MOSCOW, Idaho — THIS DAY IN SPORTS…October 11, 1975:
The University of Idaho dedicates the Kibbie Dome with a game against rival Boise State. The arena had functioned as “New Idaho Stadium” since October, 1971, on the site of the old wooden Neale Stadium, which had ben destroyed by a fire two years earlier. Then the roof was added—it came about thanks to a donation from William Kibbie and contributions from student fees. On the field that day, the Broncos and Vandals tied, 31-31. It was a great game, but Idaho quarterback Dave Comstock uttered the obligatory “like kissing your sister” analogy afterward.
The Kibbie Dome has been the site of some robust games between the heated in-state rivals. In 1977 Boise State won 44-14 after getting an onside kick with 1:28 left in the game and kicking a field goal. Idaho fans never forgot that. In 1981, the Broncos watched a huge lead evaporate in the second half as already-fired coach Jerry Davitch turned his team loose with all the pressure gone. Boise State survived 45-43 but would not win in the Dome again until 1997, a stretch that included Idaho’s 12-game winning streak over the Broncos.
Boise State, however, would not lose another road game to the Vandals. The Broncos were victorious in Pullman in 1999 and 2001 before the series returned to the Kibbie Dome. In 2006, Boise State ran “Statue Left” for the first time with Jared Zabransky and Ian Johnson, 2½ months before the famed “Statue of Liberty” variation beat Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl. The final football game between the two schools was played in the Dome in November, 2010. The Broncos, with arguably the best team in school history, routed the Vandals 52-14 behind Heisman Trophy finalist Kellen Moore.
By the way, on this day in 1980, Cedric Minter went over the 4,000-yard mark in career rushing and scored four touchdowns in a 44-21 Boise State win over Idaho at Bronco Stadium. The Vandals had entered the top 10 in the Division I-AA rankings, but the Broncos had started their surge toward the I-AA national championship, two weeks after a players-only meeting in Bozeman righted the ship following a frustrating 18-17 loss to Montana State.
Tom Scott hosts the Scott Slant segment during the football season on KTVB’s Sunday Sports Extra. He also anchors four sports segments each weekday on 95.3 FM KTIK and one on News/Talk KBOI. His Scott Slant column runs every Wednesday.
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