Pocatello and ISU prepare for Saturday’s in-state rivalry
It’s rivalry weekend in Pocatello.
On Saturday, the Idaho State Bengals take on in-state rivalry, the University of Idaho Vandals.
For the first time in 34 years, an ISU football game is nearly sold out.
Athletics has already sold more than 10,000 tickets and there are only 13-hundred left as of late Thursday afternoon.
Also, for the first time ever, ISU is doing a “stripe out” in Holt Arena.
The whole stadium will be striped orange and black, depending on what section you sit in.”
Check your tickets to see what color to wear. Sections A, C, E, G, J, U, S, Q, O, and M you’re an orange stripe!
Sections B, D, F, H, K, T, R, P, N, and L are the black stripe sections.
“I’m so psyched.”
ISU students are excited for the rivalry.
“It’s gonna be crazy! i have some friends over there too so it’s going to be fun to give them a hard time.”
“I’m super excited because I feel like maybe this year is their time to shine. And it’s like what?! So yeah, I’m excited, I’m excited for them.”
With the rivalry game, come the school challenges.
ISU will be working to “can the vandals” both on and off the field.
During tailgating, the schools will be collecting canned food to donate to the Idaho Food Bank.
If you bring at least five cans, you are entered into a drawing on flat screen t.v.
“The competition is strictly by the number of cans so whichever tailgate brings the most cans by number, is the winning tailgate,” said ISU alumni director Ryan Sargent. “And I’ve got a bet with the alumni director up at the University of Idaho.”
The losing alumni director wears the winning team’s colors to work for one week and has to post a congratulatory video on social media.
“I don’t want to be in that situation of wearing Vandal colors,” Sargent said. “And kathy bernard – their alumni director – sent out an email saying that nobody looks good in orange so let’s prove her wrong and show her how great she looks in orange.”
It’s also more than a rivalry among schools, it’s also a rivalry among cities.
Pocatello Mayor Brian Blad issued a challenge to Moscow, Idaho’s mayor Bill Lambert.
“After my Bengals win, you wear this beautiful bengal tie at a city council meeting,” Blad challenged. “If by chance your vandals win, and it’s a slim chance, then I’ll go ahead and wear a vandal tie of your choosing. What do you say?”
“I accept your offer and the challenge,” responded Lambert. “Look at this nice tie – won’t you look great in this?”
The gate city itself will be busy.
KIFI/KIDK called 13 different hotels in Pocatello on Thursday. Five said they were sold out, three said they were nearly sold out with just very few rooms left, and the other five said they had plenty of rooms left but were busier than a usual weekend.
Kickoff for the game is at 3:35 p.m. Tailgating starts at 1 p.m. at the Papenberg Sports Complex, just south of Holt Arena.
ISU has not played U of I at home for 21 years.
