complete notes and stats in pdf
 
^#24 PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (1-0) vs. ^#23 IDAHO STATE BENGALS (1-0)
Game 2 • Saturday, September 12, 2015, 3:05 p.m. PT • Holt Arena (12,000), Pocatello, ID
 
TELEVISION: None
RADIO: Rip City Radio 620 AM (KPOJ), www.ripcityradio.com • Pregame Show: 2 p.m. • Play-by-play: Tom Hewitt • Analyst: Mike Lund
INTERNET: Live video stream: www.GoViks.com • Live stats: www.ViksLive.com, www.ViksMobile.com
 
THE SERIES RECORD: Vikings vs. Bengals
All-Time Series: Idaho State leads 24-15-1 • The series is tied 10-10 in Portland • Idaho State leads 14-5-1 in Pocatello
Big Sky Conference Series: PSU leads 10-9 • Idaho State leads 6-3 in Pocatello • Portland State leads 7-3 in Portland
 
Big Sky Conference games
Nov. 16, 1996: ISU 31-12 @ Portland
Nov. 15, 1997: ISU 26-24 @ Pocatello
Sept. 26, 1998: ISU 43-41 @ Portland
Oct. 9, 1999: PSU 52-13 @ Pocatello
Oct. 14, 2000: PSU 59-21 @ Portland
Oct. 13, 2001: ISU 23-17 @ Pocatello
Nov. 2, 2002: PSU 27-24 @ Portland
Nov. 1, 2003: ISU 30-20 @ Pocatello
Nov. 6, 2004: PSU 42-21 @ Portland
Nov. 5, 2005: ISU 36-34 @ Pocatello
Oct. 14, 2006: PSU 34-13 @ Portland
Oct. 20, 2007: ISU 38-20 @ Pocatello
Oct. 25, 2008: PSU 36-13 @ Portland
Nov. 14, 2009: ISU 41-34 @ Pocatello
Oct. 2, 2010: PSU 38-3 @ Portland
Oct. 1, 2011: PSU 42-35 @ Pocatello
Oct. 6, 2012: PSU 77-10 @ Portland
Nov. 9, 2013: PSU 38-31 @ Pocatello
Nov. 1, 2014: ISU 31-13 @ Portland
 
LAST YEAR, Nov. 1, 2014: Idaho State 31, Portland State 13
      Idaho State picked up its first win over Portland State in five seasons, taking advantage of five interceptions, six total turnovers and 13 penalties by the Vikings.
      Bengals quarterback Justin Arias led the offense, completing 28 of 48 passes for 319 yards and two touchdowns. In all, the Bengals had 430 yards of offense to 424 for the Vikings. PSU actually held the Bengals far below their total offense average (at that point of the season) of 580 yards.
      But PSU's turnovers - including two interceptions in the endzone - were back-breakers.
      Wide receiver Kasey Closs had a big game for the Vikings with nine receptions for 139 yards and a touchdown.
 
VIKINGS, BENGALS GET EARLY START TO BIG SKY SEASON
The Portland State Vikings will try to put behind them the hangover of perhaps the biggest win in  school history and focus on their Big Sky Conference-opening opponent Idaho State this Saturday.
     
The Vikings come off a landmark 24-17 win at Washington State last Saturday and now jump right into Big Sky play. PSU, which was surprised with a number-24 national ranking on Monday morning, now faces the 23rd-ranked Bengals in Pocatello this Saturday in a 3:05 p.m. PT game. It will air on Rip City Radio 620 AM and www.ripcityradio.com. A live video stream and live stats can be found at GoViks.com.
     
The Bengals also got a season-opening win last Saturday - a 55-0 decision over Black Hills State at Holt Arena. They will try to back up a strong 8-4 campaign of a year ago during which ISU beat the Vikings, 31-13, in Portland. Prior to last year's Bengal win, the Vikings had won four straight in the series. PSU has won its last two trips to Holt Arena in exciting fashion; 42-35 in 2011 and 38-31 in 2013.
     
For Portland State, it will be the second straight road game following a long bus ride. But that played little effect in Pullman as PSU had the second-half stamina to outscore the Cougars, 24-7, wiping out a 10-0 deficit. PSU looks for back-to-back wins for the first time since the 2013 season and the first win over a nationally-ranked program since 2008.
     
After a bye week, the Vikings will finally open at home on Sept. 26 against Western Oregon. The game is at Providence Park. PSU hosts its first Big Sky home game on Oct. 3 against North Dakota at Hillsboro Stadium.

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SOME SAMPLES OF VIKINGS IN THE MEDIA THE PAST TWO DAYSSTORYLINES AND SERIES HISTORY
• In 2014, Idaho State beat the Vikings for the first time in five seasons. It was also the first win by the Bengals in Portland since 1998 (seven straight losses).
• PSU has won in its last two trips to Pocatello.
• Idaho State was 8-4 last season. The eight wins matched the combined win total from the last five seasons.
• Bengal Coach Mike Kramer has faced the Vikings 17 times with three different schools (7-10 overall). He was named the Big Sky Conference Coach of the Year in 2014.
• Viking Coach Bruce Barnum spent nine seasons at Idaho State (1998-2006) - his longest tenure at any school. He was offensive coordinator for the Bengals from 2001-06.
• The teams have met 40 times in the last 50 years and the last 19 years in a row.
• ISU Offensive coordinator Don Bailey was a quarterback at Portland State in 1989-90.
• Xavier Finney is the top returning rusher in the Big Sky Conference. He carried the ball 259 times for 1,495 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2014. Also returning is wide receiver Madison Mangum, who had 83 receptions for 1,234 yards and 10 TDs.

SCOUTING THE BENGALS
Idaho State comes off an 8-4 season, 6-2 in the Big Sky Conference in 2014. It marked the Bengals best year since the early 2000s. The eight wins matched the team's combined total from the previous five seasons.
     
The Bengals lost star quarterback Justin Arias to graduation. But running back Xavier Finney (259-1,495-14) and receivers Madison Mangum (83-1,234-10) and KW Williams (65-922-10) return.
     
New starting quarterback Michael Sanders had little trouble in the team's season opener, completing 15-18 passes for 278 yards and five touchdowns. ISU ripped Black Hills State, 55-0, compiling 710 yards of offense, with 332 on the ground and 378 through the air. The Bengals limited Black Hills State to only 155 yards of offense.
 
SPOILS OF VICTORY INCLUDE NATIONAL RANKING FOR PSU
More of the spoils of victory came to Portland State football on Monday morning when the Vikings were ranked 24th in the nation in the Stats Inc. FCS Poll. It marks the first time the PSU program has been nationally-ranked since the final week of the 2011 season (25th). Prior to that, PSU was last ranked in the first week of the 2007 season.
     
Despite beating Washington State 24-17 on Saturday, the Vikings are a bit of a surprise in the poll as they received no votes in the preseason poll. Still, it is a nice bouquet of flowers for a team of Vikings who disproved the doubters in Pullman on Saturday afternoon.
     
Portland State is one of six teams in the powerhouse Big Sky Conference ranked in the top 25, with two others close behind among those receiving votes. Eastern Washington is ranked seventh, Montana is ranked eighth, Montana State is 11th, Cal Poly is 18th, Idaho State is 23rd and the Vikings are 24th. Close behind are Northern Arizona (26th) and North Dakota (29th). Sacramento State and Southern Utah also received votes.
     
The Top 25 in the FCS is a jumble at best. Among the 144 voters, 10 different teams received first-place votes, including three from the Big Sky. Sam Houston State narrowly took the top spot, followed closely by North Dakota State and Coastal Carolina.
 
SIBLEY NAMED BIG SKY DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Cornerback Aaron Sibley's big plays made a big impact as Portland State upset Washington State, 24-17, on Saturday in Pullman, WA. As a result, Sibley was named the Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Week.
     
A senior from Decatur, GA, Sibley made four tackles, including one for loss and broke up a pass. But his biggest plays of the day were a blocked field goal in the second quarter and a game-sealing interception in the final minute of play. The blocked field goal came after Washington State had driven 93 yards on 20 plays and kept the score at 3-0. The interception came after PSU took a 24-17 lead with 2:19 to play. The Cougars were driving for a tying score inside the final minute.
     
Sibley was part of a Viking defense that shut down the Cougar offense in the second half after PSU trailed 10-0 at halftime. That allowed the Vikings to outscore WSU 24-7 in the second half for the come-from-behind win. PSU gave up only 137 yards after halftime, and the total of 17 points allowed were the second-fewest ever by an FBS opponent against Portland State.
     
Sibley has been a starting at cornerback throughout his Viking career. He has three career interceptions, five career takeaways and 11 career pass breakups. Sibley is the first Viking to win a Big Sky Player of the Week honor since 2013.
 
BIGGEST WIN IN VIKING HISTORY? A LITTLE PERSPECTIVE
Immediately following the Vikings landmark football victory over Washington State on Saturday afternoon in the Palouse, the question was pondered, "is it the biggest win in school history?" The answer? A resounding, "Maybe!"
     
Portland State beat the Cougars, 24-17, in the Palouse in come-from-behind fashion, outscoring WSU 24-7 in the second half. It was an epic victory and just the third in PSU history over a Football Bowl Subdivision program. All three of those wins can make a claim as best ever. One could even make a case for a regular-season ending win over Cal State Northridge in 2000 (49-22) that vaulted the PSU program to its first-ever NCAA I FCS playoff appearance.
     
Not to take anything away from Portland State's NCAA II national-ranked and contending programs from 1986-95, this evaluation comes from PSU's 20 years as an NCAA I FCS program.
     
On Sept. 9, 2000, Portland State traveled to Honolulu to take on a strong University of Hawai'i program led by, coincidentally, former Viking great June Jones. The Vikings, under the guidance of Tim Walsh, came away with a 45-20 victory - the first ever by PSU over an FBS school. That win came in the middle of the night east coast time and after midnight on the west coast. Though it got a lot of recognition, it probably never received its due. The Warriors were coming off a 9-4 season and an Oahu Bowl win over Oregon State. Alas they had a down season that year (3-9) in the middle of five great bowl-appearance seasons.
     
By the end of the year, PSU was 8-3 (following that win over Cal State Northridge) and on its way to the NCAA playoffs.
     
Six years later, the Vikings opened its 2006 campaign at the University of New Mexico and came away 17-6 winners over the Lobos. Walsh's Vikings stymied the New Mexico offense, holding it without a touchdown. PSU went on to have the top defense in the Big Sky that season as well as the league's Defensive Player of the Year in Adam Hayward. PSU went 7-4, and tied for second in the Big Sky at 6-2. The Lobos went on to a 6-6 record and a bowl game.
     
That brings us to yesterday's upset at a soggy and cold Martin Stadium in Pullman. It marked the first win ever by a PSU team over a Pac-12 program or any "prestige" conference, in 15 tries. Portland State's comeback from a 10-0 halftime deficit was exciting and inspiring to the Viking faithful.
     
One thing is certain, in an age of instant social media and nationally-televised games (PSU's win over Hawaii was televised only in the Portland area, New Mexico was not televised), the Viking win will be the most viewed, remembered and discussed. It gives Portland State a landmark win that can easily be referenced and will not soon be forgotten. In that regard, it is the biggest win in school history.
     
In the end, the win over Wazzu is just one game and one win in an 11-game season. The Viking team will need to make that victory stand up as it begins Big Sky Conference play this Saturday at Idaho State, and down the road in home games against teams the likes of Montana State (Oct. 17) and Montana (Oct. 31).
     
Big win? Yes. Exciting season ahead? We certainly hope so.
 
VIKINGS vs. NATIONALLY-RANKED TEAMS
Portland State faces the first of possibly four or five nationally-ranked opponents of the season when it takes on #23 Idaho State. PSU will try to reverse an ugly trend as it has lost 21 straight games to nationally-ranked teams. The last win over a ranked team was a 47-36 victory over #11 Eastern Washington in 2008.
     
The Vikings are 14-38 all-time (since 1996) against NCAA I FCS ranked teams. PSU is 10-15 at home, 4-23 on the road.
 
QUICK SNAPS (SUSTAINABLE AND RECYCLABLE)
 
WINS, LOSSES, AND THE BIG SKY
• Portland State is 1-0 on the season, 0-0 at home, 1-0 on the road.
• Portland State is in its 20th season at the NCAA I FCS level (1996-2015). PSU is 96-117 in all games at the FCS level. PSU is 63-39 in home games since moving to the NCAA I level, 33-78 on the road.
• The Vikings are in their 20th season as a member of the Big Sky Conference. 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.
• The Vikings have eight winning records in 19 years as a member of the Big Sky Conference.
• 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.
• SR WR Thomas Carter III has the most experience, playing in 36 career games. SR WR Alex Toureen (34), and SR CB Aaron Sibley (33) rank second and third... players with the most career starts are SR LS Kameron Canaday (30) and SR QB Kieran McDonagh (29), followed by SR CB Aaron Sibley (28) and JR OL Kyle Smith (25).
 
A SATISFYING SATURDAY: Bruce Barnum had the best coaching debut ever by a Viking Coach when his team knocked off Washington State of the Pac-12, 24-17. Perhaps most satisfying was, after being outplayed in the first half, the Vikings came back from a 10-0 deficit for the win on the road. It was a first-ever win over a Pac-12 program and only the third win ever over an FBS team. PSU had lost 12 straight to FBS opponents.
 
DYNAMIC DUO LEADS A DYNAMIC RUN GAME: JR QB Alex Kuresa's starting debut was also impressive. He led the team back from 10 points down to a huge Viking victory. Kuresa had a game-high 92 yards rushing on 16 carries, and completed 7-12 passes for 61 yards. Joining him behind center was JR Utility QB Paris Penn (who also set up at other positions in the formation). Penn rushed 13 times for 57 yards and a touchdown... three Viking tailbacks made big contributions as PSU rushed 48 times for 233 yards and three touchdowns: SR RB David Jones had seven carries for 36 yards, JR RB Nate Tago had three carries for 28 yards and a score, and SO RB Steven Long rushed eight times for 22 yards and the game-winning touchdown with 2:19 to play.
 
CLEAN PLAY: Turnovers troubled the Vikings in 2014, leaving the team with a -12 turnover margin - worst in the Big Sky Conference. Against WSU, the Vikings did not turn the ball over, and forced two, including a decisive interception by SR CB Aaron Sibley in the final minute of the game.
 
A NICE TURNAROUND: After coughing up double-digit leads after halftime eight times in the last three seasons (including twice in 2014), the Vikings flipped the script against Washington State. PSU trailed 10-0 at halftime, but came back with a 24-7 second half, finally taking the lead in the fourth quarter on the way to a 24-17 win.
 
BARNUM'S SPECIAL TEAMS PROMISE NOT HOLLOW: Through spring football and pre-season camp, Head Coach Bruce Barnum emphasized that the Vikings special teams would not be an after-thought. They would, in fact, impact the game this season. That promise came true at Washington State. First-year Special Teams Coordinator Nick Whitworth had strong play on all of his teams... JR P Marcus Kinsella averaged 46 yards per boot and pinned the Cougars inside the 20 three times... JR K Jonathan Gonzales had a crucial 42-yard field goal to tie the game late in the third quarter... 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 in the second quarter after WSU had driven 93 yards.
 
BEND, DON'T BREAK: Portland State's defense gave up 274 yards of offense in the first half, but found a way to hold the Cougars to only 10 points. In the second half, the Vikings allowed just 137 yards and one score. The 17 points given up were the second-fewest PSU has ever allowed an FBS program in 35 games.
 
SENIOR LEADERSHIP: SR CB Aaron Sibley had a big game for the Vikings. He made four tackles, including one for a loss, but more importantly blocked a field goal and made the game-sealing interception in the final minute of the game. It was Sibley's third career interception and fifth career takeaway.
 
OTHER BIG GAMES:
• SR LB Jeremy Lutali, nine tackles, one pass breakup
• SR FS Patrick Onwuasor, eight tackles, one tackle for loss
• JR DT Savali Talalemotu, five tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, one sack, forced fumble