Idaho State Bengals Logo PNG
The dedication to the organization’s ideals and the university’s sports history, which began in 1923, is reflected in the Idaho State Bengals logo, featuring a mascot that symbolizes the state. It symbolizes power and strength, the team’s constant readiness to fight for victory and leadership.
The Idaho State Bengals trace their origins to the early 1900s, when the university changed names several times before becoming Idaho State University in 1963. Football began in 1902, and early teams were known as Bantams and Tigers before adopting the Bengals name in the 1920s under coach Ralph Hutchinson, inspired by Princeton.
In 1907, the team won the Idaho Scholastic Championship. A striking moment came in 1931 with a 111:0 win over Montana-Western, following a 103:0 result a year earlier. These scores remain among the most lopsided in college football history.
The peak arrived in 1981, when Idaho State finished 12–1 and won the NCAA Division I-AA national title, defeating Eastern Kentucky 34:23 in the Pioneer Bowl. Quarterback Mike Machurek earned player of the year honors. The following season, the team dropped to 3–8, reflecting rapid roster turnover.
Basketball reached its high point in 1977, when the team defeated UCLA 76:75 in the NCAA Tournament, ending the Bruins’ run of dominance and advancing to the Elite Eight before losing to UNLV. The last tournament appearance came in 1987.
Home games are played at the ICCU Dome, opened in 1970 after a student-backed funding effort. It remains one of the oldest indoor college stadiums in the United States. Within the Big Sky Conference, long rivalries developed with Boise State and the University of Idaho, later shifting toward Weber State before the Idaho matchup resumed in 2018.
Meaning and History
The old and new logos of the Idaho State Bengals reflect the college’s colors, which echo the team mascot: black and orange. However, this does not make the emblems identical; at least the last two are significantly different from the previous ones.
What is Idaho State Bengals?
Idaho State Bengals is an intercollegiate sports program representing Idaho State University. It includes 13 student teams based in Pocatello. They compete in NCAA Division I and FCS (football) and are members of the Big Sky Conference.
1954 – 1966
1966 – 1979
1979 – 1992
1992 – 1997
One of the earliest symbols of the Idaho State Bengals team repeats the university’s emblem. It features two curved lines forming the letter “U” and the monogram “IS,” officially called the Spirit Mark. The left sides of “U” and “I” are black, while the right sides of “S” are yellow. The letters contain the words “Idaho State University”.
1997 – 2011
In 1997, designers placed their mascot, the Bengal tiger, on the sports teams’ emblems. However, only the head is present in the image, occupying less than half of the space. The rest of the space is allocated for the three-line inscription “Bengals Idaho State,” with a thin red line underscoring the first word. The head is surrounded by an uneven orange line with protruding spikes, symbolizing inner tension, energy, and danger.
2011 – 2012
2012 – 2018
2018 – 2019
2019 – today
In 2019, another redesign significantly simplified the logo. Only the head of a roaring tiger remains, without inscriptions and a glowing halo. The drawing is schematic, although the artist tried to convey the predator’s coloring authentically. The animal looks aggressive, evidenced by its ears, narrowed eyes, and a wide-open mouth with sharp fangs.
Idaho State Bengals Basketball Logo
The Idaho State Bengals women’s basketball team played its first match in 1974 and joined the Mountain West Athletic Conference in 1982, which later merged with the Big Sky. The men’s team debuted earlier, has participated in many NCAA competitions, and has won the conference regular-season championship 12 times.
Idaho State Bengals Football Logo
Idaho State University has only one football team: the men’s team. Its first season was in 1902. It plays home games at Holt Arena under the leadership of Robert Alan Phenicie.
Font and Colors
The main symbol of the sports teams is the head of a Bengal tiger, which is logical considering their nickname and mascot. It can be used in its classic form or supplemented with a wide contour whose color depends on the background: gray for black, white for orange. This makes the logo versatile and allows for changes in visual context without disrupting the drawing’s graphic integrity.