1990 Idaho Vandals football team

1990 Idaho Vandals football
ConferenceBig Sky Conference
Record9–4 (6–2 Big Sky)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorBobby Petrino (1st season)
Defensive coordinatorCraig Bray (1st season)
Home stadiumKibbie Dome
Seasons
← 1989
1991 →
1990 Big Sky Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 4 Nevada $^ 7 1 0 13 2 0
No. 13 Idaho ^ 6 2 0 9 4 0
No. 10 Boise State ^ 6 2 0 10 4 0
Montana 4 4 0 7 4 0
Northern Arizona 3 5 0 5 6 0
Weber State 3 5 0 5 6 0
Eastern Washington 3 5 0 5 6 0
Montana State 3 5 0 4 7 0
Idaho State 1 7 0 3 8 0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant
Rankings from NCAA Division I-AA Poll

The 1990 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in the 1990 NCAA Division I-AA football season. The Vandals were led by second-year head coach John L. Smith, were members of the Big Sky Conference and played their home games at the Kibbie Dome, an indoor facility on campus in Moscow, Idaho.

The three-time defending conference champion Vandals made the I-AA playoffs for the sixth consecutive season, under a third head coach. With future college hall of fame quarterback John Friesz in the NFL, Idaho was led by redshirt freshman Doug Nussmeier;[1] they finished the regular season at 8–3 and 6–2 in the Big Sky. Nussmeier's season was ended by a broken right ankle in early October,[2] and fifth-year senior Steve Nolan guided the team to seven consecutive wins,[3] including a ninth-straight victory over rival Boise State.

The season ended in the quarterfinals in December, where Idaho lost by one point at Georgia Southern,[4][5] the eventual national champion.

  1. ^ Stalwick, Howie (August 31, 1990). "Everyone is out gunnin' for Vandals". Spokane Chronicle. (Washington). p. C1.
  2. ^ Lewis, Michael C. (October 8, 1990). "Win leaves UI with key loss". Idahonian. (Moscow). p. 1B.
  3. ^ Sahlberg, Bert (November 25, 1990). "Vandals take first step in playoffs". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 1B.
  4. ^ Stalwick, Howie (December 1, 1990). "Southern-fried hype fails to blister UI". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. B1.
  5. ^ Stalwick, Howie (December 2, 1990). "Fumbles vandalize Idaho". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. B1.