The Vandals finished the 2017 season 4–8, 3–5 in Sun Belt play to finish in a tie for eighth place. 2017 was Idaho's final year in the Sun Belt and the FBS.
Preseason
Polls
On July 16, 2018 during the Big Sky Kickoff in Spokane, Washington, the Vandals were predicted to finish in fourth place in the coaches poll and fifth place in the media poll.[1]
Coaches poll
Predicted finish
Team
Votes (1st place)
1
Eastern Washington
134 (6)
2
Weber State
124 (3)
3
Northern Arizona
121 (3)
4
Idaho
101 (1)
5
Sacramento State
94
6
Southern Utah
91
7
Montana
82
8
Montana State
76
9
UC Davis
64
10
Cal Poly
40
11
Northern Colorado
30
12
Idaho State
29
13
Portland State
21
Media poll
Predicted finish
Team
Votes (1st place)
1
Eastern Washington
651 (27)
2
Weber State
636 (19)
3
Northern Arizona
535 (1)
4
Montana
496 (2)
5
Idaho
483 (3)
6
Southern Utah
449 (1)
7
Sacramento State
415
8
Montana State
391 (1)
9
UC Davis
331 (1)
10
Idaho State
170
11
Cal Poly
169
12
Northern Colorado
166
13
Portland State
103
Preseason All-Conference Team
The Vandals had three players selected to the Preseason All-Conference Team.[2]