Pac-12 · Boise, Idaho
Boise State Football History
Championships, records and rivalries
Program history
BSU history
A blue field, and the program that made the strongest case the sport's hierarchy was not fixed.
BSU history
The blue turf
Boise State installed a blue playing surface in 1986, the first non-green field in college football. It was unusual at the time and became the most recognizable single image any program outside the power conferences has.
It is a genuine identity rather than a gimmick: the field is distinctive enough that a still photograph identifies the program instantly, which is worth more to a school outside the traditional structure than almost any amount of advertising.
BSU history
Punching up
A sustained record of beating programs with far larger budgets — most famously in bowl games against traditional powers — did more than any argument to establish that the gap between the sport's tiers was smaller than assumed.
That history matters more now. With an expanded playoff, the route from the Mountain West into the national bracket is real rather than theoretical, and Boise State is the program most often expected to take it.
FAQ
BSU history questions
Why is Boise State's field blue?
The blue surface was installed in 1986, the first non-green playing field in college football, and has become the program's most recognizable feature.
Why is Boise State significant?
A sustained record of beating programs with much larger resources helped establish that the gap between the sport's tiers was narrower than assumed, which shaped the case for a wider playoff.
What conference is Boise State in?
The Mountain West, where it has consistently been among the strongest programs and the most likely route to a playoff place from outside the power conferences.
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