BOULDER — The enduring image of Mike MacIntyre’s third season as the football coach at the University of Colorado came in its final, frozen moments.

When quarterback Jordan Gehrke fumbled in the closing seconds of the finale at Utah last November, ruining yet another shot at an elusive Pac-12 victory, MacIntyre dropped to his knees and tossed his head back in exasperation over another squandered opportunity.

As MacIntyre enters his fourth season in Boulder, the stakes grow higher and the pressure increases to pull CU’s program from the mire. It all begins Friday night in the Rocky Mountain Showdown against Colorado State, as close to a must-win for the Buffs as you can find in a season opener.

“They are not just going to roll over and let us win,” CU senior quarterback Sefo Liufau said.

Despite their dismal record in recent years, the Buffs enter Friday’s game with high hopes, for several reasons. The 412 career starts made by returning players are the most entering a season in program history. Four of CU’s Pac-12 losses a season ago came by one possession, a sign that the talent gap has closed since MacIntyre took over.

CU, which is favored by a touchdown, appears ready for its closeup, judging by the confidence within the team.

“I really like this football team,” MacIntyre said. “I’ve said it a lot. This is by far the most talent and the best football team we’ve had in the four years I’ve been here.”

Of course, that proclamation will only intensify the spotlight for CU for the Rocky Mountain Showdown, a series that has vacillated almost annually since 2006. For the Buffs, though, it’s difficult to envision a scenario in which they can lose to CSU and still reach a bowl game for the first time since 2007. The schedule is simply too difficult to fall short in games where they are heavy favorites, such as in last season’s opener at Hawaii, a team that finished with only two other victories. Related Articles September 1, 2016 Rocky Mountain Showdown: How do Colorado and Colorado State match up?

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The Buffs escaped with a 27-24 overtime victory over the Rams last season, and CSU returns only three defensive starters. But MacIntyre insisted that he doesn’t buy the notion that the Rams are in a rebuilding mode.

“I’ve been hearing about how young CSU is, but they have 16 seniors on the two-deep and we have 16 seniors,” MacIntyre said. “We have six freshmen in our two-deep and they have four freshman in their two-deep. I’m not buying that they aren’t a good football team.”

For CU to win, it’ll have to shore up one of its weakest areas from last season, its run defense. CSU gashed CU for 218 yards rushing a season ago. For the season, the Buffs allowed 198.7 yards per game on the ground, the worst mark in the Pac-12 South division.

That’s not a good sign against a Rams team whose strength appears to be on the offensive line and in the backfield. MacIntyre insists that his team’s front seven is talented, deep and, for now, healthy. That unit must prove it.

“I think they were one of the best offensive lines we played last year, and I think they’ll be one of the best offensive lines we play this year,” MacIntyre said. “The way they block together and their run schemes — they’re an excellent football team.”