Idaho is “Home” to College Football’s Strangest Game in History

There's something special about the Idaho Vandals and while Boise State fans may disagree--if you know a Vandal, you know that it extends further than just on an athletic court of a field.

The Vandal's aren't known for winning many games or making headlines--yet their fanbase is among the most vocal and loyal in the nation. These Vandal fans don't care if the team is winning or losing at the end of the day because they know how to have fun unlike any other university around.

While there isn't a storied athletic history at the University of Idaho, they are "home" to what has been labeled as "the strangest" college football game in history. Here's a peek: 

Do you remember this season, or have you ever even heard of it? 

Lifelong Idahoans ourselves, we were totally unaware of this random season, during which the Idaho Vandals had to vacate their beloved and totally operational Kibbie Dome for Washington State's home field-- all season.

We dug up an old press release from Washington State University where the news was shared from June of 1999:

In November 1997, the two universities -- located eight miles apart -- began negotiations for the Vandals to play their home football games on the WSU campus. An agreement and the terms of a contract have now been completed. Martin Stadium's 37,600 seating capacity allows Idaho to meet the NCAA's minimum stadium seating requirement of 30,000 for full Division I-A membership. Idaho is currently not a full I-A member because its home stadium, the Kibbie Dome, seats only 16,000.

While we understand the use of this stadium was a convenient "bandaid" to get the University of Idaho eligible for a divisional upgrade, it was the season opener that really made things strange.

During this season, the Idaho Vandals opened up with a cross-state rivalry, AGAINST Washington State...on their home turf: Washington State!

Only the Vandals could pull something like this off. Idaho, Idaho, Go GO GO!