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Idaho vs. BCS teams: 1-28 since 2000

When the Idaho Vandals meet Ole Miss on Saturday (4:30 p.m. PDT, ESPN3), it will be their second trip to face an SEC team in the last two seasons -- and their 30th game against a traditional BCS conference team since 2000. They've won just one of those matchups (vs. Washington State in 2000). And since beating the Cougars 38-34 at Martin Stadium in Tom Cable's first year, Idaho has dropped 26 straight games against BCS teams. That equates to a 1-28 record over the last 14 seasons.

We've got a season-by-season look at UI's games against major conference competition since 2000 after the jump.

Update: As several readers have mentioned, Temple, a team Idaho beat earlier this year, is now a BCS AQ team. But this analysis still stands for traditional BCS conference teams.

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A few things to note:

-- Of Idaho's 29 games since 2000 against BCS teams, 22 have been against Pac-12 (or original Pac-10) teams.

-- The Vandals have been shut out five times by BCS teams over this stretch, and they've allowed at least 60 points three times, all under Robb Akey. But they've also come close to breaking their BCS hex over the years; they lost in overtime to Virginia two years ago, and they nearly upended Michigan State in Dennis Erickson's first game back as coach in 2006.

-- UI's paychecks for these money games have gotten progressively bigger. In 2007, Arizona paid $600,000. In 2010, Nebraska dished out $800,000. Last year, LSU wrote Idaho a check for $925,000. And later this season, Florida State will pay $950,000 to the Vandals. The guaranteed payout from Ole Miss is $850,000. Asked about playing money games this week, UI coach Paul Petrino said, "That’s what helps pay for all the other programs. You need a couple of 'em a year to help pay your budget. So if we’re just going to be flat-out honest, that’s the most important thing." Next year Idaho will play at Florida for $975,000. In 2015, the Vandals will play at Auburn and at USC. The guarantee for the USC game is $1.1 million, slightly above what Auburn is paying.

-- This year's schedule is brutal, but consider what Cable went through in the first four games in 2001: at Washington, at Arizona, at Washington and against Boise State in Martin Stadium. And that grueling stretch came after playing four BCS teams in 2000. The Vandals went 1-10 in 2001 after going 5-6 in Cable's first year.

2013
At Washington State, L, 42-0

2012
At LSU, L, 63-14
At UNC, L, 66-0

2011
At Texas A&M, L, 37-7
At Virginia, L, 21-20 (OT)

2010
At Nebraska, L, 38-17

2009
At Washington, L, 42-23

2008
At Arizona, L, 70-0

2007
At USC, L, 38-10
At Washington State, L, 45-28

2006
At Michigan State, L, 27-17
At Washington State, 56-10
At Oregon State, L, 38-0

2005
At Washington State, L, 38-26
At Washington, L, 34-6

2004
Washington State, L, 49-8 (UI was home team at Martin Stadium)
At Oregon, L, 48-10

2003
vs. Washington State, L, 25-0 (in Seattle)
At Washington, L, 45-14

2002
At Washington State, L, 49-14
At Oregon, L, 58-21
At Washington, L, 41-27

2001
Washington State, L, 36-7 (UI was home team at Martin Stadium)
At Arizona, L, 36-29
At Washington, L, 53-3

2000
At Washington L, 44-20
At Oregon, L, 42-13
At Washington State, W, 38-34
At West Virginia, 28-16



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