1 9 6 5 , ▁the ▁Big ▁Sky ' s ▁third ▁year , ▁after ▁the ▁conference ▁demanded ▁it . ▁With ▁its ▁upper ▁division ▁status , ▁the ▁V and als ▁were ▁in el ig ible ▁for ▁the ▁College ▁Division ▁( D - II ) ▁play offs . ▁ ▁Not ably , ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 1 , ▁the ▁V and als ▁won ▁their ▁first ▁out right ▁conference ▁title ▁in ▁school ▁history . ▁ ▁However , ▁runner - up ▁Bo ise ▁State ▁received ▁the ▁Big ▁Sky ' s ▁automatic ▁ber th . ▁Because ▁of ▁its ▁hy brid ▁status , ▁Id aho ▁requested ▁to ▁retain ▁its ▁higher ▁all ot ment ▁of ▁football ▁scholar ships ▁( 7 5 ) ▁than ▁the ▁other ▁conference ▁members ▁( 6 2 ), ▁which ▁was ▁expected ly ▁dis allowed . ▁The ▁university ▁received ▁an ▁inv itation ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 3 ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁Pacific ▁Coast ▁Athlet ic ▁Association ▁( l ater ▁the ▁Big ▁West ), ▁but ▁the ▁state ▁board ▁of ▁education ▁( concurrent ▁board ▁of ▁reg ents ) ▁rejected ▁it ▁by ▁a ▁vote ▁of ▁ 4 ▁to ▁ 3 . ▁The ▁Big ▁Sky ▁moved ▁up ▁to ▁the ▁new ▁Division ▁I - AA ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁( while ▁Id aho ▁moved ▁down ). ▁ ▁Id aho ▁experienced ▁its ▁best ▁years ▁in ▁football ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 5 , ▁when ▁it ▁made ▁the ▁I - AA ▁national ▁play offs ▁in ▁ten ▁of ▁ 1 1 ▁seasons ▁with ▁four ▁different ▁head ▁coach