UI Faces Rugged Football Schedule

How difficult is University of Idaho’s 1999 football schedule?

The easiest non-conference game would have been considered one of the Vandals’ toughest contests earlier in this decade.

In addition to six Big West Conference games, Idaho will face former Big Sky rival Montana in Missoula. The Grizzlies often highlighted UI schedules when the Vandals belonged to the Big Sky.

Idaho also will visit Auburn, a traditional SEC power; Texas Christian, which defeated USC in the Sun Bowl; Wyoming, which was 8-3 in 1998; and Washington State, which is coming off a 3-8 season. The UI-WSU game will be an Idaho home game, although it will be played in Martin Stadium.

Idaho will be playing in WSU’s facility in hopes of reaching the Division I-A requirement of averaging 17,000 fans per game. UI has four home dates, including WSU.

“The schedule enhances our ability to attract the number of fans we need to solidify our I-A status,” athletic director Mike Bohn said.

Idaho’s homecoming game is set for Oct. 9 against North Texas.

The 1998 schedule: Sept. 4 - vs. Washington State; Sept. 11 - at Auburn; Sept. 18 - at Texas Christian; Sept. 25 - bye; Oct. 2 - at Wyoming; Oct. 9 - vs. North Texas (homecoming); Oct. 16 - at Arkansas State; Oct. 23 - vs. Utah State; Oct. 30 - at Nevada; Nov. 6 - at New Mexico State; Nov. 13 - at Montana; Nov. 20 - vs. Boise St.

All home games will be at Martin Stadium in Pullman.