Idaho, Boise State set to renew ‘rivalry weekend’ in fall of 2005

The University of Idaho-Boise State University football rivalry is heading back to “rivalry weekend.”

At the request of Idaho and BSU, the Western Athletic Conference is optimistic it can schedule the game in late November, likely as the regular-season finale – the way it was from 1983-2000 – beginning in 2005. The Vandals are leaving the Sun Belt after this season for the WAC.

“We haven’t done the schedules yet (for 2005), but we’ll make every effort to do that,” said WAC senior associate commissioner Jeff Hurd. “It might not always work out that way for television moves or whatever, but that’s our intention.

“With our ESPN contract, (scheduling) is a little different than in the past. Our schedule won’t be done until February of the year games are being played. ESPN supplies us on Feb. 1 of games they want and we’ll build our schedule around that. But I suspect in most years (a UI-BSU game in November) would fit, if not all years.”

Idaho-BSU showdowns in November often decided conference championships when they belonged to the Big Sky and Big West, but the rivalry lost some luster when BSU joined the WAC in 2001 while Idaho languished in the Sun Belt. The last three Idaho-BSU contests were non-conference affairs played before the calendar reached October. The long-time rivals will open this season Sept. 4 in Boise.

“I’m confident that it’s going to end up (on rivalry weekend beginning in 2005). I know we made the request and BSU made the request,” UI athletic director Rob Spear said. “I think it’s a great thing. When you look at the past, we had some great rivalry games and it meant something at the end of the season. Even when one team was ahead (in the conference standings), it was an opportunity to knock off the other.”

The Broncos have won five straight over Idaho, the closest being a 24-10 decision last September in the Kibbie Dome. Prior to that, Idaho won 15 of 17, including 12 straight from 1982-1993.

“I think it’s a great thing for the state of Idaho,” new Idaho coach Nick Holt said. “Like all the big games, it’s rivalry weekend right before Thanksgiving when all the big games are played. That’ll be a big game for us and hopefully we can get it where it’s a big game for them. It’s exciting, as opposed to early in the year, and hopefully when we play it’ll mean something.”

In recent years, BSU and Nevada have usually hooked up on rivalry weekend along with WAC rivals Fresno State and San Jose State. When Idaho joins the WAC, it will visit BSU in odd years and entertain the Broncos in even years.

Regarding WAC basketball scheduling in 2005, Hurd said nothing has been decided. The WAC will have nine basketball members in 2005, which creates scheduling challenges compared to eight- and 10-team leagues.

“The odd team really throws a wrench into it,” Hurd said. “I don’t know if we’ll use a lone-ranger concept (one school without a travel partner). The lone ranger would be Hawaii or Louisiana Tech, but quite honestly I’d prefer to avoid that. There are too many drawbacks to it because that team is always playing Thursday and Saturday, and it’s usually playing against an opponent that hasn’t necessarily played on Thursday. That’s a fairly big advantage to the school sitting and waiting there. We’re trying to spread it around.”