complete notes and stats in pdf

NORTHERN COLORADO BEARS (2-6, 1-4) vs. PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (3-5, 2-3)
Game 9 • Saturday, November 3, 2012 • 1:05 p.m. • JELD-WEN Field (18,627), Portland, OR

TELEVISION: None
RADIO: Freedom 970 AM, www.freedom970.com • Pregame Show: Noon • Play-by-play: Tom Hewitt • Analyst: Mike Lund
INTERNET: Live stats: http://vikslive.statb.us. • Live video stream: www.bigskytv.org
 
THE SERIES RECORD
All-Time Series: Portland State leads 7-2 • PSU leads 4-1 in Portland • PSU leads 3-1 in Greeley
Big Sky Conference Series: Portland State leads 5-1 • PSU leads 2-1 in Portland • PSU leads 3-0 in Greeley

Big Sky Conference games
2006: PSU 45-3 @ Portland
2007: PSU 31-21 @ Greeley
2008: PSU 24-21 @ Portland
2009: PSU 23-18 @ Greeley
2010: UNC 35-30 @ Portland
2011: PSU 23-17 @ Portland

STREAKS
• Northern Colorado has lost nine straight on the road, including four in a row this season.
• SR K Zach Brown has made nine consecutive field goals and 22 straight extra points, dating to last season.
• SR OL Kyle Ritt has played in 41 straight games, starting 38 in a row.

STORYLINES
• Viking kicker Zach Brown is 9-9 on field goals in his career against Northern Colorado, meaning 15% of his 61 career FGs have come against the Bears. Brown has gone 3-3 in each meeting against UNC over the last three seasons. In 2009, Brown made kicks of 50, 33 and 40 in the snow in Greeley in a 23-18 win. In 2010, Brown made field goals of 46, 39 and 36 in a 35-30 loss to the Bears at Hillsboro Stadium. Last year, Brown kicked field goals of 51, 46 and 30 at Northern Colorado in a 23-17 win.
• Northern Colorado overcame an 18-point deficit two years ago to beat the Vikings, 35-30, at Hillsboro Stadium. It marks the Bears only win in a Big Sky game over the Vikings.
• Northern Colorado's other win in the series came in 1979 when the Bears beat a Mouse Davis-coached team, 21-20. QB Neil Lomax was 44-77 for 499 yards in that game.
• Northern Colorado has won a total of 17 games since moving to the Division I level eight years ago. The Bears are 6-47 in conference play in their seventh year as a member of the Big Sky.

LAST YEAR: PORTLAND STATE 23, NORTHERN COLORADO 17
Portland State held on to beat the Bears last season, 23-17, in Greeley. Zach Brown kicked three second-half field goals, including a 51-yarder, but DeShawn Shead's 74-yard interception return for a touchdown with 3:54 to play provided the difference for the Vikings. It was a tight game all the way as PSU out-gained Northern Colorado just 362-356. Viking quarterback Connor Kavanaugh rushed for 132 yards and completed 15-27 passes for 138 yards and a touchdown to Justin Monahan, who had nine receptions. Bears quarterback Seth Lobato was 22-51 for 293 yards, a touchdown and an interception.

VIKINGS GO AFTER SECOND STRAIGHT AS BEARS COME TO TOWN
Portland State will go after a second straight win when it hosts Northern Colorado in a Big Sky Conference game this Saturday at JELD-WEN Field. The Vikings picked up their first road victory of the season last Saturday at UC Davis, 49-21. That has PSU at 3-5 overall, 2-3 in the Big Sky. The Bears nearly pulled a big upset of nationally-ranked Northern Arizona last Saturday, but a late field goal gave NAU a 12-10 win. UNC is 2-6 on the season, 1-4 in the Big Sky.
    
This  Saturday's game kicks off at 1:05 p.m. at JELD-WEN. The game will not be televised. However, it is available on Freedom 970 AM and www.freedom970.com. A live video stream, with the radio broadcast, is available at www.bigskytv.org. The radio pre-game show starts at noon.
    
PSU is trying to put on a final flurry of wins and shoot for a second straight winning season. It won't be easy as the Vikings face top-10 ranked teams in Montana State and Eastern Washington in the final two games.
    
Portland State is 2-1 at home this season. The Vikings hold a 7-2 advantage in the series with Northern Colorado, including 4-1 at home. However, the Bears won their last meeting in Portland against PSU, 35-30 in 2010, at Hillsboro Stadium.
    
Northern Colorado comes into the game with an 0-4 road record and has lost nine straight on the road overall. The last road win for the Bears was the 2010 contest against PSU.

SCOUTING THE BEARS
Northern Colorado, now in its ninth season as a Division I member, and seventh as a Big Sky Conference member continues to try to climb in respectability behind second-year Head Coach Earnest Collins. The Bears have two wins this season, which is already two more than last year, and has given Portland State lots of trouble in recent years. UNC beat the Vikings in 2010, and the three Bears' losses in 2008, 2009 and 2011 came by just three, five and six points, respectively.
    
The Bears are 2-6 overall, 1-4 in the Big Sky, and nearly pulled off one of the upsets of the year last week, losing 12-10 to first-place Northern Arizona on a late field goal.
    
Northern Colorado ranks last in the Big Sky Conference in total offense but still averages 330 yards and 22 points per game. UNC's defense ranks in the middle of the conference rankings, allowing 402 yards and 29 points per game. Northern Colorado gives up 176 yards rushing per game, which should bode well for the Vikings' running game.
    
The Bears average just 90 rushing yards per game, but Tromaine Dennis is a talented back with 567 rushing yards and seven touchdowns already this season.
    
Quarterback Seth Lobato has numbers similar to Viking quarterback Kieran McDonagh. Lobato has completed 57% of his passes for 1,853 yards, 11 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Jace Davis (42-522-2) and Dominic Gunn (33-415-4) are the top receivers.
    
Gunn also averages 18.3 yards per punt return to lead the Big Sky and rank second in the nation. The Bears are sixth in the nation in punt return average at 18.4 per game.
    
Top defensive player, linebacker Clarence Bumpas, led the team with 49 tackles through five games, but he is out for the season due to injury. Bumpas had 145 tackles in 2011.
    
Jordan Bible also has 49 tackles and three interceptions to lead UNC.

GAME WEEK ACTIVITIES
SPECIAL EVENTS FOR THIS WEEK: Saturday's game is Military Appreciation Day. All military personnel will be admitted free with ID... The Vik Walk begins on the Park Blocks with the team two and a half hours before every game. The team will walk to JELD-WEN Field and fans are welcome to join. They will pass the Viking Tailgate area on SW 18th and Salmon and the Cheerful Bullpen... at every game, fans can check in at JELD-WEN Field on facebook or tweet with the hashtag #goviks to win a GoViks wristband, located at the marketing table by Gate 1... all youth football participants get in free if they are wearing a jersey and accompanied by a paid adult ticket.
NIGEL BURTON WEEKLY ON 750 AM THE GAME: Viking football Coach Nigel Burton can be heard every Monday at 1:30 p.m. on the John Canzano Show on 750 AM The Game. Burton will review and preview Viking football games.
VIKING COACHES' LUNCHEONS: Viking Coaches Luncheons are scheduled for Sept. 17, 24, Oct. 8, 29, Nov. 12 at noon at the Old Spaghetti Factory. Coach Nigel Burton, Viking players, and coaches representing other sports will be on hand to speak and take questions. Luncheons take place at The OSF at 0715 S.W. Bancroft in Portland. The cost is $10.00 per person and includes lunch and a non-alcoholic beverage.
VIKINGS ON THE RADIO: All Portland State football games can be heard on Freedom 970 AM and www.freedom970.com. The Viking Pregame Show begins one hour prior to kickoff each week... Tom Hewitt (play-by-play) and Mike Lund (analyst) call the action.
VIKINGS ON TELEVISION: Portland State will appear on television a record nine times in 2012. PSU and Comcast SportsNet have teamed up to present six Viking games, including four self-produced home games and two that will be picked up from opponent feeds. The home games will feature veteran broadcaster Bob Akamian and Portland State coaching legend Mouse Davis in the booth. Trysta Krick will be on the sidelines.
REMAINING TELEVISED GAMES IN THE PORTLAND AREA
Nov. 10, Portland State at Montana State, 12:30 p.m. PT, Root
Nov. 17, Portland State vs. Eastern Washington, 1 p.m., CSNNW
Comcast SportsNet is available in the Portland area on Comcast cable systems, channel 37/HD 737. Other metro-area affiliates aside from Comcast are: Beavercreek Cooperative Telephone SD 38/HD 638; Canby Telcom SD 33/HD 733; Oregon Cable Group SD 53/HD 753; Frontier Communications SD 77/HD 577; Wave Broadband SD 37or 45(depending upon location)/HD 737.
VIKINGS ON THE INTERNET: Live streaming video of all Portland State home and Big Sky Conference games can be seen free at www.bigskytv.org... Live stats for Portland State home games are at vikslive.statb.us with an available mobile phone feature.
TICKETS: Tickets for all home games can be purchased in prices ranging from $14 to $50, with youth prices as low as $7. Groups of 15 or more get special admission prices. Tickets are subject to service charge. 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.

THE SLUSS REPORT: VIKING LB NAMED BIG SKY AND NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE WEEK     
Viking linebacker Ian Sluss had a finishing flourish that most players only dream about, making four takeaways, in leading Portland State to a 49-21 Big Sky Conference win over UC Davis last Saturday in Davis, CA. On Monday, the 6-0, 225-pounder from Vista, CA, was named the The Sports Network National Defensive Player of the Week as well as the Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Week.
    
Sluss had perhaps his best game as a Viking, making six tackles, two interceptions, two fumble recoveries and two pass breakups. He came up with all four turnovers in the fourth period to preserve the win.
    
With PSU ahead 28-14 and UC Davis driving with 12:10 to play, Sluss intercepted a pass on the PSU 28. The Vikings scored on the ensuing drive to go up 35-14. Later, Sluss intercepted another pass, returning it 31 yards for a touchdown with 5:32 left putting PSU up 42-21. On the following UCD series, Sluss covered a fumble forced by Henry Organ at the PSU 39. He also recovered a fumble on the game's final play.
    
Sluss' INT return for touchdown marked the third straight game he has returned a takeaway for a score. He now leads the Big Sky Conference in interceptions (4) and fumble recoveries (4) on the season, ranks fifth in tackles (76) and seventh in tackles for loss (8.5). In addition, Sluss has two sacks, three pass breakups and three defensive touchdowns.
    
Last season, Sluss was a second-team All-Big Sky Conference selection. This year, he was named preseason All-Big Sky... Sluss made a dozen tackles at Washington, 12 more against Southern Utah, then a career-high 17 at Northern Arizona... he returned an interception 52 yards for a touchdown against Idaho State... then he returned a fumble 57 yards for a touchdown against Cal Poly.
    
Other media outlets to honor Sluss this week include: College Football Performance Awards (National Defensive Performer of the Week), College Sporting News (CSN All Star).

FACTS, FIGURES AND CURIOSITIES
ALL-AROUND EFFORT: Portland State totaled 530 yards of total offense and 49 points in the win over UC Davis. The Vikings were balanced with 280 on the ground and 250 through the air, with just one turnover. On defense the Vikings gave up 412 yards, but nearly 200 of it came in the fourth quarter when the game was secure. The defense made eight tackles for loss, a season-high five sacks, forced four turnovers, made seven pass breakups and had five three-and-outs.

STOPPING THE RUN: Portland State had done a solid job in stopping the run this season prior to giving up 341 yards on the ground to Cal Poly's triple option offense on Oct. 20. However, the Mustangs needed 79 rushing plays to reach that total and averaged a modest 4.3 yards per carry... outside of that game, the Vikings other five Big Sky opponents have averaged 90.2 rushing yards per game and 2.8 yards per carry... Portland State has allowed 140.8 yards on the ground per game this year, 251.4 through the air... opponents have run 331 times and passed 254 times.

TRUE FRESHMAN TAKES FIRST SNAPS: It can't be confirmed, but it is believed that FR QB Kieran McDonagh is the first true freshman quarterback to start his first game at Portland State since at least the 1950s, if ever. Drew Hubel started as a true freshman in 2007 but not until the seventh game of the season. Neil Lomax did not start until game eight of his freshman year... McDonagh has started all eight games and now has a PSU freshman record of 1,846 passing yards and 12 touchdowns. He has run 65 times for 328 yards and eight touchdowns. McDonagh is averaging 271.8 yards of total offense per game.

TOP FRESHMAN SEASONS AT QUARTERBACK
2012    Kieran McDonagh    129-230-8, 1,846 yards, 12 TDs, .560 (8 games, 8 starts)
1977    Neil Lomax    102-181-5, 1,670 yards, 18 TDs, .561 (9 games, 3 starts)
2007    Drew Hubel    123-217-11, 1,470 yards, 15 TDs, .567 (6 games, 4 starts)
1997    Jimmy Blanchard    115-211-5, 1,185 yards, 3 TDs, .545 (redshirt FR, 9 games, 3 starts)

RUN GAME ROULETTE: Portland State has started three different players at running back this season. Leading rusher JR RB DJ Adams has just two starts but has 114 carries for 714 yards and six touchdowns to lead the team. Adams ranks third in the Big Sky Conference with 89.3 rushing yards per game and has three 100-yard games this season... SO RB Shaquille Richard has 77 carries for 339 yards and two scores with one start. JR RB Justin Lilley has 20 carries for 106 yards, though he has started five games. Also integral to the run game has been FR QB Kieran McDonagh with 65 carries for 328 yards and a team-high eight TDs... the four main men average 185.8 rushing yards and the team averages 212.4 per game.

BIG SKY LEADERS: Portland State ranks third in the Big Sky Conference in total offense (453.2 yards per game) and scoring (36.4 points per game). Portland State averages 212.4 yards on the ground (3rd) and 240.8 yards through the air (6th)... the Vikings have allowed the fewest sacks in the league (3) despite 241 pass attempts. That mark ranks third in the nation... PSU also leads the Big Sky in tackles for loss with 8.1 per game and ranks sixth in the nation in that category... SR LB Ian Sluss leads the Big Sky Conference in interceptions (4) and fumble recoveries (4).

GOOD MOVE: FR WR Thomas Carter started his PSU career as a quarterback. He redshirted in 2011, then after two weeks of fall practice this season, he was moved to wide receiver. The move is paying off as Carter leads the team with 22 catches for 234 yards and two touchdowns. He also has two rushes for 15 yards and a touchdown pass thrown for 22 yards.

MONEY MAN: Despite missing three games this season, SR WR Justin Monahan has 18 receptions, and team-highs of 426 receiving yards and four touchdowns, and averages 23.7 yards per catch. Monahan has 512 all-purpose yards for an average of over 102.4 per game... at North Dakota, Monahan caught six passes for a career-high 156 yards and two touchdowns... Monahan was the Vikings' leading receiver in 2011 (52-707-6). He has 100 career catches for nearly 1,502 yards and 12 touchdowns.

HOOKED ON BASS: SR LB Khalil Bass ranks second on the team with 72 tackles and and fourth with eight TFLs... Bass returned a fumble 24 yards for a touchdown against Idaho State... he has led the team in tackles three times this year.

THE SHOE FITS: JR LB Jaycob Shoemaker's return to play after missing almost a season-and-a-half with injury is inspiring. “Shoe” has 71 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, an interception return for touchdown and two pass breakups... Shoemaker had a career-high 17 tackles at Cal Poly. That total ranks tied for eighth most in a game in PSU history.

BIG PLAY OFFENSE: Portland State has a total of 34 offensive touchdowns with 16 of them coming on plays of 25 yards or longer... FR QB Kieran McDonagh's 12 TD passes average 43.8 yards in length.

MULTI-PURPOSE LINE: Give it up for the Portland State offensive line once again this season. The Viking running game is averaging 212 yards per game. At the same time, the line has allowed only three sacks all season - none in the last five games - to rank third in the nation. PSU has 241 pass attempts and averages 241 yards per game through the air. PSU is 15th in the nation in total offense and 13th in scoring... PSU led the Big Sky in rushing each of the last two years and passing offense the two years prior to that.

GOOD TO HAVE YOU BACK: All-American SR K Zach Brown finally returned to play against Cal Poly after being out with an injury since the first drive of the first game of the season. Brown kicked a 35-yard field goal - his first of the year and two extra points against Cal Poly... Brown has made nine straight field goals dating to last season... he now has 61 career field goals which is a PSU record. He is also the nation's current active leader in field goals made... he also has 22 straight extra points made... Brown would have had an excellent shot at the Big Sky Conference field goal record (76), but that appears out of reach with just three games to play... Brown was the nation's top kicker in 2011. He was a consensus first team All-American, earning honors from Associated Press, The Sports Network, the AFCA, and Walter Camp, while being named the nation's top kicker by the College Football Performance Awards and College Sporting News… Brown was also a finalist for the Fred Mitchell Award, recognizing kickers for excellence on the field and community service… in addition, Brown led the nation in field goals made with 24-27. He broke his own Portland State record for field goals made (18), and now owns 10 school records… he is a six-time Big Sky Conference Player of the Week.

ZACH BROWN's PORTLAND STATE KICKING RECORDS
Field Goals, Season: 24
Field Goals, Career: 61
Field Goals, Consecutive: 16
Field Goal Percentage, Season: 24-27 (.889)
Field Goal Percentage, Career: 61-79 (.772)
Field Goals, 50+ yards, Career: 6
PATs, Consecutive: 44 (tied)
PAT Percentage, Career: .976 (80-82)
Scoring, Season by a Kicker: 99 points (101 points total with 2-pt conversion)
Scoring, Career by a Kicker: 264 points (268 total with two two-point conversions)

PLAYMAKER: SR WR Nevin Lewis is a playmaker, as proven by his 2011 season. He was brilliant on special teams, blocking three punts, snuffing out a fake punt with a tackle for loss and making three tackles in all. He also had 29 kick returns for an average of 23.7 per return... as a receiver, Lewis had 22 catches for 337 yards and two touchdowns. He had one rush for seven yards and completed a 14-yard touchdown pass on a reverse play... this season, Lewis has played in seven games and touched the ball 39 times as a receiver, runner and kick returner, totaling 867 yards (22.2 yards per touch) and two touchdowns... on 17 receptions this year, Lewis averages exactly 25 yards per catch... Lewis averages 123.9 yards per game... with 440 kick return yards this year, Lewis now ranks third all-time in career kickoff return yards at PSU (1,557).

DUYNDAM WATCH: SR P Thomas Duyndam has a 42.6 punting average this season, matching his career-best of 42.6 in 2010 and close to the PSU record of 42.8... PSU nets an excellent 39.9 yards on Duyndam's punts.

2012 HIGHLIGHT REEL
BIG PLAY FIRST DAY: Portland State made several big plays in a season-opening 38-20 win over Carroll College (9/1). JR RB DJ Adams opened with a 46-yard touchdown run. That was followed by a 32-yard interception return for touchdown by JR LB Jaycob Shoemaker. JR RB Justin Lilley caught a 36-yard touchdown pass off a deflection intended for another player. And, SO RB Shaquille Richard scampered 80 yards with a screen pass for a score.

MONEY HANDS: SR WR Justin Monahan had a big day in his return to the field against North Dakota (9/8) despite a 45-37 loss. Monahan caught a 65-yard touchdown pass on the first play from scrimmage and went on to make six catches for a career-high 156 yards and two touchdowns. He had 226 all-purpose yards.

BIG GAINS: Despite a 49-42 loss to Southern Utah (9/22), Portland State's offense totaled 587 yards, the most in 14 starts by a Viking team. FR QB Kieran McDonagh had 270 yards and two touchdowns passing and 52 yards rushing for 322 yards of total offense. The Vikings had seven players with positive rushing yards and nine with receptions.

KIERAN'S BIG DAY: FR QB Kieran McDonagh accounted for six touchdowns in the Vikings' 77-10 win over the Idaho State Bengals (10/6), earning Big Sky Conference Offensive Player of the Week and The Sports Network's National Freshman of the Week for the NCAA I FCS level. McDonagh rushed for four touchdowns, passed for one touchdown, and caught a touchdown pass for good measure. In all, McDonagh completed 15-23 passes for 280 yards, rushed 10 times for a career-high 66 yards and had a 22-yard reception for a total of 368 yards. McDonagh's rushing touchdowns were 26, 11, 2 and 2 yards. His passing TD was 12 yards to freshman wide receiver Thomas Carter and his receiving TD was a 22 yarder from Carter on a trick play. It's also worth noting the McDonagh left the game before the end of the third quarter.

MOST POINTS IN 32 YEARS: Portland State's 77-10 win over Idaho State marked the most points scored by a Viking team since Nov. 8, 1980 when Mouse Davis and Neil Lomax led a 105-0 win over Delaware State at then-Civic Stadium. The irony is that both Davis and Lomax were in the house to see the game against ISU. Lomax as a spectator and Davis as an analyst on the Viking TV broadcast on Comcast SportsNet. PSU rushed for 437 yards against Idaho State breaking the school record of 436 set against the same Bengal team in 2011. The Vikings' 758 yards of total offense were the second-most in school history. The most is 788, set by the Vikings in 1976 against Eastern Montana under the guidance of Davis. PSU averaged 9.1 yards per play against Idaho State.

FINDERS, KEEPERS: SR LB Ian Sluss turned in a remarkable fourth-quarter performance in the Vikings' 49-21 win over UC Davis (10/27). Sluss opened the quarter by picking off a pass at the PSU 28 when the Aggies were driving and the score was still 28-14. PSU scored after the turnover to lead 35-14. Later in the period he intercepted a pass and returned it 31 yards for a touchdown to put the game away at 42-21. Sluss then recovered two fumbles - one with 3:52 left and one on the final play of the game - for four takeaways in the fourth quarter. In all, he made six tackles, two interceptions, two fumble recoveries, two pass breakups and a forced fumble. His INT return for a touchdown marked the third straight game he has returned a takeaway for a score.

THE LONGEST DRIVE: Portland State registered a 10-play, 98-yard drive in the third quarter of the win over UC Davis that put the game away. PSU was led by six carries for 74 yards in the drive by JR RB DJ Adams. He also had the four-yard touchdown run to give PSU a two-score lead it would never relinquish, 28-14. The Vikings went on to total 338 yards in the second half and 530 in the game. FR QB Kieran McDonagh compiled 307 yards of total offense, 250 through the air and 57 on the ground. He threw for one touchdown and ran for two others. Adams finished with this third 100-yard game of the year, totaling 19 carries for 139 yards.