Idaho and WSU agree to play in 2020

PULLMAN—Washington State and Idaho have yet to face each other in 2016, but the two football programs have already added a 2020 rematch.

The Cougars, who host the Vandals on Sept. 17, will again welcome their border rivals on Sept. 19, 2020 according to a report from fbschedules.com. The website reports that WSU will pay UI $550,000 for the game.

Although UI is currently an FBS school, by 2020 it will have dropped down to FCS to join the Big Sky conference. Like most FBS schools, WSU makes a habit of playing one game a year against an FCS school. FCS schools have many structural disadvantages against their FBS counterparts, such as fewer scholarships and resources, so the NCAA only allows FBS schools to count one win per year over an FCS opponent toward bowl eligibility.

The game against WSU will replace a game against San Jose State UI had previously scheduled in 2020. That game was canceled as a result of UI dropping down to FCS. SJSU is the second program to cancel games against Idaho as a result of the move – The Star-Tribune reports that Wyoming has dropped the Vandals from its 2018 schedule.