USA TODAY Sports

The University of Idaho football program is expected to drop down to the FCS level in light of an uncertain future for its conference at the FBS level.

According to a report by Football Scoop, Idaho president Chuck Staben is expected to make the announcement Thursday.

The Sun Belt Conference announced in March that it would not renew the Vandals' membership following the 2017 season; New Mexico State was also voted out. A person familiar with Idaho's plans told USA TODAY Sports that the Vandals are telling future opponents that 2018 would be the earliest season they would move to the FCS. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the move has not been announced.

Idaho finished 4-8 last season and went 3-5 in Sun Belt action. The Vandals have averaged 2.9 wins per season since 2000. The university competes in the Big Sky in all of its other sports.

Outgoing Big Sky commissioner Doug Fullerton, in a 2014 interview with USA TODAY Sports at the time of the NCAA’s formulation of a cost of attendance stipend, predicted that schools at the lower end of the FBS resource scale would begin to look to FCS as a way to continue playing football with lessened financial pressure.

Idaho spent the past 20 seasons at the FBS level after moving up from the FCS for the 1996 season. Since making that move, Idaho has appeared in just two bowl games (1998, 2009).

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SPRING FOOTBALL