A Hard Couple of Decades
It's been a rough couple of decades to be an Idaho Vandals fan/alumnus. Moving up to what is now the FBS has proven to be an unsustainable fundraising arms-race -- demonstrated by the Vandals' plans to move back down to the FBS and Big Sky Conference in 2018. While in the mid-'90s, attempting to maintain parity with Boise State seemed perfectly reasonable, the reality is that an urban audience and national marketing deals (Nike in particular) aren't matched by the architectural innovation of the Kibbie Dome and convenient small-town walkability of Moscow.
But THIS Year....!
I'm starting to believe the Vandals will wind up in a bowl in their second-to-last opportunity to do so. Right now, Idaho is 5-4, with two of those losses against Washington and Washington State, who themselves are headed for an Apple Cup showdown likely to determine which of them wins the PAC 12 North. Meanwhile, Idaho's three remaining opponents are a combined 8-17, and two of those games are in Moscow. The Sun Belt Conference has five bowl tie-ins, so a 7-5 finish, entirely reasonable, would all-but guarantee the Vandals an appearance. Needless to say, I'll be watching intently to see how this shapes-up!
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