complete notes and stats in pdf

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^#25 PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (3-1) vs. NORTH TEXAS MEAN GREEN (0-4)
Game 5 • Saturday, October 10, 2015, 4 p.m. CT/2 p.m. PT • Apogee Stadium (30,850), Denton, TX

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TELEVISION: None
RADIO: Rip City Radio 620 AM (KPOJ), www.ripcityradio.com • Pregame Show: 1 p.m. • Play-by-play: Tom Hewitt • Analyst: Mike Lund
INTERNET: Live video stream: www.meangreensports.com/collegesportslive/ • Live stats: www.meangreensports.com/gametracker/universe/
 
GAME WEEK ACTIVITIES
VIKINGS ON THE RADIO: All Portland State football games can be heard on Rip City Radio 620 AM and www.ripcityradio.com. The Viking Pre-Game Show begins one hour prior to kickoff each week... Tom Hewitt (play-by-play) and Mike Lund (analyst) call the action.
 
BRUCE BARNUM ON THE RADIO: Viking football Coach Bruce Barnum can be heard every Monday at 3:15 p.m. on the Wheels At Work Show on Rip City Radio 620 AM. Barnum will review and preview Viking football games.
 
VIKINGS ON THE INTERNET: Live streaming video of all Portland State home and Big Sky Conference games can be seen free at a link on www.GoViks.com... Live stats for Portland State home games are at www.GoViks.com with a mobile phone feature for in stadium viewing: www.ViksMobile.com.
 
VIKING PLAYER DIARY: Look for JR CB Xavier Coleman's player diary each week on OregonLive.com and in the Oregonian. Coleman will give weekly updates on the Viking team's progress throughout the 2015 season.
 
VIKING FOOTBALL LUNCHEONS: Every Friday of a home football week (Sept. 25, Oct. 2, Oct. 16, Oct. 30 and Nov. 13), Portland State Athletics will host a football luncheon at the Old Spaghetti Factory, located at 0715 SW Bancroft. Coach Barnum and Viking players will speak and be available for questions. The luncheon is open to the public and costs $12.
 
THE SERIES RECORD: First ever meeting between PSU and UNT
 
VIKINGS PLAY FINAL NON-CONFERENCE GAME AGAINST NEW OPPONENT, NORTH TEXAS
Portland State will step out of conference play for the final time this season as it travels to a first-time opponent, North Texas, for a game this Saturday. The 25th-ranked (FCS) Vikings and the FBS-level Mean Green meet in a 4 p.m. CT/2 p.m. PT game. PSU comes off a tough 19-17 home defeat to North Dakota. North Texas is still looking for its first win (0-4) after dropping a game at Southern Miss, 49-14, last Saturday.
     
Not only does PSU face North Texas for the first time. It also plays a member of Conference USA for the first time in its history. With a 24-17 season-opening win at Washington State, the Vikings also have an opportunity to beat two FBS opponents in the same year for the first time.
     
Saturday's game is not televised, but can be heard on Rip City Radio 620 AM and www.ripcityradio.com.  There will be a live video stream at www.meangreensports.com/collegesportslive/.
     
Despite the loss to North Dakota, PSU has its best four-game record since starting 3-1 in 2006. The Vikings are 2-0 on the road this season. The last time PSU won three straight road games was a Sept. 9-30, 2000 stretch (Hawai'i, Sacramento State, Northern Arizona)
     
The game with North Texas is part of a brutal October schedule for this Vikings. PSU has already played the Big Sky's top defensive team in North Dakota. After playing FBS North Texas, the Vikings will meet nationally-ranked Montana State, make a road trip to nationally-ranked Cal Poly, then a Halloween showdown against nationally-ranked Montana.
 
STORYLINES AND SERIES HISTORY
• North Texas is one of two FBS level program the Vikings will play in 2015. PSU also played Washington State on Sept. 5, winning 24-17.
• This is the sixth time Portland State has played at least two FBS opponents in the same season.
• Portland State is 3-32 all-time against FBS opponents.
• Head Coach Dan McCarney is 16-8 at home in five seasons at North Texas.
• Portland State has never played North Texas or a football program from Conference USA.
• PSU's last appearance in the state of Texas came on Sept. 24, 2011 in a 55-13 loss at Texas Christian.
 
SCOUTING NORTH TEXAS
North Texas was 4-8 in 2014, 2-6 and tied for fifth in the Conference USA West Division. This year, the Mean Green has started slow, losing four straight games to SMU, Rice, Iowa and Southern Miss. Head Coach Dan McCarney, now in his fifth year, is 22-31 overall.
     
North Texas has been out-scored by an average of 45.0-16.8 per game this season. The Mean Green are allowing 516.8 yards per game. UNT has forced five fumbles on the season, but has yet to intercept a pass. Defensive back Kishawn McClain is the Mean Green's leading tackler with 42 stops already this season.
     
On offense, North Texas averages 365.0 yards per game, including 163.8 on the ground and 201.2 through the air. UNT has committed 11 turnovers.
     
Antoinne Jimmerson is the Mean Green's leading rusher with 46 carries for 215 yards and a touchdown. However, Jeffrey Wilson rushed 22 times for 136 yards in last Saturday's game at Southern Miss.
     
Carlos Harris is the top receiver with 27 catches for 412 yards and three touchdowns. Chris Loving has 10 receptions for 126 yards and a touchdown.
     
Senior quarterback Andrew McNulty is 60-126 passing for 699 yards, three touchdowns and four interceptions.
     
Trevor Moore is 6-9 on field goals, but has not made one longer than 38 yards.
 
QUICK SNAPS (SUSTAINABLE AND RECYCLABLE)
 
WINS, LOSSES, AND THE BIG SKY
• Portland State is 3-1 on the season, 1-1 at home, 2-0 on the road.
• Portland State is in its 20th season at the NCAA I FCS level (1996-2015). PSU is 98-118 in all games at the FCS level. PSU is 64-40 in home games since moving to the NCAA I level, 34-78 on the road.
• The Vikings are in their 20th season as a member of the Big Sky Conference. PSU is 63-86 all-time in Big Sky games. The Vikings are 38-37 at home, 25-49 on the road in BSC games.
 
A FEW WINNING NOTES:
• The Vikings 3-1 record is its best after four games since 2006 (3-1).
• PSU has already matched its win total of 2014 (3-9).
• PSU has back-to-back road wins for the first time since the 2011 season.
• Portland State's win over 23rd-ranked Idaho State (9/12) was the first win over a nationally-ranked team since 2008, ending a stretch of 21 straight losses to ranked teams.
• With a 31-0 win over Western Oregon on Sept. 26, the Vikings are 14-0 against lower division teams since joining the Big Sky Conference.
 
NORTH DAKOTA STYMIES VIKING RUN: North Dakota entered last Saturday's game as the best rush defense in the Big Sky Conference allowing only 62.2 rushing yards per game. That held true against the Vikings as PSU had its poorest run-game output of the season: 30 carries, 97 yards, 1 TD... Portland State had been averaging 241.7 yards rushing per game by using a committee of ball carriers. That number has since dropped to 205.5 per game... JR QB Alex Kuresa leads the team with 266 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 66 carries. He had a game-high 92 yards rushing on 16 carries at Washington State... SR RB David Jones has 36 carries for 202 yards, including a game-high 113 yards at Idaho State... JR RB Nate Tago had a game-high 69 rushing yards against Western Oregon. He now has 31 carries for 114 yards and three touchdowns this season... JR UQ Paris Penn has rushed for 118 yards and two touchdowns... SO RB Steven Long has 24 carries for 74 yards and two touchdowns.
 
DEFENSIVE LEADERS: Portland State's defense currently leads the Big Sky Conference in scoring defense (12.5 points allowed), third-down defense (26.5% conversion rate), and fewest opponent first downs (15.5)...
the Vikings rank second in total defense (318.2 yards allowed).
 
PICK PARTY: Portland State's defense has made eight interceptions through four games after making only six picks all of last season. JR CB Xavier Coleman and SR SS Patrick Onwuasor each have three interceptions to tie for the Big Sky Conference lead... Coleman has five interceptions in his career and Onwuasor has four.
 
THE TAKEAWAY: Portland State has forced 11 turnovers in four games while committing only three for a +8 turnover ratio. That is a far cry from last year's -12 ratio (26 turnovers/14 takeaways).
 
FOOTWORK: JR K Jonathan Gonzales has made 46 consecutive extra points in his career. That sets a new PSU record for consecutive extra points made. The previous mark was 44, set twice previous by Pat Moore (1972-75) and Zach Brown (2009-11)... Gonzales is also 5-5 on field goals this season, ranging from 19 to 51 yards. Last year, he had a streak of eight straight field goals made… Gonzales has picked up where he left off last season when he led the Big Sky in field goals made (17-24). Gonzales is 22-29 in his Portland State career. He ranks tied for eighth in field goals made in PSU history... Gonzales 51-yard field goal at Idaho State ties for ninth-longest in school history and is his second of 50+ yards.
 
THESE TEAMS ARE SPECIAL: Top special teams plays this season:
• JR P Marcus Kinsella averaged 46 yards per boot against Washington State.
• JR K Jonathan Gonzales is 5-5 on field goals, including a 51-yarder.
• SR LS Kameron Canaday recovered a WSU muffed punt return at the Cougars' 11-yard line, setting up a go-ahead touchdown.
• SR CB Aaron Sibley blocked a 22-yard field goal at Washington State after the Cougars had driven 93 yards.
• SO CB Kahlil Dawson returned a kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown in the win at Idaho State.
• JR K Marcus Kinsella was 7-7 with kickoffs for touchbacks against Idaho State.
• PSU snuffed out a fake punt play at Idaho State, taking over on downs.
• JR P Marcus Kinsella had five of eight punts downed inside the 20 against Western Oregon. He also had a 62-yard boot.
• SO WR Josh Kraght took a fake field goal 25 yards for a touchdown against Western Oregon.
• SO KR Kahlil Dawson averages 36.5 yards per kick return.
 
QUARTERBACKS APLENTY: Portland State had all four quarterbacks on the field for several plays during the Western Oregon game. The Vikings pulled the feat again for two plays against North Dakota... JR Alex Kuresa spends the majority of the time behind center, while SO Josh Kraght, the converted wide receiver, JR Paris Penn and SR Kieran McDonagh are frequently split wide. Penn and Kraght also took snaps against Western Oregon, while Penn and McDonagh took snaps against North Dakota. SR RB David Jones and SR WR Thomas Carter are also converted quarterbacks.
 
2015 SEASON HIGHLIGHT REEL
 
A SEASON OPENER BECOMES A BARNYBALL EYE OPENER: When Portland State knocked off Washington State, 24-7, on Sept. 5 in Pullman, WA it opened the eyes of football fans not just locally, but nationally. It marked the first time that PSU had ever beaten a Pac-12 program (in 15 tries) and just the third win over an FBS opponent (in 35 tries). The win came in Head Coach Bruce Barnum's first-ever game in charge and introduced the world to #BarnyBall. PSU trailed 10-0 at halftime, but shut down the Cougars' "Air Raid" offense in the second half. The Viking offense rode a 228-137 total offense advantage in the second half to a 24-7 comeback while PSU's defense forced two turnovers. The Vikings had 233 rushing yards in all, and took the lead for good on a one-yard TD run by Steven Long with 2:19 to play. Cornerback Aaron Sibley intercepted a WSU pass with 42 seconds to play to seal the win. Sibley also blocked a field goal, broke up a pass and made four tackles. He was named the Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Week.
 
VIKINGS MAUL THE BENGALS: Portland State beat Idaho State in every facet of the game in a 34-14 victory at Pocatello on Sept. 12. The Vikings held the Bengals to 242 yards of offense while forcing four turnovers. PSU special teams had a kickoff return for touchdown and stopped a fourth-down fake punt play. On offense, the Vikings rushed for 236 yards. It was the first win over a nationally-ranked team since 2008, ending a string of 21 straight loss to ranked teams.
 
DAWSON'S STREAK: SO KR Kahlil Dawson streaked 94 yards on a kick return for touchdown in the Vikings 34-14 win over Idaho State (9/12). It was the first time a Viking had returned a kickoff for touchdown in five years. Dawson returned two kicks for 127 yards and was named Big Sky Conference Special Teams Player of the Week.
 
WHITEWASHING THE WOLVES: Portland State recorded its first shutout in 49 games with a 31-0 victory over Western Oregon (9/26). PSU held the Wolves to 224 yards of total offense, forced 12 punts and intercepted three passes. JR CB Xavier Coleman had two interceptions to lead the Vikings, who got off to a 3-0 start for the first time since 2000.