Boise State–Nevada football rivalry explained

Wide:yes
Boise State–Nevada football rivalry
Team1:Boise State Broncos
Team1logo:Boise State "B" logo.svg
Team2:Nevada Wolf Pack
Team2logo:Nevada Wolf Pack wordmark.svg
Sport:Football
Firstmeeting:September 25, 1971
Boise State, 17–10
Mostrecent:November 12, 2022
Boise State, 41–3
Nextmeeting:November 9, 2024 in Boise
Total:45
Series:Boise State leads, 31–14
Largestvictory:Boise State, 56–3 (2003)
Longeststreak:Boise State, 10 (1999–2009)
Currentstreak:Boise State, 1 (2022–present)
Stadiums:Albertsons Stadium
Boise, Idaho, U.S.
Mackay Stadium
Reno, Nevada, U.S.
Trophy:None

The Boise State–Nevada football rivalry is a college football rivalry between the Boise State Broncos football team of Boise State University and Nevada Wolf Pack football team of University of Nevada, Reno. The game has been played annually since 1971, with the exception of 1978, 1992, 1995, 2000, 2015–2016 and 2019–2020. The teams met twice in 1990 as the second game was a Division I-AA semifinal playoff game; it remains the only post-season game played between the two programs.

The series has often been a conference match-up, with the exception of ten games: 1971–1977, 1993–1994 and 2011. Boise State and Nevada have met as conference rivals in four conferences—Big Sky, Big West, Western Athletic and Mountain West. These have included three NCAA classifications: Division II (originally "college division"), Division I-AA (now FCS) and Division I FBS.

Since the Mountain West's expansion to twelve football members in 2013, the rivalry is no longer played annually. The conference split into two six-team divisions for football, with Boise State placed in the Mountain Division and Nevada in the West Division. Future MW football schedules include five divisional games and three cross-division games, with no permanent cross-division opponents. In a four-year cycle, teams in opposite divisions play only twice (two seasons on and two off, or vice versa). They played in 2013–2014 and 2017–2018, but not in 2015–2016 and 2019–2020. They can still meet in the Mountain West Championship game.

Notable games

Game results

Coaching records

Since first game on September 25, 1971

Boise State

Head CoachTeamGamesSeasonsWinsLossesTiesPct.
Tony KnapBoise State51968–1975410
Jim CrinerBoise State61976–1982510
Lyle SetencichBoise State41983–1986130
Skip HallBoise State61987–1992330
Pokey AllenBoise State31993–1996120
Houston NuttBoise State1199701 
Dirk KoetterBoise State21998–200011 
Dan HawkinsBoise State52001–200550  
Chris PetersenBoise State82006–201371 
Bryan HarsinBoise State32014–202030  
Andy AvalosBoise State22021–present11  

Nevada

Head CoachTeamGamesSeasonsWinsLossesTiesPct.
Jerry ScattiniNevada51969–1975140
Nevada161976–1992790
Jeff HortonNevada11993100 
Chris Ault Nevada11994–1995010
Jeff TisdelNevada41996–199931 
Chris TormeyNevada32000–200303 
Chris Ault Nevada92004–201218 
Brian PolianNevada22013–201602 
Jay NorvellNevada32017–202112 
Ken WilsonNevada32022–present01 

See also