The Idaho Vandals have announced their 2013 football schedule, which includes games against Fresno State, NIU, Ole Miss, Temple, and Washington State.
Idaho will be playing the 2013 season as an FBS Independent as a result of the WAC discontinuing football after 2012. All other Vandal sports will join the Big Sky Conference beginning with the 2014-15 school year.
The Vandals previously had games arranged at Wyoming (Sept. 7), vs. Northern Illinois (Sept. 14), at Washington State (Sept. 21), and at Ole Miss (Oct. 26).
This evening, Idaho Director of Athletics Rob Spear revealed the Vandals’ full 2013 slate. Idaho will open the season at North Texas, and will also travel to Arkansas State and New Mexico State. The New Mexico State Aggies will also visit the Kibbie Dome in a rare, same season home-and-home series.
Other teams to visit Moscow in 2013 include Temple, Fresno State, and Old Dominion. Spear said he has a BCS school lined up for Nov. 23, but can not disclose them yet due to a confidentiality agreement. Idaho will receive around $950,000, so it could very well be an SEC school. Auburn and South Carolina currently have that date open as they haven’t confirmed their non-conference schedules yet.
Rob Spear also stated today that all home games are part of home-and-home contracts. That means the Vandals will visit Fresno State, Temple, and Old Dominion in the future. The Arkansas State game was also reported to be a home-and-home by AStateNation.
Updates:
- The Philadelphia Enquirer reports that Idaho will return the trip to Temple in 2016.
- The Fresno Bee reports that Idaho will return the trip to Fresno State in 2014.
- The Virginia-Pilot reports that Idaho will return the trip to Old Dominion in 2019.
- 08/31 – at North Texas
- 09/07 – at Wyoming
- 09/14 – Northern Illinois
- 09/21 – at Washington State
- 09/28 – Temple
- 10/05 – Fresno State
- 10/12 – at Arkansas State
- 10/19 – Open Date
- 10/26 – at Ole Miss
- 11/02 – New Mexico State
- 11/09 – Old Dominion
- 11/16 – Open Date
- 11/23 – TBA BCS Opponent
- 11/30 – at New Mexico State
I have to give Rob Spear some credit, that is a very nice schedule considering how little time he had to work with.
Temple & Fresno State are very nice gets for Idaho.
Does Old Dominion count as an FCS or FBS next year?
ODU will be an FCS Independent in 2013
They play New Mexico State… twice?
That’s been covered here multiple times. Idaho and NMSU will play an in-season home-and-home. A necessity to fill out an independent schedule for schools of this size.
11/23 has got to be Florida State.
NMSU twice is lame, but beside that it looks good
Also, I’m confused why Temple is doing a H-H with Idaho with them going to Moscow next year, because Temple has 1 OOC home game and 3 roadies.
Just read a report that says Idaho will return the trip to Temple in 2016.
I guess Boise St. couldn’t help out their in-state rival. Their heads have gotten too big now that they’re in the Big East. Also surprised they didn’t schedule another FCS school like Idaho St. or Montana.
Little surprised about that as well….I think the fan base would have liked to have seen a Idaho State-Idaho match up. But I have to agree,this is a very attractive schedule for Vandal fans.
First, Boise is concerned about filling Boise’s schedule, which means getting a game on the week that is open. Perhaps U of Idaho was not available on thee one or two weeks that could be offered.
Second, Boise is a national program and their strength of schedule could be quite important when it comes to bowl bids. According to the Sagarin ratings, Idaho is the 2nd worst FBS program (only UMass) is worse. it doesn’t look like next year will be better. According to the numbers if they played in Boise 9and they would) Boise would be about a 39 point favorite.
You might ask why did they schedule UTMartin then? Well forst of all, they were available week 2, when Boise needed the game. That means alot, and even though they are a no0name brand, they are about 40 rankings higher in Sagarin. In a theoretical neutral side game between Idaho and UTM, UTM would be favored by 8. I am sure you would find similar numbers from the other computer services too.
Also, the issue as to whether Idaho would be FBS or FCS just got resolved, and is still a question mark from 1 year to the next. In spite of what the AD says, their FBS position is very tenuous. If anything, they may not even be good enough for the Big Sky, either on the field or at the gate. If they were to join and become the 14th team, they would be i the bottom in both talent and attendance.
Sure Idaho has problems, but I dont see Boise being able to help solve them.
Good looking schedule for 2013. No doubt they put that schedule together knowing it will be a make or break season. If they can’t finish 2013 even close to a .500 record then there will be no hope for them to remain in the FBS beyond 2014. Moving back to FCS & Big Sky would really be the best thing for UI. They can’t recruit in the FBS and they can’t compete in the FBS. UI’s problem is that they’re addicted to the FBS money. They’ve become dependent on big payouts for getting embarrassed at BCS schools. They can’t support themselves through ticket sales, the Kibbie only seats 20k, even if they sell out all season that’s barely enough to pay the power bill. They can’t support themselves through media and television. Now they no longer have income from revenue sharing within a conference. With poor facilities and poor performance they have no shot of an invitation to another FBS conference. Until they are willing to cut some salaries and return to the Big Sky they don’t really have a shot at improving the program overall. Not to mention the players experiece and the fans and alumni who are tired of supporting an FBS doormat.
The Kibbie Dome seats maybe 15-16K, not 20. But I agree w/ all other points!
Good feedback from a few Vandal fans….what a refreshing break to read about the smaller programs on here…not every football fan roots for the AQ conferences.
And I have to agree about Boise State not playing Idaho,there really nothing to be gained by it…unless Kibble was twice as big as to support a large Boise crowd.
The idea to rejoin the Big Sky in football isn’t a bad idea….and maybe New Mexico State can join the Southland….allowing both teams to stay alive and more importantly,compete on a more level playing field.
11/23 game would have to be home to fulfill the 5-game requirement, since Old Dominion is FCS and doesn’t count.
This is a new comment to a fairly old post, but I’m an NAU and Big Sky fan. I followed the news about Idaho teams moving to the Big Sky….with the exception of football. I believe Idaho is better suited to return football to the Big Sky – rivalries are already built-in. Make no mistake about it, though, they will have their hands full with a number of the Big Sky teams! It would be tough to be an Idaho football fan with its recent history and uncertainty for success in the future.