There is nothing normal about the Idaho Vandals. 

After the 2017 season, Idaho became the first college football program to voluntarily drop down from the FBS level to the FCS. The Vandals had previously spent time in the Big Sky from 1965 to 1995, winning eight conference titles, before making the jump to the Big West and later the Sun Belt. Following a 20-year FBS run in which they averaged just 3.7 wins per season, and the Sun Belt announcing it would not be renewing their membership, the Vandals opted to return to a level at which they had once thrived and built up much of their program’s tradition.

The decision was a shocker, and seemingly unfathomable in today’s college football landscape, and yet fast forward to today, where we are already witnessing a return to glory for the Vandals. Whether it be the unusual home they play in, their high-octane offense, or their rapid rise to success, the Idaho Vandals resemble a team straight out of an “NCAA 14” dynasty. Currently sitting at No. 4 in the FCS Coaches Poll, the Vandals are in the midst of their best season in over 30 years. Following statement wins this year over Nevada and No. 2 Montana State, the new (-ish) kid on the block has emerged as not only a playoff team but a legitimate contender in the FCS. 

If you’re looking for a team to root for in this year’s FCS Playoffs, look no further than the new and improved Idaho Vandals. Here’s why…

The Stadium

It’s impossible to mention the University of Idaho without bringing up college football’s single most ridiculous stadium: the P1FCU Kibbie Dome.

To casual onlookers, it resembles an airplane hangar situated in the middle of farmland, and to fans of the Vandals, it’s described by many as a sideways beer can stuck in the ground. The Kibbie Dome has garnered a reputation as one of the weirdest venues in all of sports. With just 16,000 seats, the stadium was the second smallest home stadium in FBS football. 

Yet, for the better part of 50 years, the Kibbie Dome has embodied everything there is to love about Idaho football. From its bizarre interior design, highlighted by a curved wooden roof and floating field goal posts attached directly to the giant white walls, to the small, yet deafening, student section titled the “Vandalizers” and their infamous mascot “Joe Vandal,” the Kibbie Dome makes for one of college football’s most unique viewing experiences. Thanks to the aforementioned EA Sports “NCAA Football” video games, the Kibbie Dome was introduced to a new generation of football fans from across the country, with many opting to play as the Vandals with the goal of achieving an A+ score on the game’s “toughest places to play” rankings.

The Head Man 

Jason Eck is a man on a mission, and that mission is to make Idaho football fun again.

Before being hired by the University of Idaho in 2021, Eck had never been a head coach at any level. Following his playing days at Wisconsin, Eck spent 20 years bouncing around mostly as an offensive line coach with ten different programs (including a brief spot at Idaho) before eventually being promoted to offensive coordinator at South Dakota State in 2019, where he was named AFCA FCS Assistant Coach of the Year in his first season. 

Not much was expected from Eck as a first-time head coach taking over an Idaho team that had not experienced a winning season in six years, making his full-fledged revival of the program all the more impressive. The Vandals jumped from 4-7 to 7-5 in his first year at the helm, and now sit at 8-3 entering the FCS Playoffs. Under Eck, the Vandals defeated long-time rival Montana for the first time since 1999 and returned to the FCS playoffs, where they would lose a tightly-contested matchup against a strong Southeastern Louisiana team.

Eck is a true man of the people, and it’s easy to see why Idaho’s players and fans love him so much. Making up rivalry trophies, getting loud on the sideline, hosting Reddit AMAs, participating in team belly flop competitions, and the list goes on. Eck is the definition of a “player’s coach,” and he’s doing as effective of a job at shifting the culture of his program as any other man in the country.

The Offense

Very few, if any, FCS teams have made as significant a statement against FBS competition as the Idaho Vandals over the past two years. In 2022, they came within one score of a highly-regarded Washington State team to open the year and, at one point, held a two-score lead over Indiana. Now, I know what you’re thinking — who cares about moral victories? Well, what if I were to tell you that the Vandals then proceeded to open 2023 with a commanding 33-6 upset of Nevada on the road? The game was as one-sided as the score indicates, with Idaho recording nearly 200 more total yards and forcing three turnovers. The Vandals, led by star quarterback Gevani McCoy, were particularly dominant through the air, completing 15 of 21 passes for 313 yards and two touchdowns, with zero interceptions. The Vandals also traveled to Cal, and at one point led 17-0 before losing off costly second-half turnovers.

From watching these games, it is beyond apparent that Idaho boasts legitimate talent on its offense, capable of competing at the FBS level.

McCoy and Hayden Hatten are the stars of the show, making up the FCS’ premier quarterback-wide receiver duo. McCoy — the recipient of the 2022 Jerry Rice Award for the top FCS freshman — is a dynamic gunslinger, capable of fitting the ball into even the tightest of windows. With 47 total touchdowns to just 14 interceptions as a starter, McCoy has quickly established himself as one of the FCS’ top passers and has another two years of eligibility left to contend for the Walter Payton Award. Hatten, on the other hand, has built up a strong case to be the best receiver in the FCS right now, and one of the most underrated players in all of college football. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound junior is a big-play machine, racking up a school-record 16 touchdowns in 2022 en route to being named a consensus FCS All-American. If any player on the Vandals roster has a chance of eventually playing on Sundays, it’s most definitely Hatten.

Looking past the passing attack, sophomore running back Anthony Woods has emerged as an unsung hero for the Vandals, following up a Freshman All-American season with a conference-high 14 touchdowns this season. Woods and Idaho native Nick Romano’s production on the ground presents yet another threat from Idaho’s explosive offensive.

The Ambidextrous Kicker

Yes, you’re reading this correctly. I think you should root for Idaho because of its kicker. 

Hear me out…

Ricardo Chavez is one of the most unique cases in all of college football and represents everything there is to love about the new and improved Idaho Vandals. Despite having never kicked a football until his junior year of high school, Chavez — a former soccer goalkeeper — serves as both Idaho’s kicker and punter, ranking among the nation’s best at both.

While the kicker/punter combination is rare in today’s game, it isn’t what makes Chavez stand out. What does stand out is the fact that he may be the lone full-time switch-kicker in football right now, opting to kick field goals with his right leg, but punt with his left. Chavez attributes this decision to his soccer background, where he was used to kicking off the ground with his right and drop-kicking with his left.

If you’re looking to support college football’s most unique point-scorer, look no further than Idaho’s very own Ricardo Chavez.