Box Score
Boxscore

Postgame Audio - interview with Ian Sluss and DJ Adams

Davis, CA - Good things come in threes, especially for Ian Sluss. The Viking senior linebacker came up with three key fourth-quarter turnovers to partner with an explosive second-half offense as Portland State rolled to a 49-21 Big Sky Conference win.

Sluss broke the backs of the Aggies with an interception return for a touchdown, marking the third straight game he had scored a defensive touchdown. With PSU holding a 35-21 lead in the fourth quarter and UC Davis trying to rally, Sluss picked off a Randy Wright pass and raced in for a 31-yard score. That put PSU up by 21 points and the Vikings cruised to victory from there.

PSU's win was, coincidently, its third of the season as the Vikings improved to 3-5 overall, 2-3 in the Big Sky. UC Davis dropped to 3-6, 2-4 in the Big Sky.

The game started as a back-and-forth affair in which neither team was able to take command of the game in the first half.

Portland State got off to a good start with a defensive stop followed by a touchdown on its' first offensive series. Thomas Carter scored on a four-yard for the Vikings from a Wildcat formation.

The Aggies answered back with a 12-play, 75-yard drive. Wright completed a five-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Soto to tie the game, 7-7.

PSU's defense stepped up in the second quarter and forced three straight three-and-outs. Meanwhile, the Vikings added a 66-yard scoring drive to take a 14-7 lead. Kieran McDonagh rushed it in from 23 yards out on a quarterback draw.

The Aggies equalized it late in the half after taking advantage of a short field. UCD took over at the PSU 46 with 3:51 in the half. Six plays later, Wright hit Soto for a second touchdown and the game was tied 14-14 at halftime.

A sputtering Viking passing game was ignited early in the second half. PSU gained 64 yards through the air on a 75-yard drive to open the half. McDonagh powered the ball in again on a draw play from the 6-yard line. Zach Brown's extra point made it 21-14 Vikings.

PSU's very next offensive drive was perhaps its signature performance of the season. DJ Adams led a 98-yard march by carrying it five times for 74 yards. He went in from four yards out and Portland State suddenly led by two touchdowns at the 5:17 mark of the third period. They would never lead by the less than that the remainder of the game.

Sluss made sure of it, picking off a Wright pass at the 12:10 mark of the fourth quarter. That stopped a UCD drive that had gone down to the Viking 28-yard line. When Sluss made his second interception and returned it for a score PSU was up 42-21 with 5:32 to play. Sluss then recovered an Aggie fumble a moment later to put a cap on it.

Portland State's offense went for 530 yards, including 338 in the second half. McDonagh, who struggled with the pass in the first half lit it up in the second half, finishing with 250 yards through the air. He also rushed nine times for 57 yards, accounting for 307 yards and three touchdowns.

Adams had his third 100-yard rushing game of the season, going for 139 yards on 19 carries with one score. PSU totaled 280 yards on the ground among seven ball carriers.

"Today showed we can grow, especially with back-to-back away games," said Adams. "Our goal is finishing the season strong and I think we can do that. We have some big opponents coming up at the end of the year."

Sluss had six tackles for the game, two pass breakups, two interceptions and, in fact, two fumble recoveries as he covered another UCD miscue on the final play of the game.

"I'm not sure what's happening," Sluss laughed. "I'm just being in the right place at the right time. The coaches are calling great coverages and letting me play free on the outside and I'm able to jump the routes and get a handle on it."

"It was a big win for us. We played solid out here."

Wright passed for 264 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions for UCD. In all, the Aggies had 412 yards of offense.

GAME NOTES: Jaycob Shoemaker made 10 tackles and David Edgerson had nine to lead the Viking defense… defensive ends Marquis Jackson and Nick Alexander each had 1.5 sacks as the Vikings totaled eight tackles for loss and five sacks in the game. Jackson had 2.5 tackles for loss and a forced fumble as well… it was Portland State's first road win of the season (1-4)… PSU has won two in a row against the Aggies and leads the all-time series, 8-4… The Vikings return home next Saturday for a 1 p.m. game against Northern Colorado. The contest is not televised, but airs on Freedom 970 AM and www.freedom970.com.