MOSCOW, Idaho – Six home games highlight the 2015 University of Idaho football schedule.

The strong home slate kicks off early with the Vandals' Thursday, Sept. 3, opener against Ohio University. Idaho takes to the road for its next game – Sept. 12 at USC, before returning home Sept. 19 to play Wofford of the Southern Conference then opening Sun Belt Conference action against Georgia Southern on Sept. 26. All Sun Belt games will be on one of the ESPN platforms.

“It's exciting to start at home,” said Paul Petrino, who begins his third season as head coach. “That (at Ohio University) was a great game last year. We played them close.”

Of the Vandals' road trips to USC in September and Auburn (Nov. 21), Petrino said those are games his players enjoy.

“That's always exciting for the players,” Petrino said.

Petrino likes having two non-conference home games heading into the league opener against Georgia Southern.

“We need to make sure we start off the year with a winning record,” he said. “Those first five games we'll find out what we're made of.”

After the home game against Georgia Southern, the Vandals continue with league games at Arkansas State and at Troy before a home game against Louisiana-Monroe – another game that came down to the wire in 2014.

Season tickets go on sale March 16.