RFC Throwback Thursday: Utah State at Idaho-1997

(Video courtesy of KIVI [?] Boise, Idaho)

On this week's installment of "RFC Throwback Thursday", we turn the clock back to October 25, 1997. That was when the University of Idaho Vandals played host to the Utah State University Aggies in the now-defunct Big West Conference. Pay attention to the beginning of this broadcast, and you'll see a brief cameo appearance from legendary NFL and Green Bay Packers great Jerry Kramer, a former Vandal who was drafted in the fourth round of the 1958 draft. 

The visiting Aggies cruised to a convincing 63-17 win over the Vandals en route to winning the BWC championship, as well as the right to advance to the first-ever Humanitarian Bowl at the end of the 1997 season. Utah State fell to Cincinnati 35-19 in the inaugural game on December 29.

As for Idaho, the Vandals found themselves sitting at home at 5-6 overall to finish the 1997 season, despite sharing the Big West Conference crown at 4-1 in league play. The Idaho program did go undefeated in its only three bowl appearances (3-0) before leaving the FBS and returning to the FCS and Big Sky Conference in 2018.

Both Idaho and Utah State would change conferences multiple times, with the Vandals having two stints in the Sun Belt Conference from 2001 to 2004 and 2014 to 2017, while the Aggies were members of that same league for two seasons (2003-2004) before both teams joined the now-defunct Western Athletic Conference (WAC) in 2005. Both programs remained in the WAC until the end of the 2012 season, with the Vandals eventually returning to the Sun Belt Conference by the 2014 season, while the Aggies joined the Mountain West Conference. 

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