Battle of the Palouse

Palouse

The Battle of the Palouse refers to an athletic rivalry between the Vandals of the University of Idaho and Cougars of Washington State University. The two land-grant universities are less than eight miles (13 km) apart on the rural Palouse; Idaho's campus in Moscow is directly on the Idaho–Washington border, and Washington State's campus directly west in Pullman, linked by Washington State Route 270 and the Bill Chipman Palouse Trail. The two schools' most prominent rivalry was in football, but in later years it has shifted to men's basketball.

Football

Battle of the Palouse


Idaho Vandals	Washington State Cougars

Sport(s)

Football

Total meetings

Series record

WSU leads 71–16–3

First meeting

November 17, 1894
121 years ago
WSU 10, Idaho 0

Last meeting

September 21, 2013
WSU 42, Idaho 0

Next meeting

September 17, 2016
in Pullman

Longest win streak

WSU, 21 (1928–1949)

Longest unbeaten streak

WSU, 27 (1926–1953)

Current win streak

WSU, 8 (2001–present)

Series history

The first game was played 121 years ago in November 1894 and resulted in a win for Washington State. The Vandals' first-ever forward pass was attempted against the Cougars in 1907: it was completed for a touchdown from a drop-kick formation in the fourth quarter and led to a 5–4 victory.^[1] Washington State has dominated the local rivalry, holding a 71–16–3 (.806) lead. The record since 1926 is even more dominant, with a 56–5–2 (.905) advantage for the Cougars. The longest winning streak for Idaho was three games (1923–25), and has only five victories since that three-peat (1954, 1964, 1965, 1999, & 2000) and two ties (1927, 1950) to offset the 56 losses.

The games were skipped in 1969 and 1971, unfortunate for Idaho as the 1971 Vandals posted one of the best records (8–3) in school history, while WSU was 4–7. The rivalry became increasingly one-sided as WSU dominated in the 1970s (except for 1974) and the original series ended, following the 1978 game.^[2] From 1979 to 1997, the game was played just twice (1982, 1989) until the 10-year renewal from 1998–2007. Since their last wins in 1999 and 2000, Idaho has been physically outmatched in most of the seven games; the game has only been played once since 2007, in 2013.

As two schools are in close proximity, from 1938 to 1968 there was a tradition called The Loser's Walk, where during the week following the game students of the losing school would walk from their own campus to the winners' campus, then receive rides back home from the winning side. This has frequently been misreported as students walking back to their own campus immediately following the game. In 1954, the walk made national news when about 2,000 students from Washington State College made the trek east from Pullman to Moscow after the Cougars lost to Idaho for the first time in 29 years.^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6]

In a span of less than five months from November 1969 to April 1970, both schools' aged wooden stadiums (Idaho's Neale Stadium and WSU's Rogers Field) burned down due to suspected arson. The WSU–Idaho game in 1970 was dubbed the Displaced Bowl, which was held in Joe Albi Stadium in Spokane on September 19. The Cougars won the game (their only win that season), as well as the next ten against the Vandals.^[7] The 1970 game was the first in the rivalry played on AstroTurf, which was new to Joe Albi that season.

In 1978 the NCAA split Division I football in two: I-A (now FBS) and I-AA (now FCS). Washington State was in Division I-A as part of the Pac-10 Conference and Idaho downgraded to I-AA as part of the Big Sky Conference, whose other football members moved up from Division II. In the late 1970s, I-A football programs were allowed 50% more scholarships and twice as many assistant coaches as I-AA teams.^[2] During the years they were in different divisions, the schools met only twice (1982 in Spokane and 1989 in Pullman). In 1996, Idaho moved back up to Division I-A in the Big West Conference, and Idaho and WSU rekindled their century-old rivalry. Since the rivalry was reinstated in 1998, every game has been played at Martin Stadium in Pullman, except for the matchup in 2003, which was played at Seattle's Seahawks Stadium. The game played on the Idaho side of the border was in 1966, a come-from-behind 14–7 Cougar victory on a very muddy field to prevent a Vandal three-peat.^[8]^[9]

Future of rivalry

After ten years of the renewed rivalry, Vandal head coach Robb Akey, previously WSU's defensive coordinator, said in 2008 that he preferred the game not be played every year, instead saying he would prefer it as a "once-in-a-while thing."^[10] Only one game was played during Akey's tenure, in his first season in 2007, and he was fired in October 2012.^[11] The meeting in 2013 on September 21 was a one-year revival,^[12] but the future of the series under current Vandal head coach Paul Petrino is unclear. The next game is tentatively scheduled for 2016 in Pullman, on September 17.

Game results

1890 No game	1891 No game	1892 No game	1893 No game	1894 WSU 10–0 Moscow	1895 WSU* 10–4 Pullman	1896 No game	1897 No game	1898 No game	1899 WSU* 11–0 Pullman
1900 No game	1901 UI* 5–0 Moscow	1902 WSU* 17–0 Pullman	1903 UI* 32–0 Moscow	1904 UI 5–0 Pullman	1905 UI* 5–0 Moscow	1906 WSU* 10–0 Pullman	1907 UI* 5–4 Moscow	1908 Tie 4–4 Pullman	1909 WSU 18–0 Moscow
1910 UI 9–5 Pullman	1911 WSU 17–0 Moscow	1912 UI 13–0 Pullman	1913 UI* 3–0 Moscow	1914 WSU* 3–0 Pullman	1915 WSU 41–0 Moscow	1916 WSU* 31–0 Pullman	1917 WSU 19–0 Moscow	1918 No game	1919 WSU* 37–0 Pullman
1920 WSU 14–7 Moscow	1921 WSU* 20–3 Pullman	1922 WSU 18–19 Moscow	1923 UI 14–0 Pullman	1924 UI* 19–3 Moscow	1925 UI 7–6 Pullman	1926 WSU 6–0 Moscow	1927 Tie 7–7 Pullman	1928 WSU 26–0 Moscow	1929 WSU* 41–7 Pullman
1930 WSU 33–7 Moscow	1931 WSU* 9–8 Pullman	1932 WSU* 12–0 Pullman	1933 WSU 14–6 Moscow	1934 WSU* 19–0 Pullman	1935 WSU 6–0 Moscow	1936 WSU 14–0 Moscow	1937 WSU* 13–0 Pullman	1938 WSU 12–0 Moscow	1939 WSU* 21–13 Pullman
1940 WSU 26–0 Moscow	1941 WSU* 26–0 Pullman	1942 WSU 7–0 Moscow	1943 1944 No games	1945 WSU 43–12 Moscow	1945 WSU 21–0 Moscow	1946 WSU* 32–0 Pullman	1947 WSU 7–0 Moscow	1948 WSU* 19–14 Pullman	1949 WSU 35–13 Moscow
1950 Tie 7–7 Pullman	1951 WSU 9–6 Moscow	1952 WSU* 36–6 Pullman	1953 WSU 30–13 Moscow	1954 UI 10–0 Pullman	1955 WSU 9–0 Moscow	1956 WSU 33–19 Moscow	1957 WSU* 21–13 Pullman	1958 WSU 8–0 Moscow	1959 WSU* 27–5 Pullman
1960 WSU 18–17 Moscow	1961 WSU* 34–0 Pullman	1962 WSU 22–14 Moscow	1963 WSU* 14–10 Pullman	1964 UI* 28–13 Moscow	1965 UI 17–13 Pullman	1966 WSU 14–7 Moscow	1967 WSU* 52–14 Pullman	1968 WSU* 14–0 Spokane	1969 No game
1970 WSU* 44–16 Spokane	1971 No game	1972 WSU* 35–14 Pullman	1973 WSU* 51–24 Pullman	1974 WSU* 17–10 Pullman	1975 WSU* 84–27 Pullman	1976 WSU* 45–6 Pullman	1977 WSU* 45–17 Pullman	1978 WSU* 28–0 Pullman	1979 No game
1980 No game	1981 No game	1982 WSU* 34–14 Spokane	1983 No game	1984 No game	1985 No game	1986 No game	1987 No game	1988 No game	1989 WSU* 41–7 Pullman
1990 No game	1991 No game	1992 No game	1993 No game	1994 No game	1995 No game	1996 No game	1997 No game	1998 WSU* 24–16 Pullman	1999 UI 28–17 Pullman
2000 UI 38–34 Pullman	2001 WSU* 36–7 Pullman	2002 WSU* 49–14 Pullman	2003 WSU* 25–0 Seattle	2004 WSU* 49–8 Pullman	2005 WSU* 38–26 Pullman	2006 WSU* 56–10 Pullman	2007 WSU* 45–28 Pullman	2008 No game	2009 No game
2010 No game	2011 No game	2012 No game	2013 WSU* 42–0 Pullman	2014 No game	2015 No game	2016 Pullman

Men's basketball

Battle of the Palouse


Idaho Vandals	Washington State Cougars

Sport(s)

Men's basketball

Total meetings

270

Series record

Washington State leads, 162–108

First meeting

January 13, 1906
Washington State 28, Idaho 11

Last meeting

December 3, 2014
Idaho 77, Washington State 71

Next meeting

TBD

Largest win

Washington State, 53-10 (March 17, 1914)

Longest win streak

Washington State, 12 (1915–1917)

Current win streak

Idaho, 1 (2014–present)

Although the Battle of the Palouse in football waned by the 1980s, Idaho and Washington State men's basketball teams have played each other annually since 1906 in a series that continues to this day and is dubbed the Battle of the Palouse.^[13]^[14]^[15] From the 1921–22 to 1958–59 seasons, the two schools both competed in the Pacific Coast Conference.^[16]^[17]

Washington State has a 162–108 lead in the series as of December 3, 2014; in the latest game in the series, Idaho won 77-71 in Idaho's first win over Washington State since 2002.^[18]^[13]

Other sports

Idaho–Washington State games are also dubbed "Battle of the Palouse" in women's basketball,^[19] women's volleyball,^[20] and women's soccer.^[21]

Washington State leads the women's basketball series, last played in the 2008–09 season, 26–13 and won the most recent game 53-50 over Idaho.^[22]

References

↑ "WSU-Idaho series has sparkling past". Lewiston Morning Tribune. October 22, 1959. p. 13.
↑ 2.0 2.1 "WSU-Idaho grid series diminishes". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Associated Press. January 21, 1978. p. 10.
↑ "Become a University of Idaho Tradition Keeper". Student Alumni Relations Board - University of Idaho. p. 3/7. Retrieved September 15, 2013.
↑ ""Win Made Us Ball Club," says Skip Stahley". Spokane Daily Chronicle. October 25, 1954. p. 17.
↑ "WSC walks". Gem of the Mountains, University of Idaho yearbook. 1955. p. 26. Retrieved August 16, 2012.
↑ "Battle of the Palouse - Losers' Walk". Washington State University Libraries' Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections. (video). November 3, 1959. Retrieved September 15, 2013.
↑ Fry, Richard B. (March 17, 2004). "The Smilin' Irishman". Cougfan.com. Retrieved September 15, 2013.
↑ "Mud replaces turf in football's annual Battle of Palouse in Moscow". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (photos). October 23, 1966. p. 14.
↑ "Kennedy en route to a TD". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (photo). October 24, 1966. p. 18.
↑ "Cougars: Akey talks of commitment at Idaho". The Seattle Times. April 15, 2008.
↑ Murphy, Brian (October 21, 2012). "Vandals fire Akey after 1-7 start". Idaho Statesman. Retrieved October 22, 2012.
↑ "Cougars add Idaho to 2013 football schedule". Washington State University Athletics. May 1, 2012. Retrieved August 16, 2012.
↑ 13.0 13.1 "All-time opponents: Idaho", 2014-15 Washington State Basketball (Washington State Cougars): 36–37
↑ "Battle of the Palouse". Idaho Vandals. December 5, 2011. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
↑ "Cougars Slated For Four Fox Sports Net TV Games". Washington State Cougars. September 9, 1999. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
↑ http://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/washington-state/
↑ http://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/idaho/
↑ "Vandals win!". Idaho Vandals. December 3, 2014. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
↑ "Vandal women lose Battle of the Palouse". Idaho Vandals. February 27, 2003. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
↑ "WSU Claims 3-1 Volleyball Victory At Idaho". Washington State. September 19, 2000. Retrieved April 18, 2015.
↑ "Cougars Take Soccer Battle Of The Palouse". Washington State Cougars. September 8, 2002. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
↑ "All-time records against: Idaho" (PDF). Washington State 2014-15 Women's Basketball. Washington State University. 2014. p. 40.

External links

College Football Data Warehouse – Idaho opponents: vs. Washington State

Coordinates: 46°43′55″N 117°09′36″W / 46.732°N 117.16°W / 46.732; -117.16

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 & rivalries	Bowl games Boise State (Governor's Trophy) Montana (Little Brown Stein) Washington State (Battle of the Palouse)

Culture & lore	Joe Vandal Go, Vandals, Go The Sound of Idaho

People	Head coaches NFL draftees

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

Idaho Vandals men's basketball

Venues	Memorial Gymnasium (1928–1976) Cowan Spectrum (1976–present)

Rivalries	Washington State

Culture & lore	Go, Vandals, Go

People	Head coaches Notable players

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 1999–00 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

Washington State Cougars football

Venues	Rogers Field (1892–1969) Joe Albi Stadium (1950–1983; 1970–1971 as primary) Martin Stadium (1972–present)

Bowls & rivalries	Bowl games Idaho (Battle of the Palouse) Washington (Apple Cup)

Culture & lore	Butch T. Cougar "Washington State University Fight Song" Washington State University Cougar Marching Band

People	Head coaches NFL draftees Statistical leaders

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

Washington State Cougars men's basketball

Venues	Bohler Gymnasium (1928–1973) Beasley Coliseum (1973–present)

Rivalries	Idaho Washington

Culture & lore	History Butch T. Cougar

People	Head coaches

Seasons	1901–02 1902–03 1903–04 1904–05 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 1999–00 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

Helms national championship in bold; NCAA Final Four appearance in italics

Pac-12 football rivalries

Conference	Apple Cup (Washington–Washington State) Arizona–Arizona State Big Game (California–Stanford) Civil War (Oregon–Oregon State) Oregon–Washington Rumble in the Rockies (Colorado–Utah) UCLA–USC Stanford–USC

Non-conference	Arizona–New Mexico Battle of the Brothers (Utah–Utah State) Beehive Boot (BYU–Utah–Utah State) Battle of the Palouse (Idaho–Washington State) Bill Walsh Legacy Game (San Jose State–Stanford) Colorado–Nebraska Holy War (Utah–BYU) Notre Dame–USC Notre Dame–Stanford Rocky Mountain Showdown (Colorado–Colorado State)

Sun Belt Conference football rivalries

Conference	Battle on the Bayou (ULL–ULM) Arkansas State–Louisiana–Monroe Appalachian State–Georgia Southern Georgia Southern–Georgia State South Alabama–Troy

Non-conference	Battle for the Ol' School Bell (Jacksonville State–Troy) Battle for the Old Mountain Jug (Appalachian State–Western Carolina) Battle for the Paddle (Nicholls State–Texas State) Battle for the Palladium (Middle Tennessee–Troy) Battle of I-10 (New Mexico State–UTEP) Battle of the Palouse (Idaho–Washington State) Boise State–Idaho Cajun Crown (McNeese State–ULL) Cypress Mug (Southeastern Louisiana–ULL) I-35 Rivalry (Texas State–UTSA) Little Brown Stein (Idaho–Montana) Louisiana Tech–ULM Northwestern State–ULM Paint Bucket Bowl (Arkansas State–Memphis) Rio Grande Rivalry (New Mexico–New Mexico State) Sabine Shoe (Lamar–ULL)

Battle of the Palouse

Football

Series history

Future of rivalry

Game results

Men's basketball

Other sports

See also

References

External links