College Sports Established
1899
Location
Moscow, Idaho
College Name
University of Idaho
Collegiate History
1973 - Present / NCAA Division 1
1921 - 1973 / University Division of the NCAA
1922 - 1921 / Athletic Association of the United States
Conference History
2015 – Present / Big Sky Conference
2005 - 2014 / Western Athletic Conference
1996 - 2004 / Big West Conference
1963 - 1977 / Big Sky Conference
1922 - 1959 / Pacific Coast Conference
Nickname
Vandals - As a sports fan, you may have heard of the Idaho Vandals – the athletic teams at the University of Idaho. But do you know where their nickname comes from? The history behind it is pretty interesting!
The name “Vandals” was first used in 1905 when some local newspapers referred to the football team as such. It came about because many people believed that students at UIdaho were responsible for vandalizing property around campus and in Moscow (the city where UIdaho is located). Even though this belief was never proven true, it stuck with them, and they adopted it as their official mascot name.
The school has embraced its nickname over time by using various logos featuring an anthropomorphic Viking-like figure wielding a battle axe or hammer to represent strength and power on the field or court. This logo has been updated several times since its inception but remains recognizable today across all NCAA divisions.
Aside from being an intimidating presence during games, there are other reasons why fans love cheering for “the Vandals”: They are known for having some of best tailgating parties in college sports; their fight song is catchy; plus, who doesn't want to root for a team whose mascot can kick butt? These combined factors make Idaho's Vandal athletics one of the most exciting programs!
NCAA Championships
Baseball 0
Men's Basketball 0
Women's Basketball 0
Football 0
Soccer 0
- 1892
- 1917
- 2009
- 2019
-
University of Idaho football team plays its first game
In 1892: The University of Idaho football team plays its first game, defeating Moscow High School 12-0. -
University of Idaho basketball team wins its first conference championship
The University of Idaho basketball team won its first conference championship in 1917 when they won the Pacific Northwest Conference title. The team went undefeated in conference play with a record of 8-0. The team was coached by Ralph Hutchinson, who would go on to coach at Michigan and be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. -
The University of Idaho football team wins the Humanitarian Bowl
In 2009, the University of Idaho football team won the Humanitarian Bowl, defeating Bowling Green 43-42. This was the first bowl victory for the Vandals since 1998 and their first postseason appearance since joining the FBS in 1996. The game was played at Bronco Stadium in Boise, Idaho, and was a back-and-forth affair that saw both teams trade leads throughout ... -
Coach Dennis Erickson Hall of Fame
Dennis Erickson: Head coach from 1982 to 1985. Won two national championships at Miami and coached in the NFL for several years. Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2019.
To qualify as the greatest player for this team, the player must have played one season for this team. If not, we will remove the player.
* verifies that player has played for this team as an added player by a fan.
History of the Vandals
In football, Idaho is most known for its rivalry with Boise State, which dates back to 1971 when both schools began playing each other annually. Since then, this matchup between two neighboring states has become one of the fiercest rivalries in all collegiate athletics. These teams compete for bragging rights and battle it on the field every year, trying to prove who is better and more deserving of a victory!
Aside from their heated rivalry with Boise State University (BSU), another highlight from Vandal’s past was when they defeated BSU for three consecutive seasons from 1991 until 1993 – something no other team had ever done before or since! This streak kicked off what would eventually become nine total conference titles throughout their history, including five Big Sky Conference championships and four Western Athletic Conference (WAC) crowns during that period alone!
Additionally, despite being relatively small compared to some powerhouses across college sports today, The Vandals still managed several successful runs into March Madness tournaments under legendary coach Don Monson during his tenure at UI between 1985-1995, where he led them twice all way up into Sweet Sixteen round games against powerhouse opponents such as Duke & Arizona respectively - both times almost pulling off monumental upsets too if not just barely losing by narrow margins each time around unfortunately...but showing how competitively capable even smaller programs can sometimes be versus established giants like those mentioned here too regardless though!
Overall, whether you’re talking about winning streaks or tournament appearances – there are plenty of reasons why fans should be proud to cheer on any team wearing blue & gold representing “Idaho Football" whenever possible nowadays now after seeing so much accomplished through many decades worth hard work put forth by countless players/coaches alike along this storied journey towards excellence yet again proving why we indeed are “Vandal Nation!"
Sports Fan Products
