1956 Idaho Vandals football team

1956 Idaho Vandals football
ConferencePacific Coast Conference
Record4–5 (0–4 PCC)
Head coach
Home stadiumNeale Stadium
Seasons
← 1955
1957 →
1956 Pacific Coast Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 10 Oregon State $ 6 – 1 – 1 7 – 3 – 1
No. 18 USC 5 – 2 – 0 8 – 2 – 0
UCLA 5 – 2 – 0 7 – 3 – 0
Washington 4 – 4 – 0 5 – 5 – 0
Oregon 3 – 3 – 2 4 – 4 – 2
Stanford 3 – 4 – 0 4 – 6 – 0
Washington State 2 – 5 – 1 3 – 6 – 1
California 2 – 5 – 0 3 – 7 – 0
Idaho 0 – 4 – 0 4 – 5 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1956 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in the 1956 college football season. The Vandals were led by third-year head coach Skip Stahley and were members of the Pacific Coast Conference. Home games were played on campus at Neale Stadium in Moscow, with one home game in Boise at old Bronco Stadium at Boise Junior College.[1][2][3]

Idaho compiled a 4–5 overall record but were 0–4 in the PCC. After four losses to open, the Vandals won three straight, then split the final two games.

After road losses to Washington and Oregon, the Vandals suffered a second straight loss in the Battle of the Palouse with neighbor Washington State, falling 19–33 at home on October 6.[4][5][6] Following the game, skirmishes between student factions provoked the Moscow city police to use tear gas to control the situation.[5][6] The following week, Idaho was depleted by injuries and came out on the short end of a 41-point homecoming shutout by Arizona State.[7][8]

The most recent winning season for Idaho football was 18 years earlier in 1938, and the Vandals were a win shy in 1956. The streak was broken seven years later in 1963.

  1. ^ "Stahley names traveling unit for Utag game". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. November 9, 1956. p. 13.
  2. ^ "Idaho scores in every period to dump Utah State 42-20". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. November 11, 1956. p. 10.
  3. ^ Boni, Bill (November 11, 1956). "Idaho blasts Utags in 42-20 crusher". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 2, sports.
  4. ^ "Idaho, WSC set for tilt". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). October 5, 1956. p. 13.
  5. ^ a b Boni, Bill (October 7, 1956). "Police by gas, WSC by 33-19". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 1, sports.
  6. ^ a b "WSC gridders beat Vandals 33-19; students battle to draw". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. October 7, 1956. p. 11.
  7. ^ Boni, Bill (October 14, 1956). "Arizona Staters roll over Idaho, 41 to 0". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 1, sports.
  8. ^ "Sophomores run wild as Arizona State swamps Idaho 41–0". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. October 14, 1956.