Poll: Who is Boise State’s main rival ahead of Pac-12 move? Does it have one?
Note: Scroll to the bottom of the story for the poll.
Boise State will enter a new era next summer when the school’s football program ends its 15-year stint in the Mountain West for new pastures in the revamped Pac-12.
The move will see the Broncos leave some old foes behind, while perhaps reigniting rivalries or opening the door for new ones.
Which begs the question — does Boise State football have a main rival, and if so, who is it?
Fans took to social media over the weekend to debate the matter — and even BSU Athletic Director Jeramiah Dickey was asking the question.
If there’s one school that’s kept the Broncos on their toes through the years, it’s Fresno State. The Bulldogs and Boise State began competing for the Milk Can trophy in 2005, and the Broncos lead the all-time series 17-9. But Fresno has had its moments, including winning the past two: 37-30 in 2023 in California, and 28-16 on The Blue in ‘22 in the Mountain West title game.
The Bulldogs also defeated BSU in the 2018 conference championship game, after losing the title matchup to the Broncos in 2014 and ‘17.
Fresno State, which also is joining the new Pac-12, plays at Boise State this season so it’s a good matchup that’s going to persist.
Other fans mentioned Washington State and Oregon State as potential rivals — two teams with little history against Boise State, although the Broncos have played each team three times since 2016, with BSU going 2-1 against both.
The Broncos also have a long history with Nevada on the football field, but much of that is long-ago history. The two teams have played 46 times since 1971, with Boise State leading the series 32-14. The Wolf Pack have fallen behind in the Mountain West in recent years, and are staying in the conference while others head to the Pac-12, so that rivalry flame is dying. The teams do meet in Reno this season, though.
Other matchups that fans offered up included the once-big rivalry with the University of Idaho that Dickey would like to rekindle; UNLV, based on high-stakes matchups in recent years; and even BYU, which battled the Broncos every season from 2012 to ‘22, with some epic games along the way. Then the Cougars went to the Big 12, making it hard to keep the game on the schedule.
Do Idaho Statesman readers think the Broncos have an arch-rival? If so, what team is it? Participate in our poll this week, and the final results, along with the fans’ reasoning, will be revealed on June 30.
This story was originally published June 23, 2025 at 12:52 PM.
