Gonzaga–Idaho football rivalry

American college sports rivalry

Statistics
Gonzaga Bulldogs Idaho Vandals
Sport	Football
First meeting	October 15, 1910 Idaho, 46–6
Latest meeting	October 10, 1941 Idaho, 21–7
Meetings total	28
All-time series	Idaho leads, 16–10–2 (.607)
Largest victory	Idaho, 54–3 (1913)
Longest win streak	Idaho, 5 (1910–1915)
Current win streak	Idaho, 1 (1941–present)

100km
62miles

Gonzaga

Idaho Locations of Gonzaga and Idaho

The Gonzaga–Idaho rivalry was the football game between Gonzaga University and the University of Idaho. The respective campuses, in Spokane, Washington, and Moscow, Idaho, are approximately ninety miles (145 km) apart.

The football teams met 28 times from 1910 to 1941 and Idaho held a slight advantage at 16–10–2 (.607). For the last twenty meetings, from 1921 on, the rivalry was exactly even at 9–9–2 (.500), and the final ten were split at five wins each. They did not meet in 1912, 1917, or 1926, and Idaho did not have a varsity team in 1918. Idaho joined the Pacific Coast Conference (PCC) in 1922, while Gonzaga remained independent.

Gonzaga's dominating wins in 1939 and 1940, both shutouts, were led by halfback Tony Canadeo, a future member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. With Canadeo in the NFL, Idaho rebounded in 1941 to win 21–7 in Spokane in what was the final game in the series.

During World War II, Gonzaga did not field a team after 1941, while Idaho played in 1942 and went on hiatus in September 1943. After the war, Idaho resumed football for the 1945 season, but Gonzaga opted not to, as its program had been in financial difficulty before the war.

Game results

Gonzaga victories

Idaho victories

No.	Date	Location	Winner	Score
1	October 15, 1910	Moscow, ID	Idaho	46–6
2	October 14, 1911	Moscow, ID	Idaho	22–0
3	October 11, 1913	Spokane, WA	Idaho	54–3
4	October 10, 1914	Moscow, ID	Idaho	5–3
5	November 13, 1915	Spokane, WA	Idaho	6–3
6	October 14, 1916	Moscow, ID	Gonzaga	21–6
7	November 15, 1919	Spokane, WA	Idaho	13–7
8	November 27, 1920	Spokane, WA	Idaho	10–7
9	November 19, 1921	Spokane, WA	Idaho	6–0
10	November 25, 1922	Spokane, WA	Gonzaga	14–7
11	November 3, 1923	Moscow, ID	Idaho	23–0
12	October 4, 1924	Spokane, WA	Tie	0–0
13	October 24, 1925	Spokane, WA	Gonzaga	12–3
14	November 26, 1927	Spokane, WA	Gonzaga	13–0
15	October 6, 1928	Spokane, WA	Tie	6–6

No.	Date	Location	Winner	Score
16	November 16, 1929	Moscow, ID	Gonzaga	20–14
17	November 1, 1930	Spokane, WA	Idaho	26–0
18	October 31, 1930	Moscow, ID	Idaho	7–6
19	October 8, 1932	Spokane, WA	Gonzaga	20–7
20	November 30, 1933	Spokane, WA	Idaho	20–12
21	October 6, 1934	Moscow, ID	Gonzaga	24–20
22	October 5, 1935	Spokane, WA	Gonzaga	7–6
23	October 31, 1936	Spokane, WA	Idaho	18–0
24	November 13, 1937	Spokane, WA	Idaho	6–0
25	October 15, 1938	Moscow, ID	Idaho	26–12
26	October 13, 1939	Spokane, WA	Gonzaga	19–0
27	October 12, 1940	Moscow, ID	Gonzaga	25–0
28	October 10, 1941	Spokane, WA	Idaho	21–7
Series: Idaho leads 16–10–2

Source:

The only one to serve as head coach for both programs was Matty Mathews,
who was 1–2–1 while with Idaho (1922–1925), and won during his only season with Gonzaga in 1929.
Idaho's 1918 team was non-varsity, composed of Student Army Training Corps (SATC) players.
After the Armistice ended World War I on November 11, they played a limited schedule; the first two games were against Gonzaga.
The opener in Moscow on November 16 was a 13–7 Idaho win, and the next week in Spokane was a 7–7 tie.

Coaching records

From 1919 through 1941; Idaho 11–9–2 (.545)

Gonzaga

Head Coach	Team	Games	Seasons	Wins	Losses	Ties	Pct.
William Higgins	Gonzaga	1	1919	0	1	0	.000
Gus Dorais	Gonzaga	5	1920–1924	1	3	1	.300
Clipper Smith	Gonzaga	4	1925–1928	2	0	1	.833
Matty Mathews	Gonzaga	1	1929	1	0	0	1.000
Ray Flaherty	Gonzaga	1	1930	0	1	0	.000
Mike Pecarovich	Gonzaga	8	1931–1938	3	5	0	.375
Puggy Hunton	Gonzaga	3	1939–1941	2	1	0	.667

Idaho

Head Coach	Team	Games	Seasons	Wins	Losses	Ties	Pct.
Ralph Hutchinson	Idaho	1	1919	1	0	0	1.000
Thomas Kelley	Idaho	2	1920–1921	2	0	0	1.000
Matty Mathews	Idaho	4	1922–1925	1	2	1	.375
Charles Erb	Idaho	2	1926–1928	0	1	1	.250
Leo Calland	Idaho	6	1929–1934	3	3	0	.500
Ted Bank	Idaho	6	1935–1940	3	3	0	.500
Francis Schmidt	Idaho	1	1941–1942	1	0	0	1.000

Other sports

Men's basketball

Idaho holds the overall lead at 70–64 (.522), but Gonzaga has won the last nine, most recently 80–46 in November 2008 at home in the McCarthey Center. The score at halftime was 47–11 and it was the third consecutive non-competitive game in the series.

Prior to both teams joining the new Big Sky Conference as charter members in 1963, Idaho had a large lead in the series at 55–21 (.724). As conference foes, they met two or three times per season and Gonzaga led at 22–13 (.629), plus two wins in tournaments. After sixteen years in the Big Sky, Gonzaga left for the WCAC in the summer of 1979, but the rivalry continued as an annual game (and occasionally biannual). In the next fifteen games through 1990, Idaho went 10–5, but Gonzaga has since dominated at 14–2 (.875). The last seven games in the series have been played on the Gonzaga campus; the last in Idaho was in early 2000. The Vandals' most recent win was 27 years ago in January 1998 at home, and they last won in Spokane in December 1989.

After more than a decade, the teams were scheduled to meet in December 2020 in Spokane, but the game was canceled due to COVID-19 issues.

Game results

Since December 1979, Gonzaga leads 19–12 (.613), all non-league

Gonzaga victories

Idaho victories

No.	Date	Location	Winner	Score
1	December 21, 1979	Moscow	Idaho	50–49
2	December 6, 1980	Spokane	Idaho	73–69
3	January 2, 1982	Moscow	Idaho	65–57
4	January 8, 1983	Spokane	Idaho	54–51
5	January 7, 1984	Moscow	Gonzaga	59–52
6	January 2, 1985	Spokane	Gonzaga	56–54
7	December 14, 1985	Spokane	Gonzaga	72–61
8	January 4, 1986	Moscow	Idaho	61–60
9	December 5, 1986	Moscow	Idaho	62–55
10	November 27, 1987	Spokane^	Idaho	64–60
11	December 22, 1987	Spokane	Gonzaga	77–57
12	November 26, 1988	Spokane^	Idaho	80–72
13	January 3, 1988	Moscow	Gonzaga	66–63
14	January 5, 1989	Spokane	Idaho	67–47
15	January 4, 1990	Moscow	Idaho	70–66
16	December 22, 1991	Spokane	Gonzaga	80–62

No.	Date	Location	Winner	Score
17	December 21, 1992	Moscow	Idaho	82–64
18	December 21, 1993	Spokane	Gonzaga	76–69
19	December 6, 1994	Moscow	Gonzaga	64–58
20	January 3, 1995	Spokane	Gonzaga	75–55
21	December 6, 1997	Spokane	Gonzaga	76–60
22	January 5, 1998	Moscow	Idaho	71–64
23	December 22, 1998	Spokane	Gonzaga	94–55
24	January 4, 2000	Moscow	Gonzaga	60–49
25	November 25, 2000	Spokane	Gonzaga	92–42
26	November 21, 2003	Spokane	Gonzaga	84–63
27	November 24, 2004	Spokane	Gonzaga	88–74
28	November 18, 2005	Spokane	Gonzaga	69–60
29	November 26, 2006	Spokane	Gonzaga	76–51
30	November 13, 2007	Spokane	Gonzaga	80–43
31	November 18, 2008	Spokane	Gonzaga	80–46
Series: Gonzaga leads 19–12

^ Two games were played at the Spokane Coliseum (Nov 1987, Nov 1988), both won by Idaho

Source:

Baseball

In the eleven seasons of baseball in the Big Sky (1964–74), Idaho and Gonzaga each won four league titles. The Vandals were champions in 1964, 1966, 1967, and 1969, while Gonzaga won in 1965, 1971, 1973, and 1974.

Baseball was one of five sports that the Big Sky stopped sponsoring in 1974, so both moved to the new Nor-Pac in 1975, and continued as conference foes until Idaho dropped its program in May 1980. The last eleven seasons of the baseball rivalry (1970–80) saw the Bulldogs dominate at 33–5 (.868).

References

"Gonzaga scores on Idaho's team". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). October 16, 1910. p. 1, sporting.
"Moscow rooters happy over score". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). October 17, 1910. p. 13.
"1918 football season". 1920 Gem of the Mountains, University of Idaho yearbook. Spring 1919. p. 116.
"Bulldogs take Vandals 19–0". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. October 14, 1939. p. 8.
"Scoreless Idaho faces tough foe". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). October 14, 1940. p. 12.
"W.S.C. fullback outlook better; Idaho, Gonzaga primed". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). October 10, 1941. p. 11.
Stark, Charles R. Jr. (October 11, 1941). "Idaho outplays Gonzaga before 8000 fans and wins football game". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 9.
Ashlock, Herb. "Schmidt's improving Idaho eleven defeats Gonzaga, 21–7". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). p. 9.
"Gonzaga cancels its intercollegiate football program". Spokane Daily Chronicle. April 7, 1942. p. 11.
"Unofficial word says Hunton will be dismissed at Gonzaga". Spokane Daily Chronicle. April 8, 1942. p. 17.
"Idaho, Washington State, and O.S.C. withdraw from Northern Division football loop". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. September 24, 1943. p. 8.
Ashlock, Herb (September 24, 1943). "Hollingbery to stay "at present salary," but Schmidt's status not revealed". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). p. 9.
"Gonzaga might drop football". Ellensburg Daily Record. (Washington). Associated Press. October 23, 1939. p. 6.
Ashlock, Herb (October 23, 1939). "Financial problem may force Gonzaga University to drop collegiate football program". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). p. 11.
"Gonzaga looks for supporters". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington). October 24, 1939. p. 14.
"Gonzaga-Idaho football record is a long one". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). October 8, 1932. p. 1.
"Football: 1918 season". Gem of the Mountains, University of Idaho yearbook. (1920 junior class, volume 17). Spring 1919. p. 117.
"Gonzaga University will play Idaho behind closed gates today". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). November 16, 1918. p. 13.
"Idaho "U: defeats Gonzaga, 13 to 7". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). November 17, 1918. p. 1, part 3.
"Gridiron season opened with Gonzaga and Idaho in 7–7 tie". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). November 24, 1918. p. 1, part 3.
^ "2017–18 Men's basketball, All-time series (Idaho)" (PDF). Gonzaga University Athletics. (record book). 2017. p. 92. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 13, 2017. Retrieved December 12, 2017.
Geranios, Nicholas K. (November 19, 2008). "No. 9 Gonzaga pounds Idaho". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. (Idaho-Washington). Associated Press. p. 1B.
Meehan, Jim (January 5, 2000). "Ailing Zags work over Idaho". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. C1.
Baney, Matt (January 6, 1998). "Idaho avenges earlier setback". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 1B.
Blanchette, John (December 6, 1989). "Idaho pressure puts the squeeze on Zags, 67–47". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. D1.
"Idaho off probation, loop titles dwindle". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). May 5, 1974. p. 13.
"Baseball axed in Big Sky". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). May 29, 1974. p. 15.
"Idaho, Gonzaga join new baseball circuit". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). Associated Press. June 24, 1974. p. 16.
"Portland State, Portland to play in baseball league". The Bulletin. (Bend, Oregon). Associated Press. June 24, 1974. p. 12.
"Baseball's 'out' at Idaho". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). May 13, 1980. p. 19.
"2017–18 Baseball, All-time series (Idaho)" (PDF). Gonzaga University Athletics. (record book). 2017. p. 15. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 13, 2017. Retrieved December 12, 2017.

v t e Gonzaga Bulldogs football
Venues	Gonzaga Stadium (1922–1941)
Bowls & rivalries	1922 San Diego East-West Christmas Classic Idaho
People	Head coaches NFL draftees
Seasons	1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899–1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941

v t e Gonzaga Bulldogs men's basketball
Venues	Russell Gymnasium (1907–1958) Spokane Coliseum (1958–1965, 1979–1980) Charlotte Y. Martin Centre (1965–2004) McCarthey Athletic Center (2004–present) Spokane Arena (alternate, 1995–present)
Rivalries	BYU Idaho (dormant) Saint Mary's Washington Washington State
Culture & lore	Spike the Bulldog "Go, Gonzaga!"
People	Head coaches NBA players Statistical leaders
Seasons	1907–08 1908–09 1909–10 1910–11 1911–12 1912–13 1913–14 1914–15 1915–16 1916–17 1917–18 1918–19 1919–20 1920–21 1921–22 1922–23 1923–24 1924–25 1925–26 1926–27 1927–28 1928–29 1929–30 1930–31 1931–32 1932–33 1933–34 1934–35 1935–36 1936–37 1937–38 1938–39 1939–40 1940–41 1941–42 1942–43 1943–44 1944–45 1945–46 1946–47 1947–48 1948–49 1949–50 1950–51 1951–52 1952–53 1953–54 1954–55 1955–56 1956–57 1957–58 1958–59 1959–60 1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1969–70 1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25
NCAA Final Four appearances in italics

v t e Gonzaga University
Located in: Spokane, Washington
Academics	Law
Facilities	Charlotte Y. Martin Centre Foley Center Library
Athletics	Baseball Washington Trust Field and Patterson Baseball Complex Men's basketball Women's basketball McCarthey Athletic Center Men's soccer Football (1892–1941) Gonzaga Stadium Spike the Bulldog
Media	The Gonzaga Bulletin KAGU
Related	Gonzaga University v. Doe Joseph Cataldo Aloysius Gonzaga
Founded: 1887

v t e Idaho Vandals football
Venues	MacLean Field (1914–1936) Neale Stadium (1937–1968) Rogers Field (1969–1970) Joe Albi Stadium (1971) Kibbie Dome (1971–present) Martin Stadium (1999–2001)
Bowls and rivalries	Bowl games Boise State Gonzaga (defunct) Idaho State Montana: Little Brown Stein Washington State: Battle of the Palouse
Culture and lore	History Joe Vandal Go, Vandals, Go The Sound of Idaho
People	Head coaches NFL draftees Starting quarterbacks
Seasons	1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943–1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024

v t e Idaho Vandals men's basketball
Venues	Armory and Gymnasium (1905–1928) Memorial Gymnasium (1928–1976, 2020–21) Kibbie Dome / Cowan Spectrum (1976–2021) Idaho Central Credit Union Arena (2021–present)
Rivalries	Washington State
Culture & lore	Go, Vandals, Go
People	Head coaches Statistical leaders
Seasons	List of seasons 1905–06 1906–07 1907–08 1908–09 1909–10 1910–11 1911–12 1912–13 1913–14 1914–15 1915–16 1916–17 1917–18 1918–19 1919–20 1920–21 1921–22 1922–23 1923–24 1924–25 1925–26 1926–27 1927–28 1928–29 1929–30 1930–31 1931–32 1932–33 1933–34 1934–35 1935–36 1936–37 1937–38 1938–39 1939–40 1940–41 1941–42 1942–43 1943–44 1944–45 1945–46 1946–47 1947–48 1948–49 1949–50 1950–51 1951–52 1952–53 1953–54 1954–55 1955–56 1956–57 1957–58 1958–59 1959–60 1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1969–70 1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25

v t e University of Idaho
Located in Moscow, Idaho
Academics	Law Music Outdoor Science
Facilities	Kibbie Dome Memorial Gymnasium ICCU Arena MacLean Field (defunct) Neale Stadium (defunct) Golf Course Arboretum Ridenbaugh Hall Gym & Armory
Athletics	Idaho Vandals Football Men's basketball Women's basketball Baseball (defunct) Rivalries Battle of the Palouse Little Brown Stein Battle of the Domes Boise State Gonzaga Fight song
Media	Fugue KUOI-FM University of Idaho Press
Related	Idaho Gem Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival Alumni Timeline 2022 UI killings

v t e Big Sky Conference football rivalries
Conference	Battle for the Golden Horseshoe (Cal Poly–UC Davis) EWU–UM Governors Cup (Eastern Washington–Montana) The Dam Cup (Eastern Washington–Portland State) Battle of the Domes (Idaho–Idaho State) Little Brown Stein (Idaho–Montana) Montana–Montana State Causeway Classic (Sacramento State–UC Davis)
Non-conference	Boise State–Idaho Gonzaga–Idaho Battle of the Palouse (Idaho–Washington State) Grand Canyon Rivalry (Northern Arizona–Southern Utah) Beehive Bowl (Southern Utah–Weber State)

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