State football championship moved to a Monday. Why can’t Boise State host sooner?
Bishop Kelly and Hillcrest will battle for the 5A high school football state championship. But they will need to wait a few extra days to take the field.
Kickoff won’t come until 7 p.m. three days before Thanksgiving — on Monday, Nov. 24, the only time and date Boise State would make Albertsons Stadium available for a state title game, IHSAA Executive Director Chad Williams told the Idaho Statesman.
Boise State hosts Colorado State on Saturday, Nov. 22, marking the first Saturday home game for the Broncos during the state championship week in Idaho in 11 years. Boise State previously made room for high school games for decades. But Williams said the Broncos ruled out options to play on Thursday, Friday and Saturday months ago.
A kickoff time has not been announced yet for that BSU-Colorado State game.
“I’m grateful for BSU,” Williams said. “Based on their schedule, obviously they have to prioritize their program first. This year, it just so happens they have a home football game on the same weekend as the Milk Bowl championships.”
The IHSAA presented Bishop Kelly and Hillcrest with an alternative kickoff at 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 22, at Middleton. But both chose to wait to play on the iconic blue turf, Bishop Kelly coach Chris Culig said.
“Playing on The Blue, it’s a big deal,” Culig said. “It’s always been tied to the state playoffs, the state championship game.”
WHY ISN’T BOISE STATE AVAILABLE EARLIER?
Boise State associate athletic director Chris Kutz confirmed that the university eliminated Friday as an option as it preps for the upcoming Colorado State game. He said he wasn’t aware of discussions for Thursday.
“We’ve got practice in the morning for Boise State, band practice and the visiting team practice,” Kutz said. “There is a limit to the amount of events we can have.”
Boise State long made room for high school football games on its field. The former Bronco Stadium hosted weekly high school games from 1953 until Dona Larsen Park opened in 2012. It also hosted a Friday state championship ahead of a Saturday home game eight times in the past 25 years.
Five of those eight games came before a 1 p.m. Saturday kickoff for Boise State, with the last of those coming in 2006. The other three games were in 2011, 2013 and 2014, ahead of Saturday evening games for Boise State.
Kutz could not provide a reason for why this week is different, adding that he wasn’t sure whether anyone was on staff 11 years ago, the last time a similar situation occurred.
The University of Idaho also declined to make the Kibbie Dome available for other classifications Friday ahead of its Saturday matchup against Idaho State, Williams said.
“For all of our locations, we are a guest at those places,” Williams said. “We have to work around their schedule.”
WHAT DO NEIGHBORING STATES DO?
Four of Idaho’s six bordering states play their high school football state championships at FBS college stadiums.
Utah plays the title games for its top three classifications at the University of Utah, but all games are on Thursday. Southern Utah of the Big Sky hosts the rest.
Wyoming plays all of its championships at the University of Wyoming. The Cowboys last played a home game during championship week in 2017. It spread five games between Thursday and Friday before a noon Saturday kickoff that year.
Most of Nevada’s title games are at Allegiant Stadium, home to UNLV and the Las Vegas Raiders. It regularly plays Monday and Tuesday of Thanksgiving week.
The University of Washington hosts all Washington state title games. But Washington’s high school football extends into early December, avoiding conflicts with the Huskies’ home schedule.
High seeds host the Montana state championship games. Oregon splits its title games between high school facilities and Hillsboro Stadium in Portland, a city-owned facility that also serves as Portland State’s home field.
Idaho high school championship games
- 6A: Timberline vs. Rigby, 4 p.m. Saturday, ICCU Dome, Pocatello
- 5A: Bishop Kelly vs. Hillcrest, 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 24, Albertsons Stadium
- 4A: Homedale vs. Kimberly, 1 p.m. Saturday, ICCU Dome, Pocatello
- 3A: Nampa Christian vs. Ririe, 2 p.m. Saturday, Middleton High School
- 2A: Kendrick vs. Logos, TBD
- 1A: Tri-Valley vs. Carey, TBD
This story was originally published November 15, 2025 at 2:08 PM.
