complete notes and stats in pdf

GAME 6
#11 MONTANA GRIZZLIES (4-2, 3-1) vs. PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (2-3, 1-1)
Saturday, October 16, 2010, 5:05 p.m., Hillsboro Stadium (7,825), Hillsboro, OR

TELEVISION: KPAX in Missoula/Comcast Sports Net (Ch. 37/HD 737) in Portland
RADIO: 750 AM KXL, www.kxl.com • Pregame Show: 4 p.m. • Play-by-play: Tom Hewitt • Analyst: Mike Lund
INTERNET: Live video stream with radio broadcast at www.b2tv.com. Live stats are available at www.GoViks.com

THE SERIES RECORD
All-Time Series: Montana leads 26-11 • Montana leads in Portland 12-8 • Montana leads in Missoula 14-3
Big Sky Series: Montana leads 12-2 • Montana leads 7-0 in Missoula • Montana leads 5-2 in Portland

Big Sky Conference games
Nov. 9, 1996: UM 63-6 @ Missoula
Nov. 8, 1997: UM 37-7 @ Portland
Oct. 3, 1998: UM 20-17 @ Missoula
Oct. 2, 1999: PSU 51-48 @ Portland (OT)
Oct. 28, 2000: UM 33-21 @ Portland
Oct. 27, 2001: UM 33-13 @ Missoula
Oct. 26, 2002: UM 24-21 @ Portland
Oct. 25, 2003: UM 42-14 @ Missoula
Oct. 30, 2004: PSU 35-32 @ Portland
Oct. 29, 2005: UM 37-16 @ Missoula
Sept. 30, 2006: UM 26-20 @ Portland
Nov. 3, 2007: UM 34-31 @ Missoula
Nov. 8, 2008: UM 29-12 @ Portland
Sept. 19, 2009: UM 49-17 @ Missoula

STREAKS
• Montana has won five straight in the series with PSU, 9 of 10 and 12 of 14.
• Montana has won outright or shared the last 12 Big Sky Conference titles, and 15 of the last 17.
• The Grizzlies have won three straight games.
• RB Cory McCaffrey has three straight 100-yard rushing games against FCS teams.
• DT Travis Beckley and CB DeShawn Shead have made 27 straight starts. Beckley and TE Rory Richards have played in 38 straight games.

STORYLINES
• Portland State hopes to break Montana's dominance in the series. With a 49-17 win last year at Washington-Grizzly Stadium, the Grizzlies have won five straight in the series and nine of the last 10 in the series.
• PSU has beaten Montana just twice in its 14 seasons as a member of the Big Sky Conference. Both wins have come at PGE Park (1999 and 2004). Montana has won the last two meetings in Portland.
• Montana beat the Vikings, 33-21, at Hillsboro Stadium on Oct. 28, 2000. The Vikings were ranked eighth at the time. Montana was ranked fourth.
• The Grizzlies have been nationally-ranked every season the Vikings have played them in Big Sky competition. The Vikings were nationally-ranked four times. Interestingly, the Vikings two wins in the series came when they were unranked (51-48 over #2 Montana in OT in 1999; and 35-33 over #4 Montana in 2004).
• Montana has reached the national championship game each of the last two years before losing to Richmond and Villanova, respectively.
• New Grizzlies Head Coach Robin Pflugrad is a former Viking who played wide receiver for Mouse Davis in 1978-79. Pflugrad served as a PSU graduate assistant in 1980.

VIKINGS LOOK FOR BOUNCE BACK AT HOME AGAINST TOUGH GRIZ
Portland State returns home this Saturday for a Big Sky Conference game against the always-tough Montana Grizzlies. The Vikings will square off with the 11th-ranked Griz at Hillsboro Stadium in a 5:05 p.m. kickoff. The game can be heard this week on 750 AM KXL and www.kxl.com. It will also be televised live on Comcast Sports Net (ch. 37/HD 737) as CSN will pick up the feed from KPAX TV in Montana.
   
The Vikings come off a 44-31 loss at 10th-ranked Montana State last Saturday. PSU jumped to an early 18-3 lead, but MSU ran off 41 straight points to take command of the game. The Bobcats have also taken command of the conference at 5-1, 3-0. Portland State dropped to 1-1 in conference with the loss, 2-3 on the season.
   
Montana comes into Saturday's game having won three straight, most recently 47-28 at home over Idaho State. The Grizzlies are 4-2 overall, 3-1 in conference play.
   
Montana has won five straight games against the Vikings. PSU's last win in the series was a 35-32 victory at PGE Park on Oct. 30, 2004.   

THIS WEEK'S GAME ON KXL
The week's Portland State vs. Montana football game will air on 750 AM KXL, a partner of the Vikings' flagship station Freedom 970 AM. The move to KXL is due to the availability of the stronger signal and ability to reach a larger audience on KXL, and occurs because the University of Oregon football team has a bye this week. Portland State will move back to 970 AM on Oct. 23 against Weber State and thereafter.
   
SCOUTING MONTANA
The University of Montana, led by first-year Head Coach Robin Pflugrad, was the 2009 NCAA I FCS National runnerup. Pflugrad is a Portland State alum who played receiver for Mouse Davis in 1978-79.
   
Montana had a perfect 8-0 conference season last year. The Grizzlies have won outright or shared the last 12 Big Sky Conference titles and 15 of the last 17.
   
Despite consecutive losses in September, and a Big Sky opening loss at Eastern Washington, Montana has bounced back to win three in a row and get within a half-game of the Big Sky lead (4-2, 3-1) while being ranked 11th in the nation.
   
The Grizzlies have a good (396.8 ypg) but not overpowering offense. However, they have averaged 39.6 points per game which ranks them among the top teams in the country.
   
Montana lost quarterback Andrew Selle to a shoulder injury early in the season but have still had a strong passing game at over 276 yards per game. Justin Roper has taken over and thrown well, including a 319-yard, two-touchdown game against Idaho State. Four different receivers have at least 20 receptions already.
   
Senior Chase Reynolds is the leading ground gainer with 83 carries for 368 yards and four touchdowns.
   
The Grizzlies defense (278.3 ypg) leads the Big Sky, while the scoring defense (22.2) ranks second-best. Montana has a league-leading 21 sacks.
   
Turnovers have played a huge role in Montana games this season. In six contests, the Grizzlies have turned the ball over 19 times, but also forced 20 turnovers and lead the league in both categories.
   
Erik Stoll leads the Big Sky Conference with five interceptions while Trumaine Johnson has four picks. Montana has returned five interceptions for touchdowns this season.

LAST YEAR: MONTANA 49, PORTLAND STATE 17
The Vikings scored the first 14 points of the game, but it was all downhill from there in a 49-17 loss to the Grizzlies.  Montana ran off 28 straight points before halftime and controlled the game the rest of the way.
   
UM's first two touchdowns were aided by a PSU unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that extended one drive, then a long snap over the punter's head and into the endzone that the Grizzlies recovered.
   
The Grizzlies ran for 229 yards and totaled 501 for the game. The Vikings had 372 yards, including 325 through the air by quarterback Drew Hubel.

PORTLAND STATE VS. NATIONALLY-RANKED TEAMS
Portland State is 14-29 all-time against NCAA I nationally-ranked teams (since joining the Big Sky in 1996). That total includes 14-24 against FCS schools and 0-5 against FBS schools. The Vikings are 10-8 at home, 4-21 on the road.
   
Montana has been nationally-ranked every season the Vikings have played them in Big Sky Conference action. PSU was nationally-ranked four times. UM holds a 12-2 advantage in those games. Interestingly, the Vikings two wins in the series came when they were unranked (51-48 over #2 Montana in OT in 1999; and 35-33 over #4 Montana in 2004).

GAME WEEK ACTIVITIES
VIKING MEDIA: All Portland State football games can be heard on Freedom 970 AM and www.970.am. The Viking Pregame Show begins one hour prior to kickoff each week... Live streaming video of all Portland State home and Big Sky Conference games can be seen free at www.b2tv.com... Live stats for Portland State home games are at www.GoViks.com.
NIGEL BURTON WEEKLY ON 95.5 THE GAME: Viking football Coach Nigel Burton can be heard every Monday at 2 p.m. on 95.5 FM The Game. Burton will review and preview Viking football games.
VIKING COACHES LUNCHEONS: Viking Coaches Luncheons are scheduled for Monday, Oct. 4; Monday, Oct. 11; Monday, Oct. 25; and Monday, Nov. 8 from noon to 1 p.m. Coach Burton, Viking players, and coaches representing other sports will be on hand to speak and take questions. Luncheons take place at The Old Spaghetti Factory at 0715 S.W. Bancroft in Portland. The cost is $10.00 per person and includes lunch and a non-alcoholic beverage.
TICKETS: Tickets for all home games can be purchased in prices ranging from $12 to $35, with youth prices as low as $6. Groups of 15 or more get special admission prices. To purchase tickets by phone, call 1.888.VIK.TIKS or 503.725.3307. Tickets are on sale at the PSU Ticket Office, located in Smith Memorial Student Union, 1825 SW Broadway. You can also purchase tickets on-line at www.GoViks.com or at all TicketMaster outlets. 
SPECIAL EVENTS FOR OCT. 16: Saturday's game will be a Green Out as Coca Cola will provide green t-shirts to the first 1,500 fans in attendance.

FACT, FIGURES AND CURIOSITIES
WINS AND LOSSES: The Vikings are now 2-3 on the year, 1-1 in the Big Sky Conference… the Vikings have now lost five in a row to Montana State… the Vikings are 1-0 at home, 1-3 on the road... PSU is 51-26 in home games since moving to the NCAA I level, 25-58 on the road.

ESTABLISH THE RUN, STOP THE RUN: The Vikings continue to do well on the first part of that phrase - a phrase first-year Head Coach Nigel Burton continues to say is the key to success. However, against Montana State the Vikings took a step backward on the second half of the phrase... The Vikings rushed 38 times for 248 yards and three touchdowns against the Bobcats. Unfortunately, they gave up 326 yards on 49 carries to the Bobcats. That came after allowing just 73 rushing yards combined in two games against FCS opponents (UC Davis, Idaho State).

100x3: JR RB Cory McCaffrey had his third straight 100-yard rushing game against an FCS opponent, going for 153 yards on 20 carries with two touchdowns against Montana State. McCaffrey now has 475 rushing yards in five games this season. That is more than any Viking since Olaniyi Sobomehin rushed for 515 yards in 2007.

MOVIN' THE BALL: After totaling 341 yards of total offense and accounting for three touchdowns against Idaho State on Oct. 2, JR QB Connor Kavanaugh passed for 208 yards, rushed for 70, and accounted for two touchdowns against Montana State. That is 619 yards of total offense and five touchdowns in the past two weeks.

YOUNG BUT READY: Portland State's offensive line should get a lion's share of the credit for the improved running game. PSU has totaled 563 rushing yards the past two weeks and given up only two sacks. A truly impressive aspect of the line is its relative youth. JR LT Dustin Waldron and JR C Adam Kleffner are the veterans. Also starting are SO RT Kyle Ritt and SO RG Manuel Rojas. FR LG Mitch Gaulke now starts after FR LG Alex Cosenza was knocked out with a knee injury. SO Nick Gale also has a start this year, while SO Dalton Jasso and FR Mitchell Van Dyk have seen action as well.

FCS STATS: In three game against NCAA I FCS opponents, the offense has produced 1,422 yards of offense and 110 points (36.7 ppg, 474.0 ypg), including 820 rushing yards in those games (273.3)... JR RB Cory McCaffrey has 59 carries for 435 yards and five touchdowns in those games... JR QB Connor Kavanaugh has rushed 38 times for 251 yards and two touchdowns. Kavanaugh has passed for 602 yards and four touchdowns, completing 46 of 70 passes with one interception.

TURNOVER TROUBLE:  The Vikings have commited 10 turnovers in three losses, and just two turnovers in two wins. PSU has forced just four turnovers in three losses, but six turnovers in two wins. That makes a -4 TO ratio in losses and +4 TO ratio in wins.

A MANOA AMONG MEN: JR FS Manoa Latu has a team-high 40 tackles this year. Latu and SO LB Joel Sisler each have two interceptions this year to lead the team... Latu was named Big Sky Conference co-Defensive Player of the Week after the win over Idaho State, totaling six tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, two pass breakups, and returning an interception 43 yards for a touchdown.

SOMMER IN FALL: JR DE Carl Sommer had another sack against Montana State. With eight tackles for loss and four sacks, he leads the team in both categories. Sommer ranks fifth in sacks and second in tackles for loss in the Big Sky.

THE GOOD HANDS MAN: SR TE Julius Thomas showed his great skills with a basketball over four seasons for the Vikings. Now, he is showing he has football skills as well. Thomas' good hands have been good for a team-high 16 receptions for 275 yards. He had career highs of seven catches for 143 yards and a touchdown at Montana State. Thomas also caught a two-point conversion pass.

ON THE GOOD FOOT: SO P Thomas Duyndam launched a career-long 67-yard punt at Montana State. He average 47.8 yards on four punts in the game. For the year, he has a 43.1 yard average - up almost five yards from last year. The school record for punting average in a season is 42.8... Duyndam ranks third in the Big Sky Conference and eighth in the nation.