At 2-9, Idaho has little chance tonight to upset well-rested, bowl-bid-motivated, home-at-last Hawaii.

But for once, the Vandals might be the best football team in their own neighborhood, better than Washington State—8 miles down the road, usually a galaxy away in talent.

We'll never really know. The schedule maker picked the wrong year to leave the Cougars off the Idaho ledger.

Instead, UH hosts the Vandals' state-line rival next week.

That's the way it goes for Idaho, which hasn't enjoyed a winning season since the turn of the millennium.

It's also had to endure the ascent of Boise State.

Imagine how you would feel, UH fan, if West Oahu, Hilo or Chaminade started playing football. You might be OK with it at first, even like it. But then what if the new kid on the block became a regular resident in the Top 25, won a BCS game—while your beloved Warriors fell on increasingly hard times?

Maybe the word bitter comes to mind.

At most visible levels, Idaho politely applauds Boise State's rise to power (after all, like UH's appearance in the Sugar Bowl, the Broncos' trip to the Fiesta didn't hurt the Vandals' checkbook). But a vibe certainly exists that the world's turned upside down, and the Idaho alumni don't like it.

Greg McMackin was an assistant there back in the 1970s, when the Vandals won more than they lost and could still slap around the little brothers in Boise.

“;It was a good experience, early in my career,”; McMackin says. “;We were playing pretty good football. I remember beating Boise State regularly. The dome was relatively new, a neat deal at that time.

“;Idaho's the state school, the traditional school. I was really proud when I got a job there. It was a big step.”;

The Vandals were led by Ed Troxell, a Northwest coaching legend who instilled a tireless work ethic in his staff.

“;With Ed we would go to work at 5 a.m. and leave at midnight,”; McMackin says. “;You'd go by his office on your way out and he'd still be in there puffing on his pipe and you'd feel guilty about going home at midnight. He was one of those grinder guys.”;

The names of former Vandals are still more famous than the Boise State alumni. Maybe you remember these: Jerry Kramer, Wayne Walker, John Friesz, Mark Schlereth. All Vandals, all pretty good or even great NFL players.

Dennis Erickson brought some hope of a resurgence a couple of years ago with his return to Moscow, but abandoned reclamation for the mansion of Arizona State, replacing former Boise State head coach Dirk Koetter after the 2006 Hawaii Bowl.

Tonight, McMackin's defense will likely stuff the attack of offensive coordinator Steve Axman, his old friend from the Denver Gold, where a staff photo would also include June Jones and Mouse Davis.

Maybe it's just sentiment, but the UH coach sounds sincere when he says Idaho belongs in Division I.

“;I think they really do. It's a very well-respected school. It reminds me of the University of Oregon, a lot of support and money. I think there's a real commitment to being very competitive.”;

At this point, though, the gap to respectability remains a lot more than 8 miles.