Idaho eyes independence in football

BOISE - Running out of other options, the University of Idaho is hoping to remain in the Football Bowl Subdivision and play football as an independent beginning with the 2013 season.

School officials today will make their case to the Idaho State Board of Education that playing outside of a formal conference is in the best long-term interests of the Vandal football team.

Idaho athletic officials are also seeking permission to join the Big Sky Conference for non-football sports.

"We appreciate the State Board of Education's consideration of our proposal for President M. Duane Nellis and Director of Athletics Rob Spear to explore what is best for the future of Vandal athletics, our student-athletes and our fans," Idaho officials said in a statment Thursday. "Our priority continues to be to provide the best experience for our students, alumni and fans within a collegiate sports environment."

Later Thursday, Spear tweeted, "SBOE will vote tomorrow on our request to only EXPLORE independent football and Big Sky membership...nothing official."

The Vandals now play in the Western Athletic Conference, but the league has been withering amid conference realignment. Effective 2013, Idaho and New Mexico State will be the only football-playing members of the league. The Vandals had hoped to be accepted into the Mountain West, which has taken several other WAC schools in recent years, but were told the conference wasn't interested in them. The Sun Belt wasn't interested either.

Idaho is an original member of the Big Sky conference, and school officials say rejoining the league would re-establish historic rivalries with schools like Montana, Montana State and Idaho State.

The Big Sky plays football in the lower, Football Championship Series, level, but is NCAA Division I in all other sports.

Idaho officials have said they believe there will be another round of conference reshuffling soon, perhaps in a couple of years, so a spot in a conference could open up for the Vandals then.

Idaho played football in the Big Sky from 1965-1995, before moving up to Division I in 1996 and joining the Big West, where the Vandals played four seasons. Idaho played in the Sun Belt from 2001-04 before joining the WAC in 2005.

The state board is scheduled to vote on the proposal at a meeting today in Boise.