▁sports ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁a ▁major ▁NCAA ▁conference ▁real ignment . ▁After ▁the ▁W AC ▁experienced ▁a ▁near - complete ▁membership ▁turn over ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 2 0 1 0 s , ▁it ▁dropped ▁football ▁after ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁season . ▁Id aho ▁football ▁was ▁an ▁F BS ▁independent ▁for ▁one ▁season ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁then ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁Big ▁Sky ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁except ▁for ▁football , ▁which ▁rejo ined ▁the ▁Sun ▁B elt . ▁Id aho ▁will ▁drop ▁back ▁to ▁FC S ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁and ▁res ume ▁football ▁membership ▁in ▁the ▁Big ▁Sky . ▁ ▁Washington ▁State ▁Kn own ▁as ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁the ▁Pal ouse , ▁the ▁first ▁football ▁game ▁between ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Id aho ▁and ▁Washington ▁State ▁University ▁was ▁played ▁in ▁November ▁ 1 8 9 4 ▁and ▁resulted ▁in ▁a ▁win ▁for ▁Washington ▁State . ▁The ▁game ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 8 ▁was ▁not ▁played ▁because ▁Id aho ▁had ▁an ▁in el ig ible ▁r inger ▁from ▁Lap w ai , ▁F . J . ▁Mc F ar land , ▁a ▁recent ▁All - American ▁from ▁Carl is le . ▁The ▁V and als ' ▁first - ever ▁forward ▁pass ▁was ▁attempted ▁against ▁the ▁C oug ars ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 7 : ▁it ▁was ▁completed ▁for ▁a ▁touch down ▁from ▁a ▁drop - k ick ▁formation ▁in ▁the ▁fourth ▁quarter ▁and ▁led ▁to