9 8 , ▁their ▁third ▁season ▁back ▁in ▁Division ▁I - A , ▁and ▁T orm ey ▁was ▁named ▁coach ▁of ▁the ▁year ▁in ▁the ▁Big ▁West . ▁Before ▁the ▁season , ▁the ▁Sport ing ▁News ▁had ▁Id aho ▁ranked ▁last ▁of ▁ 1 1 2 ▁teams ▁in ▁Division ▁I - A . ▁T orm ey ▁interview ed ▁in ▁early ▁January ▁for ▁the ▁open ▁head ▁co aching ▁position ▁at ▁Washington ▁in ▁Seattle ▁which ▁eventually ▁went ▁to ▁Rick ▁Neu he is el . ▁T orm ey ▁also ▁interview ed ▁for ▁the ▁head ▁co aching ▁position ▁at ▁Oregon ▁State , ▁which ▁eventually ▁h ired ▁former ▁V and als ▁head ▁coach ▁Dennis ▁Er ick son ▁to ▁replace ▁Mike ▁R iley . ▁ ▁The ▁V and als ▁went ▁ 7 – 4 ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 9 . ▁They ▁began ▁the ▁season ▁with ▁a ▁ 4 8 – 2 1 ▁win ▁over ▁I - AA ▁fo e ▁Eastern ▁Washington . ▁After ▁losing ▁to ▁A ub urn ▁by ▁a ▁score ▁of ▁ 3 0 – 2 3 , ▁earned ▁a ▁ 2 8 – 1 7 ▁win ▁over ▁neighbor ing ▁Washington ▁State . ▁It ▁was ▁Id aho ' s ▁first ▁football ▁victory ▁over ▁W SU ▁in ▁ 3 4 ▁years , ▁breaking ▁the ▁C oug ars ' ▁ 1 4 - game ▁winning ▁stre ak ▁in ▁the ▁l ops ided ▁series . ▁The ▁next ▁week , ▁Id aho ▁lost ▁to ▁Wy oming ▁by ▁a ▁score ▁of ▁ 2 8 – 1 3 . ▁Then , ▁Id aho