Every year since 2008, Idaho State’s football schedule has included two FBS opponents.

It’ll be no different in 2016. Oregon State announced Thursday the Beavers will host Idaho State on Sept. 17, 2016. ISU was already slated to play at Colorado that season on Sept. 10.

It marks the ninth straight year the Bengals will step up to play two of Division I’s upper-echelon teams in the same season. Idaho State and Oregon State have played once in their history — a 61-10 victory for the Beavers back in 2007.

In the upcoming season, Idaho State is slated to take on Boise State on Sept. 18 and UNLV on Sept. 26.

ISU went 8-4 in 2014 and nearly made the FCS playoffs for the first time since 1983. A major factor that worked against the Bengals was their lack of Division I victories. Idaho State lost at Utah (56-14) and Utah State (40-20) to begin the season and later defeated Division II opponents Chadron State and Simon Fraser.

That left eight games for the Bengals against FCS teams. ISU went 6-2 in those contests. The two games they did lose were at then-No. 2 Eastern Washington (56-53) and then-No. 12 Montana State (44-39).

In other words, Idaho State’s scheduling left little margin for error for the Bengals and head coach Mike Kramer to force their way into the postseason. The FCS playoff committee has never selected an at-large team with fewer than seven Division I victories in a 12-game season. Idaho State’s 11 games in 2015 include two FBS opponents, Division II Black Hills State and eight Big Sky league matchups. Six Division I wins should be the playoff benchmark.

Idaho State plays teams like Colorado, BYU and Oregon State because it pays well. It’s an economic reality for an athletic program like ISU. Colorado will hand Idaho State a $500,000 check to visit Folsom Field next season, and the Bengals will make $420,000 by playing at UNLV this September. The Journal’s request to Idaho State for its financial details with Oregon State for their game was not immediately answered.

Idaho State is 0-22 against FBS schools since beating Utah State 27-24 in 2000. Oregon State, however, has lost to two Big Sky Conference teams in recent history. Eastern Washington knocked off OSU 49-46 in 2013 and Sacramento State upended the Beavers 29-28 in overtime in 2011.

Oregon State also announced future home dates against Big Sky foes Portland State in 2017 and Southern Utah in 2018.

IDAHO STATE AGAINST THE FBS SINCE 2008

2015

at Boise State

at UNLV

2014

at Utah (56-14 ISU loss)

at Utah State (40-20 ISU loss)

2013

At Washington (56-0 ISU loss)

at BYU (59-13 ISU loss)

2012

at Air Force (49-21 ISU loss)

at Nebraska (73-7 ISU loss)

2011

at Washington State (64-21 ISU loss)

at BYU (56-3 ISU loss)

2010

At Utah State (38-17 ISU loss)

at Georgia (55-7 ISU loss)

2009

at Arizona State (50-3 ISU loss)

at Oklahoma (64-0 ISU loss)

2008

at Boise State (49-7 ISU loss)

at Idaho (42-27 ISU loss)