complete notes and stats in pdf • Read Xavier Coleman's PSU Football Diary on Oregon Live

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PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (3-9, 2-6 ^{BIG SKY}) 
vs. WASHINGTON STATE COUGARS (3-9, 2-7 ^PAC-12)
Game 1 • Saturday, September 5, 2015, 11 a.m. • Martin Stadium (32,952), Pullman, WA

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TELEVISION: Pac-12 Network • Play-by-play: JB Long • Analyst: Evan Moore • Sidelines: Ashley Adamson
RADIO: Rip City Radio 620 AM (KPOJ), www.ripcityradio.com • Pregame Show: 10 a.m. • Play-by-play: Tom Hewitt • Analyst: Mike Lund
INTERNET: Live stats: http://www.wsucougars.com/liveStats/liveStats.dbml?
 
THE SERIES RECORD: Vikings vs. Cougars
All-Time Series: Washington State leads 2-0
 
Sept. 20, 2008: WSU 48-9 at Pullman
Sept. 13, 2014: WSU 59-21 at Pullman
 
VIKINGS OPEN 2015 SEASON AT WASHINGTON STATE
A new era of Viking football begins this Saturday when the Bruce Barnum-led Portland State Vikings will take on Washington State of the Pac-12 Conference. After five seasons as the Vikings' offensive coordinator, Barnum takes over as the Head Coach on the Park Blocks. His task is a challenging one - make Portland State (owners of only one winning record and one .500 record over the past eight seasons) relevant again in the Big Sky Conference.
     
While Washington State is not a member of the Big Sky, and the Vikings are a prohibitive underdog, this Saturday's game will still offer a glimpse into what Portland State has to offer. The Vikings will be challenged defensively by one of the most dynamic passing offenses in the nation. Meanwhile, PSU's offense will try to produce against an elite-level FBS program.
     
Portland State and Washington State meet in an 11 a.m. game at Martin Stadium in Pullman, WA. The game will open the Pac-12 Network's Saturday quadrupleheader. The Vikings can be heard on Rip City Radio 620 AM in the Portland area and ripcityradio.com all over the world. The pre-game show begins at 10 a.m.
     
The Vikings lost a non-conference game at Washington State last season, 59-21. The Cougars are 2-0 all-time against PSU, also winning 48-9 in 2008.
     
Portland State comes off a 3-9 season in 2014. The Vikings were 1-6 on the road.
     
Washington State was also 3-9 in 2014, including a 1-6 home record.
     
The WSU game opens a challenging 11-game slate for the Vikings in 2015. PSU plays five at home and six on the road. Four of Portland State's Big Sky Conference opponents are currently nationally-ranked. The Vikings face another FBS opponent in North Texas of Conference USA on Oct. 10.
 
STORYLINES AND SERIES HISTORY
• Portland State is 2-32 all-time against NCAA I FBS programs. PSU is 0-14 all-time against members of the Pac-12, including 0-2 against Washington State.
• Washington State is one of two FBS programs the Vikings will play in 2015. PSU will also play North Texas on Oct. 10. It marks the sixth time in PSU's history it has played against at least two FBS level programs in the same season (the Vikings played three in 2006).
• The Cougar offense broke 10 single-game, 18 single-season and eight career records in 2014.
• The 630 passing yards by Washington State in last year's game was the most ever allowed by a Portland State team. The 706 yards of total offense were the second-most ever allowed by a Viking team.
• Washington State led the nation in pass offense with 477.7 yards per game in 2014.
 
LAST YEAR, Sept. 13, 2014: Washington State 59, Portland State 21
Connor Halliday threw three second-quarter touchdown passes, breaking open a close game. The Cougars led 28-0 at halftime and the Vikings were never closer than 14 points after that.
     
Halliday completed 41 of 62 passes for 544 yards and six touchdowns. In all, Washington State threw for 630 yards and had 706 yards of total offense. It was the most passing yards ever allowed by a Portland State team, and the second-most total offensive yards ever allowed.
           
The Vikings cut the deficit to 28-14 early in the third quarter but couldn't stop the Cougars' pass attack. Kieran McDonagh threw for 269 yards for PSU. Alex Toureen had seven receptions and a career-high 100 yards. Patrick Onwuasor returned an interception for touchdown for the Vikings.
 
SCOUTING THE COUGARS
Washington State is led by fourth-year Head Coach Mike Leach, who has a 12-25 record. The Cougars were 3-9 last season, 2-7 and tied for fifth in the Pac-12 North Division.
     
Sixteen starters and 41 letterwinners return from the 2014 Cougar squad. WSU averaged 517.5 yards per game on offense, including a national-leading 477.7 yards passing, and 31.8 points. On defense, the Cougars gave up 442.2 yards, with 296.6 yards coming through the air, and 39.8 points. Washington State commited 25 turnovers while forcing only eight turnovers in 2014.
     
A starter in three games last season, Luke Falk should be the quarterback for WSU. He completed 156 of 243 passes for 1,859 yards, 13 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Among his top returning receivers are River Cracraft (66-771-8) and Dom Williams (43-656-9).
     
Linebacker Jeremiah Allison returns to lead the defense. Allison had 78 tackles last year, including 8.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. The Cougar defense will be under the guidance of first-year coordinator Alex Grinch.

DEPTH CHART APPROACHES REALITY
Portland State's depth chart doesn't show much for surprises as Portland State heads toward its first game of the 2015 football season - with one notable exception. A fairly experienced returning team makes up the two-deep, while junior college transfer Alex Kuresa has been named the Vikings' starting quarterback. 

Only three new players are among those listed on the two-deep: Kuresa, wide receiver Trent Riley and linebacker Austin Wolff. Only four redshirts show up on the two-deep, giving the Vikings 37 letterwinners out of 44 spots (not counting special teams) going into game one at Washington State on Sept. 5. Of course, numerous other players will play at their positions and on special teams. The Vikings anticipate taking approximately 70 players to Pullman. Minor changes in the depth may still take place during this week's practices.

Kuresa earned the starting role at QB after a very competitive battle with returning senior Kieran McDonagh. At 6-foot, 190-pounds, Kuresa comes to Portland State from Snow Junior College where he completed 185-295 passes for 2,374 yards, 25 touchdowns and nine interceptions last season. He was also the team's leading rusher with 99 carries for 592 yards and eight rushing TDs. Kuresa was able to participate in PSU's spring practice and has had a lot of time to grasp the Viking offense. 

McDonagh's resume includes 29 career starts in the Vikings' last 35 games at Portland State, 5,865 career passing yards, 41 touchdowns and 37 interceptions. The 6-2, 230-pounder also has 1,029 rushing yards and 17 more scores on the ground in his three-year career. 

A feel-good story on the Vikings' depth chart comes at safety where senior Walter Santiago has earned a starting role. Santiago was the Vikings' top safety in preseason camp in 2014 before a collarbone injury knocked him out for the season. After a year of recovery, Santiago has come back to earn the position again over a group of returners. Also returning from a redshirt season and an injury season and projected to start at center is sophomore Chad Bach. Bach was also a projected starter in 2014 but a pre-season knee injury had wiped out his season. 

Senior David Jones, junior Nate Tago and sophomore Steven Long will share the duty in the Viking backfield. The starter may depend on which particular formation the Vikings use to open the game. 

FINAL GAME TIME SET: Portland State's game at North Texas on Oct. 10 finally has a kick time. The Vikings will meet the Mean Green in a 4 p.m. Central/2 p.m. Pacific contest. It marks the first time PSU has played a team from Conference USA. The game is not scheduled to be televised, but will be aired on Rip City Radio 620 AM and www.ripcityradio.com.

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.
 
VIKINGS ON TELEVISION: As of September 1, two Portland State football games will be televised in the Portland area: Sept. 5, at Washington State, Pac-12 Network; Oct., 17, vs. Montana State, Root Sports.
 
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: http://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 $10.
 
TICKETS: Season and single-game tickets are now on sale for Portland State Football. Season tickets range from $60 to $100 each. Single-game tickets range from $20 to $69. Students and Bi-Mart section tickets are $10 each. Kids 14 and under are $5. Special group pricing and "Montana-Pack" tickets are also available. Portland State Students tickets are FREE with valid ID. All other students and Bi-Mart section tickets are $10 each. Kids 8th grade and under are $5. Visit www.GoViks.com of call 1-888-VIK-TIKS for all details and pricing.
 
SUSTAINABLE AND RECYCLABLE: QUICK SNAPS FOR 2015
 
WINS, LOSSES, AND THE BIG SKY
• Portland State was 3-9 in 2014, 2-3 at home, 1-6 on the road.
• The Vikings have eight winning records in 19 years as a member of the Big Sky Conference.
• PSU is 63-39 in home games since moving to the NCAA I level, 32-78 on the road.
• Portland State begins its 20th season as a Big Sky Conference member in 2015. PSU is 62-85 all-time in Big Sky games. The Vikings are 38-36 at home, 24-49 on the road in BSC games.
• Bruce Barnum is the Vikings fourth Head Coach in the Big Sky Conference era. Previous coaches were: Tim Walsh (1993-2006, 42-41, 90-68 all-time); Jerry Glanville (2007-09, 7-17, 9-24); and Nigel Burton (2010-15, 13-27, 21-36).
• The Vikings have never won a Big Sky title, but tied for second four times under Walsh. PSU has made one NCAA I playoff appearance (2000) after placing second in the Big Sky.
 
THE 2015 VIKINGS: A BREAKDOWN
• Portland State has 58 returning letterwinners.
• The Vikings have 16 returning starters, six on offense, eight on defense and two special teams.
• A total of 35 players return that have started games.
• There are 18 redshirts returning.
• 40 players hail from the state of Oregon, 31 are from the Portland metropolitan/SW Washington area, and 60 are from the Pacific Northwest.
• Entering the 2015 season, SR WR Thomas Carter III has the most experience, playing in 35 career games. SR WR Alex Toureen (34), and SR CB Aaron Sibley (32) rank second and third... players with the most career starts are SR QB Kieran McDonagh (29) and SR LS Kameron Canaday (29), followed by SR CB Aaron Sibley (27) and JR OL Kyle Smith (24).
 
BARNUM TAKES OVER: Bruce Barnum takes over as Portland State's Head Football Coach in 2015. Barnum spent the past five seasons at the Vikings' offensive coordinator. He replaced former Coach Nigel Burton, whose contract was terminated following the 2014 season. Barnum was given a 12-month contract as the Interim Head Coach and will coach the Vikings through the 2015 season.
 
COACHING STAFF CHANGES: Portland State Football Coach Bruce Barnum hired five new coaches and brought back a sixth with previous experience in the Viking program. Including Barnum, five coaches return from the 2014 staff.
      Taking over as defensive coordinator will be Malik Roberson. Now in his second stint and third year in the Viking program, Roberson had been Portland State's defensive line coach in 2011 and 2014. He now takes charge of the entire defense and will also work with linebackers. Previously, Roberson was the defensive coordinator at Central Washington (2012-13). His 2013 defense allowed just 298 yards and 15.7 points per game while forcing 32 turnovers. CWU led the Great Northwest Athletic Conference in eight defensive categories.
      Steve Cooper, the veteran of the Viking coaching staff entering his seventh season, has been promoted to offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Cooper has coached wide receivers for the past five years while Barnum served as offensive coordinator for Portland State. Barnum will still maintain offensive play calling on game days.
      In addition to Roberson and Cooper, John Ely and Jason Belford return from the 2014 coaching staff. Ely, formerly the running backs coach, will move over to coach safeties and also be the team's recruiting coordinator. Ely has vast experience on the defensive side of the ball including several seasons as a defensive coordinator at Idaho State, Western Washington and Southern Oregon. Belford will be the defensive line coach after being assistant defensive line coach in 2014.
      Barnum hired Nick Whitworth as special teams coordinator and running backs coach. Whitworth spent eight seasons as special teams coordinator at Idaho State and two more at Central Washington. Evan Mozzochi will be the new Vikings wide receivers coach after being an assistant at Western Oregon for two seasons. AC Patterson has been named offensive line coach. He played at Texas-El Paso, was a student assistant coach there, and also a high school coach previously.
      Barnum also hired Vernon Smith Jr. and Ben Thienes.
      Smith is the Vikings' cornerbacks coach. A Montana alum, Smith has coached at the junior college level the past four seasons. Thienes, formerly on Chris Petersen's staff at Boise State and Washington, has been named an assistant linebackers coach with the Vikings.
      Returning to the Viking staff after one year away is Matt Leunen, who will coach tight ends and tackles. Leunen has already coached three seasons at PSU (2011-13), also coaching tight ends.
 
VIKINGS ON THE RUN: PSU rushed for exactly 2,500 yards in 2014, marking the fifth straight year under offensive coordinator Bruce Barnum that the Vikings had rushed for more than 2,000 yards and more than 200 yards per game (208.3). The top four rushing seasons in school history have come in the last four seasons (3,330 in 2013; 2,726 in 2011; 2,500 in 2014; 2,382 in 2013).
 
RUNNING BACK BY COMMITTEE: Portland State's running game by committee in 2014 should benefit the Vikings in 2015. Even though Shaq Richard (688 yards, 3 TD) is gone, the Vikings return some 1,800 rushing yards from last season. Tops among the backfield returns are Steven Long (605 yards, 2 TD), Nate Tago (354 yards, 3 TDs) and Viking quarterbacks Kieran McDonagh, Paris Penn and Josh Kraght (combined 614 yards, 8 TDs).
 
PROTECTING THE QUARTERBACK: The Viking offensive line protected the quarterback as well as ever in 2014. PSU led the Big Sky Conference with the fewest sacks allowed on the season (10) despite throwing 423 passes. PSU has allowed only 35 sacks over 46 games the last four seasons while throwing 1,410 passes.
 
KIERAN'S STAT LIST: SR QB Kieran McDonagh enters his fourth season with the Vikings ranking among the top passers in school history. McDonagh has played in 31 career games (out of a possible 35), starting 29. He ranks seventh all-time at PSU in passing yards (5,865), touchdowns (41) and completions (442-830). McDonagh is fourth all-time in total offense (6,894) due to more than 1,000 career rushing yards (1,029). With 17 rushing touchdowns and one receiving TD, McDonagh has accounted for 59 touchdowns in his career.
 
SPECIAL TEAMS CONTINUE TO PRODUCE: New Special Teams Coordinator Nick Whitworth steps into a role at Portland State that has produced some excellent results in recent years. Former kicker Zach Brown led the nation in field goals and was a first team All-American in 2011. Former punter Kyle Loomis led the nation in punting in 2013 and 2014 and was a first team All-American both years… returning in 2015 is JR K Jonathan Gonzales, who led the Big Sky Conference by making 17-24 field goals in 2014. He ranked ninth in the nation with 1.42 made per game. He was also the only full-time kicker to be perfect on extra points (33-33).
 
TIDE HAS TURNED AT DEFENSIVE BACK: Entering the 2014 season, Portland State had a very inexperienced defensive backfield. One year later, the Viking DBs are one of the most experienced groups on the team. Ten players return at cornerback and safety that had significant playing time last season, include all four starting positions. Cornerbacks Aaron Sibley and Xavier Coleman (combined 39 career starts) should lead the way on the outside. Coleman led the Big Sky Conference with 12 pass breakups in 2014 while Sibley was named second team All-Big Sky Conference. All four safeties who shared the starting roles - SRs Demetrius Jackson and Patrick Onwuasor, JR Darien Washington and SO Beau Duronslet - are back. Other experienced defensive backs that return include Kahlil Dawson, Max Lyons, Malik Cyphers and Walter Santiago.
 
GOOD GUYS NOW GONE: Portland State lost eight starters to graduation from 2014. Tops among them was two-time All-American punter Kyle Loomis and Rimington Award-winning center Cornelius Edison. Also missing in 2015 are wide receiver Kasey Closs (105 receptions, 1,705 yards, 12 TDs in two seasons), running back Shaquille Richard (391-1,940-11 TD in his career) and defensive line starters Joe Lopez and Brandon Tobias.
 
VIKINGS IN PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL
• Did you know, two-time All-Pro Julius Thomas signed a five-year, $46 million contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars, making him the highest-paid tight end in the NFL?
• Did you know that former Viking Kasey Closs signed a free agent contract with Jacksonville and is currently trying to earn the right to be Thomas' teammate?
• Did you know that linebacker Adam Hayward is entering his ninth season in the NFL (Tampa Bay 2007-13, Washington, 2014-15) and has played in more games than any former Viking in history (118), including Neil Lomax and Clint Didier (8 seasons each)? Unfortunately, a preseason knee injury has ended his 2015.
• Did you know Kahlil Bass currently leads the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in tackles and fumble recoveries?
 
THE SCHEDULE
Portland State Football is looking for transformation and improvement in 2015. Based on this season's schedule it will be no easy task. A formidable slate of opponents includes two FBS teams for the second year in a row (Washington State and North Texas) and three FCS playoff teams (Eastern Washington, Montana and Montana State).
     
Further demonstrating the difficulty of the schedule, in a 12-team Big Sky Conference in which PSU will only face eight teams each season, the Vikings meet last year's top five finishers (EWU, UM, MSU, Idaho State, Cal Poly) and eight teams with a combined conference mark of 38-26 (.593) last year. PSU will miss last year's bottom two teams (UC Davis, Weber State) and four teams with a combined conference mark of 12-20 (.375).
     
Four of the teams on the Vikings schedule were nationally ranked in the first Stats Inc. Top 25 Poll: Eastern Washington (6th), Montana State (11th), Montana (13th), Idaho State (22nd).
     
The fall of 2015 begins the 20th season of competition for Portland State in the Big Sky Conference and at the Division I level. The Vikings have yet to win a Big Sky title in football, though they managed four second-place finishes under previous Head Coach Tim Walsh. However, the past eight seasons, have seen only one winning record and one .500 mark. The best result during that span was a 7-4/5-3 campaign and third-place finish under Nigel Burton in 2011.
     
So, the more immediate goal for the Vikings and new coach Bruce Barnum will be to get back to a winning record. A fast start will be vital as the month of October brings a sturdy group of opponents and the season always concludes with rival and perennial powerhouse Eastern Washington.
 
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2015 SCHEDULE
 • Portland State opens at Pac-12 Washington State on Sept. 5. "(Washington State) is a good test for us to start the season because it forces you to be mistake-free and play fundamental football… that's a challenge for us," said Head Coach Bruce Barnum. "But it is going to test where we are at in terms of turning the football over - the mistakes that kill you in a football game - we will have to eliminate those."
• The Vikings have their Big Sky Conference opener on the road a week later at Idaho State (8-4/6-2).
• PSU does not play a home game until Sept. 26. The Vikings play four games at Providence Park and one at Hillsboro Stadium (Oct. 3 vs. North Dakota) due to a conflict with the Portland Timbers.
• A four-week stretch in October will be especially challenging. PSU plays at Conference USA opponent North Texas on Oct. 10, hosts nationally-ranked Montana State (8-5/6-2) on Oct. 17, travels to Cal Poly (7-5/5-3) on Oct. 24, then hosts nationally-ranked Montana on Oct. 31 (9-5/6-2). "A great stretch," said Barnum, referring to the three-week stretch featuring Montana State, Cal Poly and Montana. "Obviously, we would like to be going into that up and rolling, hitting on all cylinders against three quality opponents, three of the top opponents in this conference. That will be a true test at midseason of where we are as a football program, how we have changed from last year, and where we are going."
• Portland State wraps up its 2015 regular season schedule at defending Big Sky Conference Champion Eastern Washington (11-3, 7-1) on Nov. 21. Eastern Washington will be without QB Vernon Adams, the Big Sky Conference Player of the Year, who transferred to Oregon. "Losing their quarterback, I am sure they took a step back for a minute," said Barnum, " But they have a great coaching staff that will put it all back on track, and by that time of the season they will have it rolling."
 
SCHEDULE NOTES
• Portland State begins its 20th season as a member of the Big Sky Conference (1996-2015). PSU has never won a Big Sky title. Four times the Vikings have tied for second (1999, 2000, 2001, 2006).
• The Vikings will have powerhouses Montana and Montana State both at home in the same season for the first time since 1999. Montana makes its first appearance in Portland since 2010 while Montana State comes to town for the first time since 2011.
• PSU plays a Conference USA opponent for the first time in its history (North Texas).
• Portland State plays at Northern Colorado on Nov. 7. The Vikings are 3-0 in Big Sky games in Greeley, CO. Oddly, the Vikings have lost their last two home games to the Bears.
• This is the sixth time that Portland State has played at least two FBS level programs in the same season (the Vikings played three in 2006).
• Due to the 13-team Big Sky Conference, Portland State plays three teams it did not see in 2014: Montana, Northern Colorado and Southern Utah. The Vikings see four other opponents cycle off its schedule in 2015: Northern Arizona, UC Davis, Sacramento State and Weber State.
• The 2015 NCAA I FCS playoffs, which includes 24 teams, begin on Nov. 28.
 
CHALLENGES TO OVERCOME FOR 2015
With just one winning record and one .500 season in the past eight years, Portland State football will try to turn some things around under new Head Coach Bruce Barnum. To do so, the Vikings will need to reverse some recent trends. Here are some targets for 2015:
 
TURNOVER MARGIN: Giveaways and takeaways were a point of contention for the Vikings in 2014 with too many of the former (26) and not enough of the latter (14). PSU ranked last in the league in turnover margin at -12 (-1.0 per game)... PSU allowed 141 points off turnovers, while getting just 65 off forced turnovers.
 
RED ZONE PRODUCTION: Portland State made 37 trips to the red zone (inside the opponent's 20-yard line) last season. The Vikings scored on 28 trips (76%), but only 17 were touchdowns (46%). Conversely, opponents made 51 red zone trips, scoring 44 times (86%), including 32 touchdowns (63%).
 
PASS DEFENSE: It is tough to stop any offense in the dynamic Big Sky Conference. And modern passing attacks get better and better every year. However, the Vikings still need to improve their pass defense after struggling to slow opponent passing games the past three seasons, allowing 275.3, 288.7 and 282.3 yards per game. The 288.7 yards allowed in 2013 is the most in school history with last year's 282.3 ranking as second most.
 
FINISHING STRONG: The Vikings have given away a lot of big leads in recent seasons. Here is a list: 
Blown double-digit leads, 2012-14 (8, the first six were at home, last two on the road)
• (H) Sept. 22, 2012, PSU led Southern Utah, 28-13 with 2:00 to play in the second quarter, then lost 49-42.
• (H) Nov. 3, 2012, PSU led Northern Colorado 28-10 with 9:51 to play in the third quarter, then lost 32-28.
• (H) Nov. 17, 2012, PSU led Eastern Washington 26-14 with 6:23 to play in the third quarter, then lost 41-34.
• (H) Sept. 26, 2013, PSU led Cal Poly 21-7 at halftime, then lost 38-34.
• (H) Nov. 16, 2013, PSU led Sacramento State 21-10 at halftime, then lost 43-42.
• (H) Nov. 23, 2013, PSU led Eastern Washington 21-7 at halftime, then lost 42-41.
• (R) Oct. 11, 2014, PSU led North Dakota 13-3 at halftime, then lost 24-16.
• (R) Nov. 15, 2014, PSU led Sacramento State, 41-31 with 6:29 left in the third quarter, then lost 48-41.
 
KNOCKING OFF THE FAVORITE: Portland State has lost 21 straight games to nationally-ranked teams dating to the 2008 season. The Vikings figure to play at least three nationally-ranked teams in 2015.
 
THIS STATE IS NO TREASURE FOR THE VIKINGS: Portland State has had little success against Treasure State (Montana) teams during the past decade. Portland State has lost eight straight games to the University of Montana, and 12 of the last 13 meetings. PSU's last win over fourth-ranked Montana was a 35-32 decision in Portland in 2004. The Vikings have lost eight in a row and 11 of 12 to Montana State. PSU's last win over ninth-ranked Montana State was 44-41 in 2005… in 2015, the Vikings get a chance to end both of those losing streaks at Providence Park. The Bobcats visit on Oct. 17, while the Grizzlies come to town on Oct. 31.
 
VIKING ONE-LINERS (and sometimes two)
• SO RB Steven Long had brain surgery in April 2013 to remove an infectious lesion. Early on the morning of April 25, Long suffered seizures in his dorm room at Portland State. The alert action of roommate and teammate Adam Futter soon had Steven on the way to the hospital. Long had surgery on April 28 and, miraculously, made it back on the field for the opening of practice in August. Long's father, Jeff, played at Portland State from 1978-81.
• JR CB Xavier Coleman overcame a heart condition to play college football. In high school he was diagnosed with a heart condition following his freshman season and told he could no longer play football due to the high level of contact. Coleman was still allowed to compete in basketball and track. Prior to his senior year, Coleman's condition worsened and he was told he needed heart surgery to, essentially, repair a leaky valve. The surgery was done at Stanford and his doctor told him he would be able to return to football if he chose, six months after it was completed. Coleman was finally given the go-ahead to play late in his senior season at Jesuit High School. He competed in the final two regular season games and four playoff games. On that brief career, he was given a scholarship to play football at PSU. Coleman became a starter late in his freshman season and has not given up the role since.
• JR DT Savali Talalemotu is from Saipan. He attended high school in Beaverton as there was no high school football in Saipan, living with his uncle, Ina. Ina Talalemotu played on Portland State's Division II national runner-up teams in 1987 and 1988. Savali played only one season of high school football.
• SR DE Sadat Sulleyman was born in Accra, Ghana. He has also lived in Europe and New York.
• JR DE Michael Doman is one of 16 children in his family - 13 boys and three girls. He is also married (Julianne) and has two sons, Dee (2) and Carder (1).
• Like Doman, both SO WR Josh Kraght (Jessie) and JR QB Alex Kuresa (Madison) got married in the past year. Alex and Madison recently had a baby daughter (Kalisi Mei).
• SO OL Chad Bach and SR S Walter Santiago are projected starters for the Vikings in 2015 after each sitting out 2014 due to injuries. Bach is coming back from a knee injury, while Santiago suffered a broken collarbone.
• SR WR Thomas Carter III, SR RB David Jones and SO WR Josh Kraght all came to Portland State as quarterbacks. Kraght played in six games at QB in 2014.
• SO WR Stevie Coury and SO RB Steven Long were teammates on Lake Oswego (OR) High School's state championship team in 2012. Coury's father, Steve, was the head coach.
• FR LB AJ Schlatter is a legacy at Portland State. His mother, Terri Jo, played on the Vikings 1984 National Championship volleyball team, then coached at PSU until 1992. His father, Jim, coached football at PSU in the 1980s. And his sister, Garyn, was an All-Conference volleyball player at PSU.
• JR TE Cam Sommer's older brother, Carl, played defensive end at Portland State (2009-11).
• SO RB Rey Vega has written, sung, mixed and filmed numerous songs (look him up on You Tube).
• Portland State has 15 players that were formerly members of FBS programs.
• SR QB Kieran McDonagh placed eighth in the balloting for the 2012 Jerry Rice Award, given to the nation's top freshman football player at the NCAA I FCS level. McDonagh averaged 235.7 yards of total offense per game. He completed 171 of 314 passes for 2,187 yards, 14 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. McDonagh ran 89 times for 406 yards and nine touchdowns.
• JR P/K Marcus Kinsella is a native of Australia. He follows Thomas Duyndam, the first Australian ever to play for PSU. Duyndam was a four-year starter at punter (2009-12).
• Portland State had a pair of former players meet in the Super Bowl for the first time in history in February 2014. TE Julius Thomas ('10, Denver) and DB DeShawn Shead ('11, Seattle) both played in Super Bowl XLVIII. Shead returned to the Super Bowl in 2015 with the Seahawks. He joins Clint Didier and Ted Popson as former Vikings with Super Bowl rings. Thomas was named a Pro Bowl tight end in 2013 and 2014. In the off-season, he signed the richest tight end contract in the NFL to play for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
• Offensive coordinator Steve Cooper, who played at Portland State (2007-08), has now been an assistant under three head coaches - Jerry Glanville, Nigel Burton and Bruce Barnum. He has a degree in Philosophy - somewhat uncommon in the football world. His sister is an up-and-coming singer on the national scene.
• Special teams coordinator and running backs coach Nick Whitworth was Bruce Barnum's first recruit when he was working at Idaho State.
• Offensive line coach AC Patterson's father, Andre, is a long-time NFL coach currently working with the Minnesota Vikings.