1963 Idaho Vandals football team

Led on the field by quarterbacks Gary Mires and Mike Monahan,[2] Idaho compiled a 5–4 record for the program's first winning season in a quarter century, since 1938 under head coach Ted Bank.[3][4] In between, Idaho had three seasons at an even .500, (1947, 1952, 1957). The victory over Fresno State was their first in a season opener in thirteen years.[5] All five Vandal wins came in Idaho, played in three different regions of the state.

Although a slight favorite,[6] the Vandals suffered a ninth straight loss in the Battle of the Palouse with neighbor Washington State, falling 14–10 at Rogers Field in Pullman on November 2. The difference was a fourth quarter Cougar touchdown on a kickoff return.[7][8] The rivalry game with Montana for the Little Brown Stein was not played this year or the next.

This was the second season (1959) in which Idaho scheduled ten games, but the finale at Arizona State in Tempe on November 23 was canceled following the assassination of President Kennedy.[3][4] Although many teams postponed their games for a week, ASU had its rivalry game scheduled for November 30 against Arizona, so the UI–ASU game was not played.[4]

Idaho was a charter member of the new Big Sky Conference, but did not participate in football until 1965, and was an independent from 1959 through 1964. The only Big Sky opponent on the Vandals' schedule in 1963 was conference champion Idaho State, whom they shut out on the road in Pocatello; the remainder of Idaho's opponents were in the University Division.

Senior guard Don Matthews went on to a successful coaching career in the Canadian Football League; he was a head coach for over twenty seasons and won five of nine Grey Cup games.

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 21	1:30 pm	Fresno State	Neale Stadium Moscow, ID	W 32–8	8,200	[5]
September 28	1:00 pm	vs. Utah	old Bronco Stadium Boise, ID	W 10–9	10,000	[9]
October 5		at Missouri	Memorial Stadium Columbia, MO	L 0–24	40,000	[10]
October 12	1:30 pm	at Oregon	Hayward Field Eugene, OR	L 21–41	19,200	[11]
October 19	1:30 pm	Pacific (CA)	Neale Stadium Moscow, ID	W 64–6	12,000	[12]
October 26	1:30 pm	San Jose State	Neale Stadium Moscow, ID	W 28–12	8,700	[13]
November 2	1:30 pm	at Washington State	Rogers Field Pullman, WA (Battle of the Palouse)	L 10–14	18,500	[7][8]
November 9		at Arizona	Arizona Stadium Tucson, AZ	L 7–34	17,000
November 16		at Idaho State	Spud Bowl Pocatello, Idaho (rivalry)	W 14–0	6,500	[14]
November 23		at Arizona State	Sun Devil Stadium Tempe AZ	Canceled		[4][15]
Homecoming All times are in Pacific time

Final game was canceled following the assassination of President Kennedy.[3][4]

No Vandals were selected to the All-Coast teams.[16][17][18]

• Gem of the Mountains: 1964 University of Idaho yearbook – 1963 football season
• Go Mighty Vandals – 1963 football season
• Game program: Utah vs. Idaho at Boise – September 28, 1963
• Game program: Idaho at Washington State – November 2, 1963
• Idaho Argonaut – student newspaper – 1963 editions