Idaho State
6-6 2025 finalIdaho State is the only FCS national champion in the modern Big Sky — the 1981 team that won it all under Dave Kragthorpe — and carries the weight of proving that singular moment was not a fluke.
The Bengals hold the line.
Idaho State is the only FCS national champion in the modern Big Sky — the 1981 team that won it all under Dave Kragthorpe — and carries the weight of proving that singular moment was not a fluke.
Idaho State went 6–6 (5–3 Big Sky) in 2025 under coach Cody Hawkins (3rd year). The Bengals were respectable but not contenders, missing the Big Sky playoff cutline. QB Jordan Cooke threw 16 TDs and provided hope that the quarterb…
Offseason
69 days
until kickoff · Sun Aug 30 · 17:00 UTC
The 2026 Outlook
The Pulse on Idaho State
What moved it — offseason · last 30 days
Aspiration Ladder
Brief Part III §33.4 · Idaho State
The baseline expectation.
The annual recruiting proof point.
Conference qualifier or at-large.
Championship weekend. Top-4 in the country.
Idaho State · Next-Season Outcome Band
Floor / Base / Ceiling
Variance assumed at ±2 wins from last-season record. Replace with the season-path projection once preview data is built.
Who We Are
Fanbase Health Index · Idaho State · low confidence
Growing (58)
Home-Field Advantage · Idaho State · 2018-present
Elite
38% home win rate vs 19% on the road. margin runs +18.4 better at home.
Act IIILast Season Reviewed
2025 season · tap to expand
Recent Form · last 10 games
Warming
Four of five. The board favors this trend.
Big Sky Standing · 2025
5th in the Big Sky
Idaho State sits 5th of 11 in the Big Sky at 6-6. Mid-conference — moves up or down depend on rivalry results and the late-season closing run.
| # | Program | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montana State | 14-2 |
| 2 | Montana | 13-2 |
| 3 | UC Davis | 9-4 |
| 4 | Northern Arizona | 7-5 |
| 5 | Idaho State | 6-6 |
| 6 | Eastern Washington | 5-7 |
| 7 | Cal Poly | 4-8 |
| 8 | Idaho | 4-8 |
| 9 | Northern Colorado | 4-8 |
| 10 | Weber State | 4-8 |
| 11 | Portland State | 1-11 |
Schedule Strength · Idaho State · 2025
Balanced
Average opponent win rate 52% across 12 finalized games. No top-25 opponents, but mid-tier slate kept the schedule honest.
Moment of the Year · Idaho State · 2025
Won 90-0 vs Lincoln (CA)
Week 4 of 2025. A statement margin. Recruiting boards re-rendered overnight.
From the Archive — Idaho State
2025: Won 27-17 vs Cal Poly
In 2025, the program won 27-17 vs Cal Poly — a tight home result that left the 10-point margin on the books.
Go Bengals.