On Thursday, Idaho Governor Brad Little stunned fans across the state by announcing the return of the football rivalry between the Boise State Broncos and the Idaho Vandals. The two programs will meet again on Sept. 6, 2031, in Boise, marking the 41st all-time meeting between the Gem State foes and the first matchup in 21 years.
For decades, the rivalry defined college football in Idaho. From 1971 through 2010, the teams met annually and, with the exception of the 2001-2004 seasons, the game carried conference implications. Idaho racked up 17 wins over Boise State over the years, including a 62-16 rout in 1992 and a 64-19 win in 1996.
The early chapters of the series belonged largely to Boise State, which won eight of the first 11 meetings. The momentum shifted dramatically in the 1980s and 1990s. Leading into 1999, Idaho won 15 games in 17 seasons. That run included a 12-game winning streak from 1982 to 1993, tied for the longest in series history.
Since the introduction of the Governor’s Trophy in 2001, Boise State has claimed the hardware every year the teams have met. The Broncos enter the renewed rivalry riding a 12-game winning streak over Idaho. That streak coincided with Boise State’s rise onto the national stage and a conference shift that ultimately put the rivalry on pause.
In 2011, Boise State left the Western Athletic Conference for the Mountain West Conference, effectively ending the annual matchup. As the years passed, hope for a renewal began to fade. For 16 years, there was no return in sight, until now.
“We are excited to renew our rivalry with Boise State and get back on the football field in 2031,” Idaho Director of Athletics Terry Gawlik said following the announcement. “We know how much this game means for both fan bases and the entire Gem State.”
The Sept. 6, 2031, contest will mark the 21st meeting in Boise, where the series is deadlocked at 10-10. Even with two decades between games, the animosity between the fan bases has hardly cooled. When the Vandals run out onto the blue turf at Albertsons Stadium in 2031, the tension will feel as if the rivalry never left.