DENVER -- Last year in their annual showdown with their in-state rival, Colorado's defensive backs were burned for touchdown passes of 52, 42, 34 and 30 yards.

In Saturday's rematch, the Colorado secondary returned fire, intercepting four passes and returning two for touchdowns and setting up another score in a 41-14 rout of No. 24 Colorado State.

Colorado's Donald Strickland leaps into the arms of Roderick Sneed after returning an interception for a TD.(AP)

"A year ago the secondary gave up four big plays," Colorado coach Gary Barnett said. "This year they made four big plays. We were able to limit their running game enough to where we forced them to throw it."

Defensive backs Donald Strickland and Michael Lewis returned interceptions 31 and 41 yards, respectively, for scores as Colorado avenged two straight losses to Colorado State.

"They torched our secondary last year," Lewis said. "We had a little bit of a revenge factor going into this game. I had my guy covered. If they threw it to him, I was thinking I was going to take it to the house."

Strickland said he "got a good read off the quarterback's eyes" on his theft early in the game. "After I got it, all I could see was open field. It got our team off to an excellent start."

In a dominating performance, the Buffaloes (1-1) outgained the Rams (0-1) 410-294 before 75,022 at Invesco Field at Mile High.

Bobby Purify ran for 191 yards and Chris Brown added 121 for Colorado, which finished with 315 yards rushing. Brown scored twice on 1-yard runs, and Purify had an 18-yard TD run.

Craig Ochs completed 15-of-18 passes for 95 yards. Ochs departed in the fourth quarter with a 34-14 lead, spending the rest of the game on the sideline with ice applied to a slightly sprained left (non-throwing) shoulder.

Colorado overcame a trying week during which the players and coaches were widely criticized after a season-opening 24-22 loss to Fresno State and running back Marcus Houston complained of disparaging remarks made by an athletic department official.

The developments proved not to be a distraction, as Strickland returned his interception less than a minute into the game and Purify added a scoring run for a 14-0 lead.

Sophomore D.J. Busch, starting his first game for Colorado State, threw a 3-yard scoring pass to freshman tight end Joel Dreessen later in the quarter to make it 14-7, but the Rams got no closer, being outscored 27-7 the remainder of the game.

"Our kids withstood all the firestorms of the last week," Barnett said. "I don't think they were distracted at all with what went on. We stayed together and stayed focused."

Busch, who threw three of the Rams' interceptions, said he "made some bad reads and it cost us. You can't guess on coverages. I did on that first interception, and it changed the whole momentum."

Rams coach Sonny Lubick said he was disappointed in his team's tackling in the second half, adding, "My hat's off to Colorado. They played fairly flawlessly for most of the game."

Ochs completed 10-of-12 passes in the first half as Colorado took a 17-7 lead.

Strickland intercepted Busch's underthrown pass and returned it 31 yards with 14:04 left in the opening period.

The Buffaloes went up 14-0 midway through the period with a 75-yard drive, capped by Purify's 18-yard run when he darted up the middle and then cut to the left sideline.

The Buffs were penalized 15 yards for excessive celebration on the extra point, but Jeremy Flores kicked the long PAT.

Later in the quarter, a Colorado gamble backfired. On a fake punt from the Colorado 34, Scott Nemeth took the short snap and threw incomplete. The Rams capitalized, scoring four plays later.

Henri Childs broke off a 16-yard run, and Busch hit Dreessen with 3:13 left in the quarter.

Colorado marched 79 yards for Flores' 21-yard field goal in the second quarter.

CSU crossed midfield on both of its possessions in the period, but a sack and a false-start penalty stymied both drives.

Midway through the third period, Busch, being dragged down by linebacker Sean Tufts, threw another interception, and Lewis returned it 41 yards for a 24-7 lead. Flores kicked another long PAT after a second excessive-celebration penalty.

Brown ran for 35 yards and Purify for 28 to set up Brown's 1-yard scoring run late in the quarter.

Bradlee Van Pelt, replacing Busch, drove the Rams for their only other score, throwing a 7-yard TD pass to Childs early in the final period.

After a Colorado field goal, Lewis' second interception set up Brown's second TD.