Idaho
Cal Poly
2:00 AM · Alex G. Spanos Stadium

What’s at stake

Cal Poly

  • Cal Poly football is a Central Coast program with real history — a 1980 NCAA Division II national championship, three straight Buck Buchanan Award winners (2004-2006, tied with Montana for the most in FCS history), and alumni in both the Pro Football Hall of Fame (John Madden, Bobby Beathard) — now trying to find its footing again. The Mustangs haven't posted a winning season since 2016 and enter 2026 under their third head coach since 2020, Tim Skipper, hired December 2025.

Idaho

  • Idaho football is a program that once commanded the I-AA postseason, fell behind its in-state rival, could not sustain FBS economics, and now rebuilds in the Big Sky with one advantage: deep institutional memory and a city that believes in them.

See this week’s biggest postseason implications ›

The series

Idaho leads the series 5-1

6 meetings since 1996 · Cal Poly won the last meeting

  • 2026Cal Poly 38–34
  • 2024Idaho 34–29
  • 2023Idaho 42–14
  • 2019Idaho 21–9
  • 2007Idaho 20–13

The line, and the room

The model and the market don’t fully agree on Cal Poly’s chances here.

evenModel · 55%Market · 33%IdahoCal Poly

Home +5.5 · O/U 53.5

Conditions

64°F · 8 mph wind · Cloudy

Home-field advantage: Elite

Cal Poly is 39% at home, 20% on the road since 2018 (15-23 home, 8-33 away).

Idaho 34 – Cal Poly 38

Cal Poly 38: 53%Idaho 34: 47%

Final: Cal Poly 38, Idaho 34.