The Idaho State Board of Education has approved letting the University of Idaho begin scheduling and playing college football as an independent. The board's 5-1 vote Friday also gives school administrators permission to explore membership in the Big Sky Conference for all other Vandal sports teams. Since 2005, the Vandals have competed in the Western Athletic Conference. But the WAC is in tatters and hurtling toward extinction thanks to a series of defections over the last two years of its best football teams, including Boise State, Nevada and Fresno State. UI President Duane Nellis told the board that letting the Vandals join the ranks of independent college football teams is in the best of the school, its students and sports teams. http://espn.go.com/college-football...aho-vandals-hoping-leave-wac-turn-independent http://www.kboi2.com/sports/WAC-big...andals-football-olympic-sports-166506416.html http://us.foxnews.mobi/quickPage.html?page=26048&external=1656929.proteus.fma
IT'S OFFICIAL Idaho joining Big Sky for all sports but football HELENA, Mont. (AP) — The University of Idaho is returning to the Big Sky Conference for all sports but football starting with the 2014-15 school year. League Commissioner Doug Fullerton and Idaho President Duane Nellis made the announcement Friday. Nellis signed an agreement with the league at its Oct. 16 meeting in Park City, Utah. Idaho was a charter member of the Big Sky Conference when it was created in July 1963 and left following the 1995-96 season. Since 2005 it has been a member of the Western Athletic Conference. Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/sports/articl...sports-but-football-3970977.php#ixzz2A59ABXeX
