Feb. 15, 2008

2008 Football Schedule

Pocatello, ID -- It's almost like the old days. Opening week road trips to former conference rivals Boise State and Idaho highlight the 2008 football schedule that was announced by Director of Athletics Paul A. Bubb. The schedule also features five homes games, including a Thursday night home game with North Dakota, and a road game with perennial FCS contender Cal Poly. The Bengals will play a 12-game schedule for only the second time in school history, and it marks only the second time since the 1998 season that there is no lower division opponent on the schedule.

Idaho State will open the season with a pair of road games against old rivals. First, they travel to Boise to take on the Boise State Broncos on August 30. Last season BSU went 10-3, losing to East Carolina 41-38 in the Hawaii Bowl. The next week ISU heads north for their second meeting with the Vandals in the past three years. Last year the Vandals were 1-11 under first year coach Robb Akey, and they have lost 16 of their last 17 games. In 2006, Idaho nipped the Bengals 27-24 under Dennis Erickson.

The Bengals will host their home opener on Thursday night, September 18 when they take on North Dakota at 6:35 pm in their first season in Division I. The Fighting Sioux are the newest members of the Great West Conference. Idaho State's only other non-conference matchup is a November 1 date at Cal Poly as the Mustangs play their first season in the fully refurbished Spanos Stadium.

Idaho State will open Big Sky Conference play on Saturday, September 27 at Eastern Washington at 6:05 pm, ending a string a three straight seasons of opening up at home. Idaho State will open up conference play at home on October 4 against Montana State in a game designated for "Terrific Tailgate IV" as well as serving as the Hall of Fame Game. Idaho State will also host Northern Arizona on October 18th for Homecoming, and then have two November home games against Weber State (November 8) and Sacramento State (November 22).

Idaho State's other conference road games are against Northern Colorado (October 11), Portland State (October 25), and at Montana (November 15).

Idaho State last played a 12-game schedule in 2004, which was also the same season that ISU last played a full Division I schedule. Idaho played a pair of FBS teams in 2006, traveling to UNLV and Idaho.