The University of Idaho is heading back to the Big Sky Conference for all sports except football beginning in 2013. The Vandals hope to play as an FBS independent in football.

    What happens next is in the hands of the Idaho State Board of Education, which will meet today to hear the university’s request to play football outside of a formal conference.

    Athletic department officials are also seeking permission for the remaining sports to rejoin the Big Sky Conference, where the school was a charter member until its departure in 1996.

    The Vandals are currently members of the Western Athletic Conference, but the league’s interim commissioner Jeff Hurd said there is no way it can sponsor football in 2013 as just two schools — Idaho and New Mexico State — have programs.

    For Idaho to be classified as an independent the football team must schedule five home games, four of which must be against FBS opponents. So far on the 2013 schedule the Vandals have just one home contest, an game with Northern Illinois.

    If the school cannot secure the required schedule for 2013 it will have to explore other options, one of which could be returning to the Big Sky altogether.

    Idaho Athletic Director Rob Spear has said that independence will likely be a short term solution for the school in the middle of an ever-changing landscape of college football.

    The university is hopeful it can secure a conference affiliation, but the two rumored destinations — the Mountain West and the Sun Belt — have shown no interest. Mountain West commissioner Craig Thompson has even said that Idaho will not be joining the league.

    As for Idaho’s other sports, Big Sky commissioner Doug Fullerton told the Idaho Statesman on Wednesday that he would support the Vandals’ plan to move its non-football sports to the Big Sky. He added his preference would be to have its football program return as well, but that he understands what the school is trying to accomplish.

    If Idaho is allowed to return to the Big Sky, it will give the league 12 members in non-football sports and allow the school to reestablish rivalries with Idaho State, Montana and Montana State.

    The state board of education will vote on Idaho’s athletic future today at 1 p.m.