Idaho–Idaho State football rivalry

The Idaho–Idaho State rivalry, recently branded as the Battle of the Domes,[1][2][3] is the intrastate college football game between the University of Idaho in Moscow and Idaho State University in Pocatello.

Idaho Vandals Idaho State Bengals
Sport	Football
First meeting	November 27, 1916 Idaho, 32–0
Latest meeting	October 19, 2019 Idaho, 45–21
Next meeting	November 21, 2020 in Pocatello
Statistics
Meetings total	40
All-time series	Idaho leads, 29–12 (.707)
Largest victory	1994, 1998
Longest win streak	Idaho, 8
Current win streak	Idaho, 1 (2019)

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Locations of Idaho and Idaho State

The rivalry was at its most competitive in the 1970s and 1980s, with neither team three-peating; Idaho has won twelve of the last fourteen and leads the overall series at 29–12 (.707).

A notable game of the series was not even played. In the conference finale for both teams in 1978, a night game was scheduled for Moscow on November 11,[4] and ISU planned to fly up to the Palouse that afternoon in two vintage airplanes.[5] One developed engine trouble shortly after takeoff from Pocatello and returned. Both teams were at the bottom of the Big Sky standings and the game was not rescheduled; Idaho was granted a 1–0 forfeit win.[5][6][7]

Battle of the Domes

The "Battle of the Domes" theme began in 2017, and is applied to multiple sports.[1][2] In opposite regions of Idaho and in different time zones, the driving distance between the campuses is over 530 miles (855 km) (through Boise), and over 610 miles (980 km) if routed through western Montana and Coeur d'Alene, a popular choice as it is mostly interstate.

Idaho State was the first of the pair to play its home games indoors, opening Holt Arena (originally ASISU Minidome) 50 years ago in 1970. The Kibbie Dome in Moscow was enclosed in 1975, after four years as an outdoor venue; the last two outdoor games in this series were played there in 1971 (debut)[8] and 1973, then known as new Idaho Stadium.[9][10]

From 1971 through 2010, Idaho's primary intrastate rivalry in football was with Boise State.

King Spud Trophy

In early 1962, the basketball teams began playing for the "King Spud Trophy,"[11] an oversized metallic potato with a face and a crown.[12][13][14] Bengal head coach Lynn Archibald thought it should go to the losing team; in 1979, he said, "It's the ugliest thing I've ever seen. The only good thing that happened last week was losing it."[15]

Universities

The University of Idaho was established 131 years ago in 1889 by the territorial legislature and opened its doors three years later. Idaho State's origins date back to 1901; it was a two-year branch campus of the UI (1927–1947), became a four-year college in 1947, and a university in 1963.

Game results

Idaho victories

Idaho State victories

No. Date Location Winner Score 1 1916 Pocatello Idaho 32–0 2 1929 Pocatello Idaho 41–7 3 1962 Moscow Idaho 9–6 4 1963 Pocatello Idaho 14–0 5 1965 Moscow Idaho 15–7 6 1966 Pocatello Idaho 27–20 7 1967 Boise Idaho 16–6 8 1968 Pocatello Idaho 35–15 9 1969 Pullman, WA Idaho State 47–42 10 1970 Pocatello Idaho State 35–14 11 1971 Moscow Idaho 40–3 12 1972 Pocatello Idaho State 35–7 13 1973 Moscow Idaho 43–0 14 1974 Pocatello Idaho 28–9 15 1975 Moscow Idaho State 29–14 16 1976 Pocatello Idaho 6–3 17 1977 Moscow Idaho State 34–14 18 1978 Moscow Idaho   1–0 ^ 19 1979 Pocatello Idaho 28–23 20 1980 Moscow Idaho State 28–21 21 1981 Moscow #3 Idaho State 24–14 No. Date Location Winner Score 22 1982 Pocatello #14 Idaho 20–17 23 1983 Pocatello #13 Idaho State 41–31 24 1984 Moscow Idaho 45–42 25 1985   Pocatello   Idaho State 38–37 26 1986 Moscow #17 Idaho 38–26 27 1987 Pocatello Idaho State 30–21 28 1988 Moscow #2 Idaho 41–7 29 1989 Pocatello #7 Idaho 47–31 30 1990 Moscow Idaho 41–20 31 1991 Pocatello Idaho 46–21 32 1992 Moscow #4 Idaho 49–18 33 1993 Pocatello #1 Idaho 56–27 34 1994 Moscow #6 Idaho 70–21 35 1995 Pocatello #24 Idaho State 26–21 36 1997 Pocatello Idaho 43–0 37 1998 Moscow Idaho 52–3 38 2006 Moscow Idaho 27–24 39 2008 Moscow Idaho 42–27 40 2018 Pocatello Idaho State 62–28 41 2019 Moscow Idaho 45–21 Series: Idaho leads 29–12

^ Idaho State forfeited in 1978 due to transportation issues.[6][7]

See also

• List of NCAA college football rivalry games

References

1. "Battle of the Domes Unveiled" (Press release). Idaho Vandals Athletics. September 6, 2017. Retrieved October 7, 2018.
2. "Idaho State and Idaho Athletics unveil multi-year rivalry series entitled "Battle of the Domes"" (Press release). Idaho State Bengals Athletics. September 6, 2017. Retrieved October 7, 2018.
3. "Bengals, Vandals to begin Battle of the Domes yearly rivalry series". Idaho State Journal. September 6, 2017. Retrieved October 7, 2018.
4. Barrows, Bob (November 11, 1978). "Vandals, Idaho State try to salvage something". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 3B.
5. Barrows, Bob (November 6, 1980). "It was the 'no-show' Idaho-Idaho State game of 1978". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 1B.
6. Drosendahl, Glenn (November 14, 1978). "Vandals claim a forfeit". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 1B.
7. "Bengals forfeit to Idaho". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). November 14, 1978. p. 15.
8. Payne, Bob (October 10, 1971). "Idaho likes home cookin'". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. p. 1, sports.
9. "Vandals finale rated important". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). November 16, 1973. p. 17.
10. Emerson, Paul (November 18, 1973). "Idaho bruises Bengals behind rugged defense". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 17.
11. "'King Spud' crown at stake tonight". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). March 2, 1962. p. 14.
12. "Basketball". Gem of the Mountains, University of Idaho yearbook. 1963. p. 250.
13. "Basketball". Gem of the Mountains, University of Idaho yearbook. 1964. p. 264.
14. "Lost traditions: King Spud Trophy". Go Mighty Vandals. Retrieved March 2, 2018.
15. Van Sickel, Charlie (February 28, 1979). "Dutch Rub: Today's smorgasbord". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). p. 18.