▁Moscow ▁and ▁Miss ou la ▁are ▁on ▁opposite ▁sides ▁of ▁the ▁lower ▁Id aho ▁Pan handle , ▁separated ▁by ▁the ▁B itter root ▁Mountains ▁over ▁L olo ▁Pass . ▁ ▁Both ▁were ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁old ▁Pacific ▁Coast ▁Conference ▁( the ▁for er un ner ▁of ▁today ' s ▁Pac - 1 2 ); ▁Mont ana ▁depart ed ▁after ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 9 ▁season , ▁and ▁the ▁P CC ▁dis band ed ▁in ▁the ▁summer ▁of ▁ 1 9 5 9 . ▁The ▁univers ities ▁were ▁char ter ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁Big ▁Sky ▁Conference ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 3 , ▁( although ▁Id aho ▁remained ▁an ▁independent ▁in ▁football ▁until ▁ 1 9 6 5 ) ▁and ▁their ▁final ▁season ▁as ▁conference ▁oppon ents ▁was ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 5 . ▁While ▁Mont ana ▁has ▁been ▁in ▁the ▁Big ▁Sky ▁since ▁its ▁in ception , ▁Id aho ▁has ▁changed ▁its ▁conference ▁affili ation ▁no ▁fewer ▁than ▁five ▁times ▁since ▁ 1 9 9 5 : ▁Id aho ▁moved ▁to ▁the ▁Big ▁West ▁for ▁all ▁sports ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁returning ▁to ▁Division ▁I - A ▁after ▁ 1 8 ▁years ▁in ▁I - AA . ▁After ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁season , ▁the ▁Big ▁West ▁dropped ▁football . ▁Id aho ▁became ▁a ▁football - only ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Sun ▁B elt ▁Conference ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁while ▁remaining ▁a ▁full ▁Big ▁West ▁member . ▁Id aho ▁joined ▁the ▁W AC ▁for ▁all