Complete notes and stats in pdf

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PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (2-3, 1-1) vs. WEBER STATE WILDCATS (2-2, 1-0)
Saturday, October 8, 2016, 5 p.m. PT • Stewart Stadium (17,500), Ogden, UT

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TV: None
RADIO: Rip City Radio 620 AM, www.ripcityradio.com • Pregame Show: 4 p.m. • Play-by-play: Tom Hewitt • Analyst: Mike Lund
INTERNET: Live video stream: www.GoViks.com/Live • Live stats: www.ViksLive.com
 
THE SERIES RECORD: VIKINGS vs. WILDCATS
All-Time Series: Weber State leads 20-14 • Portland State leads 9-8 in Portland • Weber State leads 12-5 in Ogden
Big Sky Series: Weber State leads 10-8 • Weber State leads 5-4 in Portland • Weber State leads 5-4 in Ogden
 
LAST MEETING, Oct. 25, 2014: Portland State 30, Weber State 17
Portland State rushed for 303 yards and did not commit a turnover, dominating play with a possession time of 40:18. Steven Long ran for 118 yards, while Kieran McDonagh passed for two TDs and rushed for a third.
 
The Viking defense forced three turnovers including interceptions by Xavier Coleman and Chevy Walker.
           
Jonathan Gonzales kicked three field goals for PSU.
 
VIKINGS TRAVEL TO WEBER STATE LOOKING FOR A STREAK
It would be a modest achievement, but the Portland State Vikings travel to play Weber State this Saturday looking for their first winning streak of the 2016 season. PSU comes off a 45-20 win over Idaho State last Saturday to improve to 2-3 on the season, 1-1 in the Big Sky. If the Vikings can beat the Wildcats this week it would be two in a row for the first time since late in the 2015 season.
     
The Vikings and the Wildcats (2-2, 1-0) will meet in a 6 p.m. MT/5 p.m. PT game at Stewart Stadium in Ogden. It marks their first meeting since 2014. PSU won that game, 30-17, also in Ogden. The Vikings have won two straight in the series but had lost five in a row prior to that. Weber State leads the Big Sky Conference series, 10-8.
     
PSU is coming off its best performance of the season. The Vikings set a school record with 531 yards rushing in the win over Idaho State. They also allowed the fewest points (20) and yards (370) of the season while winning the turnover battle, 2-0.
     
Portland State will be playing its fourth road game in five weeks, while Weber State had a week off prior to this week's game. PSU is 0-3 on the road this season.
     
With a 1-1 Big Sky Conference record the Vikings are in a six-way tie for fifth place in the 13-team league. A win over the Wildcats would move them up to at least fourth place.
     
For the second week in a row, the Vikings are unranked but among those receiving votes in the STATS FCS Top 25 poll.
     
This week's game is not televised, but a live video stream will be available at www.GoViks.com/Live. The radio broadcast is on Rip City Radio 620 AM and www.ripcityradio.com. The pregame show begins at 4 p.m. PT.
 
STORYLINES AND SERIES HISTORY
• Weber State is the second of five Big Sky Conference opponents to have a bye week prior to facing the Vikings.
• Portland State has won the last two meetings, but the teams did not play in 2015.
• Weber State leads the all-time series, 20-14, and the Big Sky series, 10-8.
• The Wildcats led the Big Sky Conference in total defense in 2015, allowing 346.9 yards per game.
• The 2007 meeting between the teams in Portland is the highest-scoring Division I regulation football game in college history with Weber State winning, 73-68. Amazingly, that was NOT the most points by either team in the series. Weber State earned a 74-6 win in 1965. A Mouse Davis-coached Portland State team won 75-0 in 1980. A 65-43 win by the Vikings in 2001 in Portland was the highest-scoring game in PSU history by two teams, combined, until the 2007 contest.
 
SCOUTING THE WILDCATS
Weber State is 2-2 this season and comes off a bye week. The Wildcats have won their last two games over Big Sky Conference opponents. The first was a 14-7 victory over Sacramento State in a non-conference meeting, then a 38-35 win at UC Davis in the league opener. WSU nearly had a third win, opening a 21-point lead in week two over South Dakota before losing in overtime, 52-49.
     
Head Coach Jay Hill is in his third season at Weber State and has a 10-17 record. He is 8-7 over the last two seasons.
     
The Wildcats average 26.8 points and 400.2 yards per game. They give up 34.8 points and 417.2 yards per game. Weber State has committed eight turnovers while forcing four.
     
Quarterback Jadrian Clark has completed 83-133 passes for 975 yards, six interceptions and four touchdowns. He also has 127 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Cam Livingston leads the team with 20 receptions for 205 yards. Andrew Vollert has made 19 catches for 307 yards and two touchdowns.
     
Treshawn Garrett leads the running game with 83 carries for 397 yards and three touchdowns.
     
Landon Stice has a team-high 42 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, and has returned an interception for touchdown this season. Linebacker Tre'von Johnson has 38 tackles, five tackles for loss and a fumble recovery.
     
The Wildcat defense allows only 172 passing yards per game, the fewest in the Big Sky Conference, while giving up 245 yards per game on the ground.
 
QUICK SNAPS: SUSTAINABLE AND RECYCLABLE
 
WINS, LOSSES, AND THE BIG SKY
• Portland State is 2-3 on the season, 2-0 at home, 0-3 on the road.
• PSU is going after back-to-back winning seasons in 2016 for the first time since 2005 and 2006 (6-5, 7-4).
• Portland State was 9-3 in 2015, 4-2 at home, 5-1 on the road. It was PSU's best record ever at the FCS level (1978-80, 1996-2016). Portland State's three losses came by a total of 17 points.
• Portland State is playing its 24th season at the NCAA I FCS level (1978-80 (1-AA), 1996-2016). PSU is 125-137 in all games at the 1-AA/FCS level.
• In 21 seasons since moving back to FCS and the Big Sky Conference (1996-2016), PSU is 106-123, 69-41 in home games, 37-82 on the road.
• As a member of the Big Sky Conference (1996-2016) PSU is 69-88 all-time in league games, 42-37 at home, 27-51 on the road.
• The Vikings have nine winning records in its previous 20 years as a member of the Big Sky Conference.
• Bruce Barnum (2015-16, 7-3 Big Sky, 11-6 overall) 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 have tied for second five times (four under Walsh and in 2015 under Barnum). PSU made its second NCAA FCS playoff appearance (also 2000).
 
BACK TO DOING WHAT THE VIKINGS DO BEST: That is: 1) Run the football; 2) Play good defense; 3) Win the turnover battle... Portland State's 45-20 victory over Idaho State on Saturday afternoon at Providence Park was both familiar and odd. But a much-needed victory nonetheless. The Vikings picked up their first conference win doing the things that made them so good in 2015: running the ball with dominance, playing good defense and winning the turnover battle. In fact, the Vikings set a school record with 531 rushing yards on 58 carries. After allowing an initial touchdown drive by the Bengals, the PSU defense forced six straight punts, followed by an Xavier Coleman interception. And the Vikings had their first game without a turnover this season, while forcing two by the Bengals... the odd? Well, Portland State did not complete a pass, attempting only five in the game. But in this one, why bother when you are averaging well over 10 yards per rushing play into the second half. In the end, the Vikings averaged a remarkable 9.2 yards per carry... among the five passes attempted, two were thrown away after quarterback Alex Kuresa was pressured, and two were dropped by receivers. But the Vikings had little concern about their passing game in the win. In four previous games, the Vikings had averaged 25 pass attempts and over 220 passing yards per game. The zero passing yards was more a function of what was working; and that was the run game.
 
RUNNING FREE:
• PSU set a school record with 531 rushing yards against Idaho State. Four of the Vikings' top eight rushing games in history have been against the Bengals and come in the last six years (2016, 531; 2012, 437; 2011, 436; 395 in 2013).
• The Vikings came within eight yards of the Big Sky Conference rushing record (539).
• SR RB Nate Tago had a career-high 199 rushing yards and SR RB Paris Penn had a career-high 184 rushing yards. SR QB Alex Kuresa was actually over 100 rushing yards before he lost yardage on a play in the third quarter and had to settle for 92 yards.
• The Vikings rushed for six touchdowns with five of over 20 yards. SR RB Paris Penn rushed for a career-best four scores (22, 24, 4 and 56). SR RB Nate Tago had a 72-yard TD run and SR QB Alex Kuresa had a 69-yard scoring burst.
 
TURNOVER TURNAROUND: After a brutal stretch of 15 turnovers in three games, the Vikings turned things around against Idaho State. PSU had its first turnover-free game while forcing two Bengals TOs... still the turnover tables are not pretty for the Vikings this season. PSU has 16 turnovers for 52 opponent points. The Vikings have forced five turnovers for three points... last season when the Vikings forced 28 TOs while committing only 15.
 
THE GUY WITH THE COOL NAME: SR TE Maximo Espitia (eh-SPEETH-ee-uh) has become a key element of the Viking offense following his transfer from California. Espitia, a graduate transfer, is making the most of his one season of remaining eligibility. He had a career-high seven receptions for 138 yards at Southern Utah (9/24). Espitia leads the team with 17 receptions for 334 yards and two touchdowns this season. He averages over 20 yards per catch. At 6-2, 235, Espitia is listed as a tight end, but he often lines up in the slot or split wide.
 
YOUTH SHALL SERVE: Portland State has played six true freshman on defense this season. Those six have played in part due to numerous injuries on the Viking defense... they include starting DT Anthony Del Toro, DE Kenton Bartlett, DT Sione Taumoe'anga, CB Montre Brown, LB Devin Thompson and LB Mason Vega... the Vikings are also playing true freshmen TE Charlie Taumoepeau and LS Riley Shackelford.
 
WE SAY, SEISAY: JR WR/CB Chris Seisay has moved over to the defensive side of the ball the last two games, mainly due to injuries. Seisay played cornerback at Oregon for two seasons, including starting games in the Rose Bowl and the National Championship. When he came to the Vikings he was put at wide receiver, a position he dominated at in high school. But he may just stay on the defensive side of the ball. After two games, Seisay has 14 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and three pass breakups.
 
NO RETURN POLICY: Portland State SR P Marcus Kinsella is averaging only 38.7 yards per punt this season, down from 40.9 last season. But much of that is due to directional punting and keeping the football away from opposing return men. As a result, the Vikings have allowed only two return yards and have a net average of 37.0.
 
THE GREAT GONZO: SR K Jonathan Gonzales has made all three field goal attempts this season. He has made 33-43 in his career and is now second all-time at PSU in field goals made and is first in percentage (.767)... Gonzales is 20-20 on extra points this season and 103-104 in his career, for a school record .990 mark... with 203 career points in less than three seasons, Gonzales ranks 10th all-time in scoring at PSU.
 
X MARKS THE SPOT: Opposing offenses have stayed away from SR CB Xavier Coleman for the most part this season. And why not? Last year, he had five interceptions and 13 pass breakups and was listed as a preseason All-American by four media services this year. Against Idaho State, Coleman made the eighth interception of his career. He also broke up a pass for his third this season and the 30th of his career - second all-time at Portland State.
 
SLASH LINE: In baseball the line for a hitter that includes batting average/on-base percentage/slugging percentage/OPS is called a slash line. There isn't such a thing as a slash line in football, but if there was, JR DE Davond Dade's would already look pretty good. So far this season, he has 20 tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack, a forced fumble, an interception and a blocked kick.
 
OFFENSIVE HIGHLIGHTS
• SR QB Alex Kuresa has set new career highs of 133 rushing yards and 397 yards of total offense at Southern Utah (9/24).
• SR RB Nate Tago rushed for a career-high 199 yards and a touchdown against Idaho State (10/1). He had a career-high three TDs against Central Washington (9/3).
• SR RB Paris Penn rushed for career highs of 184 yards and four touchdowns against Idaho State (10/1). He leads the team with seven touchdowns this season.
• PSU has rushed for 200+ yards in four of five games. The Vikings had eight 200+ rushing games in 2015 (averaging 250.6 per game on the ground overall). PSU has rushed for 200+ yards per game for six straight seasons heading into 2016.
 
DEFENSIVE HIGHLIGHTS
• The Viking defense allowed the fewest yards (370) and points (20) this season against Idaho State (10/1), had eight pass breakups and forced two turnovers (SR DE Michael Doman forced and recovered a fumble on a sack, Xavier Coleman with an interception).
• SR LB Anthony McNichols had a career-high 13 tackles at Washington (9/17). For the season, he has made 36 tackles and three tackles for loss to lead the team.
 
SPECIAL TEAMS HIGHLIGHTS
• JR DE Davond Dade blocked a first-quarter field goal attempt by Central Washington (9/3).
• PSU successfully converted a fake punt against San Jose State (9/10) with SR RB Nate Tago completing a 43-yard pass to SR TE Maximo Espitia.
• JR WR Trent Riley blocked a punt against San Jose State (9/10) in the fourth quarter. It was recovered and returned 25 yards by SO CB Artuz Manning.
• SR P Marcus Kinsella booted a career-best 67-yard punt at Southern Utah (9/24).
• SR K Jonathan Gonzales is perfect on field goals (3-3) and extra points (20-20) this season.
 
MILESTONES
• SR RB Nate Tago passed 1,000 career rushing yards in the game with Central Washington (9/3). He now has 1,416 career yards and 17 career touchdowns on 289 carries. Tago has played in 37 games with nine starts.
• SR QB Alex Kuresa went over 2,000 career passing yards in the game with Central Washington (9/3). He has 2,744 passing yards in 17 games as a Viking. Kuresa has completed 175-329 passes with 22 touchdowns and 15 interceptions... Kuresa passed 1,000 career rushing yards at Southern Utah (9/24). In 16 career games, he has 226 carries for 1,124 yards and 10 touchdowns rushing.
• SR RB Nate Tago has passed 1,000 career kickoff return yards (1,048) and ranks eighth all-time at PSU.
 
VETERANS: Portland State has a less experienced roster than last season. These are the guys who have played and started the most games in their careers:
• Most games played: SR CB Xavier Coleman, 39; SR OL Cam Keizur, 38; SR DT Savali Talalemotu, 38; SR RB Nate Tago, 37; SR WR Darnell Adams, 34; SR P Marcus Kinsella, 33
• Most career starts: SR OL Cam Keizur, 35; SR CB Xavier Coleman, 29; SR K Jonathan Gonzales, 29; SR P Marcus Kinsella, 29; JR S Beau Duronslet, 19; SR DE Michael Doman, 18
• Consecutive starts: SR K Jonathan Gonzales, 29; SR P Marcus Kinsella, 29; SR CB Xavier Coleman, 22; SR QB Alex Kuresa, 17
 
GET ON THE BUS: AMERICANA TOUR, PART TWO: This season PSU anticipates bus trips to San Jose, CA, Seattle, Davis, CA and Sacramento. There will also be a bus ride home from Ogden, UT... the round trip to San Jose was a total of 1,340 miles. The ride included a stop off at Oregon Wildlife Safari and the obligatory In-and-Out Burger stop in Medford... the trip to Washington was a mere 358-mile round trip to Husky Stadium...  for the trip to Southern Utah, the Vikings flew to Las Vegas, then bussed up to Cedar City for the game with Southern Utah (171 miles). Not much of a bus ride (relatively speaking), but the Vikings had time to include the Criss Angel Show at the Luxor Hotel in LV upon arrival on Thursday night... That makes 1,869 bus miles so far for the Vikings... this week the Vikings will bus home from Weber State, a journey of 731 miles... Coach Barnum led his program on what he called the "Americana Tour" in 2015, which included bus rides to Pullman, WA, Pocatello, ID, San Luis Obispo, CA, and Cheney, WA. In all, the Vikings logged 4,394 bus miles and approximately 80 hours round trip to those four destinations (PSU also flew on two road trips). The Americana Tour included such things as dozens of on-bus movies, a stop to buy a lottery ticket on the way home from beating Washington State, a practice on Boise State's blue turf, a sight-seeing trip to Alcatraz (in which equipment manager Mike Haluska was left on the island… but soon retrieved), and a midnight McDonald's run at a lonely truck stop in eastern Oregon. In addition to the economy of the bus trips, Barnum contends the time together draws the Viking team closer.