
The November Crescendo
While September sets the tone, the Highway 50 narrative saves its grand finale for the cooling days of late autumn.
As November rolls in, communities along the corridor will celebrate the official 100th anniversary of U.S. 50 (established in November 1926). Just three days after that historic centennial mark, the highway drama reaches its emotional peak. On November 14th, Western Colorado will travel east 160 miles to face CSU Pueblo in the ThunderWolves’ regular-season home finale on Senior Day.
When the Mountaineers step onto the field in Pueblo on November 14th, it will be more than a late-season conference matchup with heavy RMAC playoff implications. It will be a physical convergence of institutions built along the spine of one of America’s greatest historic highways, colliding as that thoroughfare marks a century of connecting people, towns, and traditions.
A Century of Pride
Football in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference is notoriously rugged, shaped by thin air, steep elevation changes, and fierce regional pride. Add a historic centennial to the mix, and the stakes rise even higher.
As fans pack the stadiums in Grand Junction, Gunnison, and Pueblo this fall, they won’t just be cheering for a win in the standings. They’ll be celebrating a shared heritage—a network of university towns united by the white lines of the football field and the yellow lines of Highway 50, roaring down the road into their next hundred years.
Here are the U.S. Highway 50 Cup fictional recipients who won both games in the same season against their rivals.
- CSU Pueblo (13, 35-14-1 record) – 1979, 1980, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2024, 2025
- Western Colorado (7, 20-30 record) – 1977, 1978, 1981, 1984, 2021, 2022, 2023
- Colorado Mesa (4, 19-20-1 record) – 1982, 2008, 2009, 2016
- Tied (1) – 1983
- Colorado Mesa vs. CSU Pueblo – CSU Pueblo leads 18-7-1
- Colorado Mesa vs. Western Colorado – Western Colorado leads 14-12
- Colorado State Pueblo vs. Western Colorado – CSU Pueblo leads 18-7
- 10/1/1977 – Western Colorado def. Colorado Mesa, 15-14 at Gunnison
- 11/12/1977 – Colorado Mesa def. CSU Pueblo, 17-7 at Pueblo
- 10/29/1977 – Western Colorado def. CSU Pueblo, 10-14 at Pueblo (forfeit)
- 9/16/1978 – Western Colorado def. Colorado Mesa, 20-7 at Grand Junction
- 11/18/1978 – CSU Pueblo def. Colorado Mesa, 49-12 at Pueblo
- 10/28/1978 – Western Colorado def. CSU Pueblo, 51-43 at Gunnison
- 10/6/1979 – Western Colorado def. Colorado Mesa, 29-3 at Gunnison
- 9/22/1979 – CSU Pueblo def. Colorado Mesa, 48-10 at Grand Junction
- 11/3/1979 – CSU Pueblo def. Western Colorado, 34-28 at Pueblo
- 9/27/1980 – Western Colorado def. Colorado Mesa, 20-12 at Grand Junction
- 9/20/1980 – CSU Pueblo def. Colorado Mesa, 27-7 at Pueblo
- 11/1/1980 – CSU Pueblo def. Western Colorado, 27-10 at Gunnison
- 10/3/1981 – Western Colorado def. Colorado Mesa, 24-12 at Gunnison
- 9/19/1981 – Colorado Mesa def. CSU Pueblo, 20-14 at Pueblo
- 10/17/1981 – Western Colorado def. CSU Pueblo, 21-7 at Pueblo
- 10/2/1982 – Colorado Mesa def. Colorado Mesa, 31-18 at Grand Junction
- 9/18/1982 – Colorado Mesa def. CSU Pueblo, 14-13 at Pueblo
- 10/16/1982 – CSU Pueblo def. Western Colorado, 28-7 at Gunnison
- 10/8/1983 – Colorado Mesa def. Colorado Mesa, 31-7 at Gunnison
- 9/24/1983 – CSU Pueblo TIED Colorado Mesa, 14-14 at Pueblo
- 10/22/1983 – CSU Pueblo def. Western Colorado, 44-27 at Pueblo
- 10/6/1984 – Western Colorado def. Colorado Mesa, 7-50 at Grand Junction(forfeit)
- 9/22/1984 – CSU Pueblo def. Colorado Mesa, 6-38 at Grand Junction(forfeit)
- 10/20/1984 – Western Colorado def. CSU Pueblo, 36-10 at Gunnison
- 10/16/2008 – Colorado Mesa def. Western Colorado, 29-19 at Grand Junction
- 10/11/2008 – Colorado Mesa def. CSU Pueblo, 26-3 at Grand Junction
- 10/25/2008 – CSU Pueblo def. Western Colorado, 20-7 at Gunnison
- 10/17/2009 – Colorado Mesa def. Western Colorado, 16-14 at Gunnison
- 10/10/2009 – Colorado Mesa def. CSU Pueblo, 21-13 at Pueblo
- 10/24/2009 – CSU Pueblo def. Western Colorado, 38-27 at Pueblo
- 10/30/2010 – Colorado Mesa def. Western Colorado, 33-28 at Grand Junction
- 10/23/2010 – CSU Pueblo def. Colorado Mesa, 26-14 at Grand Junction
- 11/6/2010 – CSU Pueblo def. Western Colorado, 37-3 at Gunnison
- 10/29/2011 – Colorado Mesa def. Western Colorado, 23-20 at Gunnison
- 10/22/2011 – CSU Pueblo def. Colorado Mesa, 27-7 at Pueblo
- 11/5/2011 – CSU Pueblo def. Western Colorado, 41-3 at Pueblo
- 11/3/2012 – Colorado Mesa def. Western Colorado, 22-19 at Grand Junction
- 10/27/2012 – CSU Pueblo def. Colorado Mesa, 48-10 at Golden
- 11/10/2012 – CSU Pueblo def. Western Colorado, 21-3 at Gunnison
- 11/9/2013 – Western Colorado def. Colorado Mesa, 31-7 at Gunnison
- 11/2/2013 – CSU Pueblo def. Colorado Mesa, 34-6 at Pueblo
- 11/16/2013 – CSU Pueblo def. Western Colorado, 38-13 at Pueblo
- 11/15/2014 – Colorado Mesa def. Western Colorado, 31-23 at Grand Junction
- 11/8/2014 – CSU Pueblo def. Colorado Mesa, 52-3 at GJ
- 9/20/2014 – CSU Pueblo def. Western Colorado, 26-23 at Gunnison
- 11/14/2015 – Colorado Mesa def. Western Colorado, 31-28 at Gunnison
- 11/7/2015 – CSU Pueblo def. Colorado Mesa, 51-20 at Pueblo
- 9/19/2015 – CSU Pueblo def. Western Colorado, 20-10 at Pueblo
- 9/3/2016 – Colorado Mesa def. Western Colorado, 34-14 at Gunnison
- 10/1/2016 – Colorado Mesa def. CSU Pueblo, 20-19 at Grand Junction
- 10/29/2016 – CSU Pueblo def. Western Colorado, 10-7 at Gunnison
- 8/31/2017 – Colorado Mesa def. Western Colorado, 49-23 at Grand Junction
- 9/30/2017 – CSU Pueblo def. Colorado Mesa, 30-24 at Pueblo
- 10/28/2017 – CSU Pueblo def. Western Colorado, 40-7 at Pueblo
- 9/15/2018 – Colorado Mesa def. Western Colorado, 24-20 at Gunnison
- 10/13/2018 – CSU Pueblo def. Colorado Mesa, 36-14 at Grand Junction
- 11/10/2018 – CSU Pueblo def. Western Colorado, 41-3 at Gunnison
- 9/21/2019 – Western Colorado def. Colorado Mesa, 30-28 at Grand Junction
- 10/19/2019 – CSU Pueblo def. Colorado Mesa, 48-22 at Pueblo
- 11/16/2019 – CSU Pueblo def. Western Colorado, 34-7 at Pueblo
- 10/30/2021 – Western Colorado def. Colorado Mesa, 23-9 at Gunnison
- 10/2/2021 – CSU Pueblo def. Colorado Mesa, 19-13 at Pueblo (2 overtimes)
- 11/13/2021 – Western Colorado def. CSU Pueblo, 14-7 at Gunnison
- 10/1/2022 – Western Colorado def. Colorado Mesa, 42-34 at Grand Junction (2 overtimes)
- 10/29/2022 – CSU Pueblo def. Colorado Mesa, 33-28 at Grand Junction
- 9/17/2022 – Western Colorado def. CSU Pueblo, 17-10 at Pueblo
- 9/30/2023 – Western Colorado def. Colorado Mesa, 43-7 at Gunnison
- 10/28/2023 – CSU Pueblo def. Colorado Mesa, 59-20 at Pueblo
- 9/16/2023 – Western Colorado def. CSU Pueblo, 30-14 at Pueblo
- 11/16/2024 – Western Colorado def. Colorado Mesa, 37-7 at Grand Junction
- 9/21/2024 – CSU Pueblo def. Colorado Mesa, 38-14 at Pueblo
- 11/2/2024 – CSU Pueblo def. Western Colorado, 44-34 at Gunnison
- 11/15/2025 – Western Colorado def. Colorado Mesa, 42-28 at Gunnison
- 9/20/2025 – CSU Pueblo def. Colorado Mesa, 31-24 at Grand Junction
- 11/1/2025 – CSU Pueblo def. Western Colorado, 24-21 at Gunnison
- 9/19/2026 – Western Colorado def. Colorado Mesa, 31-17 at GJ
- 9/26/2026 – CSU Pueblo def. Colorado Mesa, 35-23 at Pueblo
- 11/14/2026 – Western Colorado at CSU Pueblo, 1 p.m.
