▁was ▁the ▁Big ▁Sky ▁Conference ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 3 , ▁it ▁had ▁only ▁played ▁one ▁conference ▁game ▁in ▁football ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁two ▁seasons , ▁a ▁previously ▁scheduled ▁game ▁against ▁Id aho ▁State . ▁Id aho ▁was ▁a ▁" univers ity ▁division " ▁program ▁and ▁a ▁long time ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁def unct ▁P CC , ▁while ▁the ▁other ▁four ▁football - play ing ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁Big ▁Sky ▁were ▁" col lege ▁division " ▁( Div ision ▁II ). ▁Under ▁And ros , ▁Id aho ▁viewed ▁the ▁six - team ▁Big ▁Sky ▁as ▁an ▁answer ▁to ▁its ▁basketball ▁sched uling ▁problems , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁other ▁sports , ▁but ▁had ▁desired ▁to ▁continue ▁as ▁an ▁independent ▁at ▁the ▁top ▁level ▁in ▁football . ▁Direct ed ▁by ▁the ▁conference ▁to ▁comp ly , ▁Id aho ▁played ▁its ▁first ▁full ▁conference ▁schedule ▁in ▁football ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 5 ▁and ▁was ▁ 3 – 1 ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁two ▁seasons , ▁but ▁posted ▁a ▁disappoint ing ▁ 2 – 2 ▁in ▁the ▁third . ▁A ▁November ▁defeat ▁at ▁We ber ▁State ▁and ▁non - con ference ▁blow out ▁losses ▁at ▁Washington ▁State ▁( 1 4 – 5 2 ) ▁and ▁Houston ▁( 6 – 7 7 ) ▁closed ▁out ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 7 ▁season ▁at ▁ 4 – 6 ▁overall . ▁Although ▁his ▁ 1 3 – 1 7 ▁() ▁record ▁was ▁better ▁than ▁each ▁of ▁the ▁previous ▁eight ▁head ▁coach es , ▁pressure ▁from ▁al umn i ▁and