The Idaho State Bengals and San Diego Toreros have scheduled a home-and-home football series for the 2026 and 2028 seasons, FBSchedules.com has learned.
A copy of the contract with the University of San Diego was obtained from Idaho State University via a state public records request.
In the first game of the series, Idaho State will travel to face San Diego at Torero Stadium in San Diego, Calif., on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. The Bengals will then host the Toreros two seasons later at the ICCU Dome in Pocatello, Idaho, on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2028.
Per the copy of the contract, Idaho State will receive a $25,000 guarantee for the game in San Diego and will pay the Toreros a $55,000 guarantee for the return game in Pocatello.
Idaho State, a member of the Big Sky Conference, and San Diego, who competes in the Pioneer Football League, have only met once previously on the gridiron. The Toreros defeated the Bengals in that contest, 24-0, on Sunday, Nov. 23, 1958 in San Diego.
San Diego is the second scheduled non-conference opponent for Idaho State for both the 2026 and 2028 seasons. The Bengals are slated to open the 2026 season on the road against the Utah State Aggies on Sept. 5 and will kickoff their 2028 slate at the Wyoming Cowboys on Sept. 2.
Idaho State is the second known non-conference opponent for San Diego’s 2026 schedule, which begins on Sept. 5 with at home against the UC Davis Aggies. In 2028, Idaho State joins a Sept. 9 home tilt against the Sacramento State Hornets.
FOOTBALL SCHEDULES
With the Sac State announcement they are leaving the Big Sky and UC Davis set to move up as well, looks like those two games for San Diego. At this point, I would predict Sac State will move to FBS, but even if they don’t they are now leaving to be an FCS independent as they join the Big West in all other sports.
It was just too unrealistic to think they would go to the PAC12, the pipe dream is over officially.
I have a suggestion & it only a suggestion is when Sacramento State make transition to FBS. I would them start as a Independent & then either go to PAC 12 or Mountain West overall I am very open to situation.
See, this is why no one wants to have you ‘reply to all.’ What you suggest is what Sac State tried to do. The PAC12 and MWC don’t want them and that is why they are joining the Big West. If there are about 3 waves of teams leaving to join P4 from the PAC12 or MWC, then they might make in it, but by that time, C-USA or Sun Belt will be just as good.
I have zero concerns over it have a safe & happy day JM.
So you don’t mind being annoying?
Have a nice day yourself.
I don’t understand why the PAC 12 doesn’t want Sac State. It’s a top 20 TV market. But no issues with Boise State and Utah State.
The PAC 12 is a crap league. They can’t get an eighth football member. North Texas prefers the American over the crap P12
Sac State could be a player down the road.
To my buddy John Sacramento State fully deserves to be in PAC 12 in my opinion.
@John, when Boise State and Idaho went to FBS in 1996, it took some time and I realize the PAC12 is not the old PAC12, but they weren’t just jumping into what was the WAC then. They were both pretty strong in Football, Boise State won the 1980 !-AA title and they each had appearances, but Idaho was probably stonger in basketball still then and Boise wasn’t bad either. It took a while for Boise to make it and Idaho just didn’t spark. Sac State hasn’t done that much to show they deserve to be in the Mountain West, which these two essentially are MWC A and B at this point. TV market aside, what have they WON? A couple of FCS playoff games. Not only do the PAC12 and MWC not want them, they didn’t even get an invite from C-USA, the or Sun Belt. They just expected to get into the next best and they didn’t get an invite, so now they are depending on the NCAA to tell them it is okay to be an FBS independent. You have to have some bit of a resume to make that kind of jump, and tell me, besides the TV market, what has the Hornet athletic department done to show they deserve a shot? 2-4 all-time in the FCS playoffs ain’t all that great no matter what your TV market says. One Big Sky title in women’s basketball? Really, what does Sac State bring to the table for PAC12 or MWC membership?
Listen, I don’t agree with Texas State to the PAC12 either. I hate all bobcats, but they are legitimately a better fit than Sac State and have at least shown improvement at the FBS level. They are in one of the most rapidly growing area in the country with San Antonio and Austin projected to soon be a larger metro-plex than Dallas-Fort Worth.