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Game 2
PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (0-1) at ^#24 OREGON DUCKS (1-0)
Saturday, September 8, 11 a.m. • Autzen Stadium (54,000), Eugene, OR

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TELEVISION: Pac-12 Network • Play-by-play: Roxy Bernstein • Analyst: Anthony Herron • Sideline: Lewis Johnson
RADIO: Rip City Radio 620 AM, www.ripcityradio.com • Pregame Show: 10 a.m. • Play-by-play: Matt Richert • Analyst: Mike Lund
INTERNET: Live video stream: None • Live stats: www.Vikslive.com
 
Complete notes and stats in pdf
 
THE SERIES RECORD: VIKINGS vs. DUCKS
All-Time Series: Oregon leads 4-0 • Oregon leads 4-0 at Eugene
 
NATIONALLY-RANKED DUCKS NEXT UP FOR VIKINGS
The level of competition figures to rise for Portland State as the Vikings take on the 24th-ranked Oregon Ducks this Saturday in Eugene. That means PSU better be ready as it comes off a loss to another FBS team last week.
     
The Vikings got off to a good start but had a rough second half as it lost to Nevada in Reno on Friday, 72-19. As good as Nevada looked, Oregon is expected to be better. The Ducks defeated Bowling Green, 58-24, in their opener on Saturday at Autzen Stadium.
     
This week's game is the second of two "money" games against FBS opponents for the Vikings in their extremely challenging opening month. After playing NAIA College of Idaho on Sept. 15, the Vikings face Big Sky powerhouses Montana State, Idaho and Montana in succession, with the latter two games coming on the road. In all, the Vikings play four of six on the road in the first half of the season.
     
Portland State will be meeting Oregon for the fifth time in history. The Ducks have won the previous four - all at Autzen Stadium - and the most recent being a 69-0 decision in 2010.
     
After the loss to Nevada, PSU is 4-37 all-time against FBS programs. Head Coach Bruce Barnum led Portland State to two of those wins in 2015 over Washington State (24-17) and North Texas (66-7). Since then, the Vikings have lost five in a row to FBS teams.
     
Portland State fields a youthful squad that includes 57 true freshmen, redshirt freshmen and sophomores on the 93-player roster. The Vikings have 35 returning letterwinners and 12 returning starters. Against Nevada, 29 of the 55 players who saw field team were true freshmen, redshirt freshmen and sophomores.    
     
Saturday's game is televised on the Pac-12 Network. The radio broadcast is available at Rip City Radio 620 AM in the Portland area, and www.ripcityradio.com, with the pregame show at 10 a.m. Live stats can be found at www.ViksLive.com.
 
STORYLINES
• Portland State and Oregon will be meeting for the fifth time in history, with all the games played at Autzen Stadium.
• This is the second of two FBS opponents for the Vikings in 2018. They opened at Nevada on Aug. 31. It marks the fifth straight year that PSU will play two FBS teams in the same season and the ninth time overall (three in 2006).
• Portland State is 4-37 all-time against members of the FBS. Viking Head Coach Bruce Barnum is 2-5 against the FBS. He has never faced Oregon and is 1-2 against Pac-12 schools.
• Oregon Head Coach Mario Cristobal took over last December for the Las Vegas Bowl game against Boise State. The Ducks lost 38-28, however Cristobal was elevated from interim to the new Head Coach after the season. He won his Autzen Stadium debut last week over Bowling Green, 58-24.
 
SCOUTING THE DUCKS
Oregon is seeking a return to national prominence under new Head Coach Mario Cristobal. The Ducks started 2018 on a positive note with a win over Bowling Green and are ranked 24th in the nation this week.
     
Quarterback Justin Herbert is expected to lead Oregon this season. He completed 10-21 passes for 281 yards and five touchdowns and two interceptions against Bowling Green. The TD receptions averaged 42.6 yards in length. Herbert also had 41 rushing yards and a touchdown.
     
Oregon rushed for 212 yards in a group effort as eight different players had positive yards, led by 51 on 13 carries by CJ Verdell. Eight players combined to make 11 pass receptions. Jaylon Redd had two receptions for 81 yards and both were touchdowns (33 and 48 yards).
     
In all, Oregon had 504 yards of total offense to 389 for Bowling Green. The Ducks forced three turnovers but also committed three.
     
Defensive lineman Jalen Jelks led Oregon with nine tackles, including a sack and a fumble recovery. Linebacker Troy Dye had eight tackles and an interception. Safety Ugochukwu Amadi made five tackles with a sack and a 38-yard interception return for touchdown.
 
LAST MEETING, Sept. 18, 2010: ^#5 Oregon 69, Portland State 0
Oregon rushed for 528 yards on the way to 668 yards of total offense. LaMichael James had 227 yards and three touchdowns for the fifth-ranked Ducks.
     
The Vikings managed only 140 yards of offense and had five turnovers.
           
The 69-0 loss was the largest deficit in Portland State history. The attendance of 58,086 was the second-largest crowd in PSU history.
 
QUICK SNAPS
 
WINS, LOSSES, AND THE BIG SKY
• Portland State 0-1, 0-0 at home, 0-1 on the road.
• 2018 is Portland State's 26th season at the NCAA I FCS level (1978-80 (1-AA), 1996-2018). PSU is 126-153 in all games at the FCS/1-AA level.
• Now in its 23rd season since moving back to FCS and the Big Sky Conference (1996-2017), PSU is 107-140, 69-49 in home games, 38-91 on the road.
• As a member of the Big Sky Conference (1996-2017) PSU is 70-101 all-time in league games, 42-44 at home, 28-57 on the road.
• The Vikings have nine winning records in 22 years as a member of the Big Sky Conference.
• Bruce Barnum (2015-16, 8-16 Big Sky, 12-23 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 times under Walsh and in 2015 under Barnum). PSU has made two NCAA FCS playoff appearances (2000, 2015).
• PSU's best record ever at the FCS level was 9-3 in 2015 (4-2 at home, 5-1 on the road).
 
SOME NUMBERS THAT NEED ERASING: Portland State went 9-2 in the regular season in 2015. But, it has been a rough road as the Vikings are 3-21 since their 2015 NCAA playoff loss.
• Included in the last 24 games are an NCAA playoff loss, five losses to FBS opponents, an overtime loss, and six losses by a touchdown or less.
• The Vikings have lost 14 in a row dating to 2016. They have lost eight straight home games and eight straight road games.
 
YOUTH SHALL SERVE:  
• Portland State's two-deep includes six freshmen, seven sophomores, five juniors and four seniors on offense; three freshmen, five sophomores, seven juniors and seven seniors on defense. Special teams (K, P, LS, PR, KOR) include three freshmen, six sophomores and one junior.
• The Vikings had 12 players start their first game for Portland State last week: FR OL Brady Brick, JR OL Carlos Barraza, FR WR Mataio Talalemotu, SO WR Emmanuel Daigbe, SO WR Easton Trakel, SO DT Semise Kofe, SR LB Houston Barnes, FR S Jared Reed, SO S Sam Inos, FR CB Anthony Adams, JR CB Montre Brown, FR K Cody Williams.
• 29 of the 55 players that saw field time at Nevada were true freshmen, redshirt freshmen and sophomores.
• Portland State features 57 true freshmen, redshirt freshmen and sophomores on the 93-man roster. There are 24 juniors and 12 seniors.
• At wide receiver, the depth chart features all freshmen and sophomores with a couple of junior transfers mixed in. However, at Nevada the eight that played included five freshmen and three sophomores.
• All three Viking quarterbacks on the active roster are sophomores.
 
LIVING UP TO THE BILLING: Preseason All-American and All-Big Sky Conference selection Charlie Taumoepeau lived up to the hype at Nevada, scoring two long touchdowns with physical, dynamic plays. Taumoepeau scored on a 48-yard touchdown reception in the Vikings' first series, then had a 75-yard TD scamper in the second quarter. Each time he broke at least two tackles then outraced the Wolfpack to the endzone.
• In his 23-game career, Taumoepeau has 56 receptions for 952 yards and six touchdowns.
• Had his second career 100-yard game against Nevada (3-130-2).
• Named second team All-Big Sky Conference last season with 45 receptions for 673 yards and 3 TDs. It was the most receptions by a Viking tight end since PSU Hall of Famer Barry Naone had 48 in 1988.
• Named to the STATS Preseason 1st team All-America list, as well as preseason All-Big Sky Conference. Taumoepeau was a second-team All-Big Sky Conference performer last season. Phil Steele and College Sports Madness each named Taumoepeau second team All-American and second team All-Big Sky behind Wes Preece of UC Davis on both teams.
 
WINGIN' IT: SO QB Davis Alexander earned the starting nod out of preseason camp. He made his fourth career start, completing 13-32 passes for 224 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
• In four career starts, he is 95-178 (.534) for 1,389 (347.2 per game), seven touchdowns and three interceptions.
• Alexander started the last three games of 2017 and showed a big arm. In his three starts, he completed 82-146 passes (56.1%) for 1,165 yards (388.3 per game), five touchdowns and two interceptions.
 
YOUNG PUPS CHASING THAT FRISBEE: Portland State's youthful wide receiving corps had nine receptions. Playing in their first collegiate game, FR Mataio Talalemotu (4-23), SO Emmanuel Daigbe (2-38) and FR Beau Kelly (2-28) all had grabs. SO Easton Trakel, the only returning wide receiver with a reception coming into the season (2), had one catch for eight yards.
 
BRIGHT SPOTS ON SPECIAL TEAMS: The Vikings struggled mightily with their special teams play in 2017. They made only 3-9 field goals, missed four extra points, had a punting average of 36.3 and allowed three kick/punt returns for touchdowns. Although, Nevada also returned a punt for a TD, early returns on the Vikings STs show the specialists are trending in the right direction.
• FR K Cody Williams was 2-2 on extra points and made his only field goal attempt (31 yards) against Nevada. He averaged 66.3 yards on kickoffs compared to last season's average of 59.4.
• SO P Ben Niesner averaged 42.3 yards on 10 punts with a career-long of 50 (he had one start last season). One of his punts was tipped, netting only nine yards.
• The Vikings blocked two kicks in the game - the same number of blocks they had all of last season. JR DT Anthony Del Toro blocked an extra point and JR DT Kenton Bartlett blocked a field goal attempt.
 
DEFENSIVE NOTES: Although the score says otherwise, the Vikings DID get off to a good start defensively against Nevada. They allowed the Wolfpack one first down on its opening drive before getting a stop on a fourth-and-five play at PSU's 39-yard line. On Nevada's second possession, SO DT Semise Kofe tackled Kelton Moore in the endzone for a safety. It was the first safety by the Viking defense since 2014. Unfortunately, the 72 points allowed were the third-most in school history.
• Last year's leader in tackles, SR LB Kasun Jackett, did not start the game but once again led the Vikings with nine tackles.
• JR CB Maxwell Howell had the Vikings' one takeaway - an interception in the second quarter. It was the second interception of his career.
• SR S Artuz Manning is PSU's active career leader in tackles with 119. Both SR LB Kasun Jackett and SR LB Sam Bodine reached 100 career tackles exactly against Nevada.
 
2018 SEASON NOTES
 
SIDELINE CHANGES: Portland State saw changes in its coaching staff during the off-season. The most significant was the hiring of Payam Saadat as Defensive Coordinator. Saadat has served as a Defensive Coordinator at Cal Poly (2006-08), Army (2009-13) and Central Washington (2014-15).
      "Payam Saadat is very knowledgeable. He is very much a player's coach. I don't know if I have ever heard him raise his voice," said Barnum. "He is a teacher that cares about kids and is very knowledgeable about the type of defense we are going to run now."
      Offensive Coordinator Steve Cooper left the Portland State program after 10 seasons to take a role with the University of Nebraska. Head Coach Bruce Barnum will resume play calling on offense, but has assigned Matt Leunen as the new Offensive Coordinator and offensive line coach.
      Fourth-year coach AC Patterson is now the tight ends coach as well as recruiting coordinator. Evan Mozzochi, also in his fourth season, will coach wide receivers and quarterbacks.
      "The offense will be different," Barnum said. "Losing Steve (Cooper) to Nebraska, I am stepping back into the (offensive) room. You are going to see a lot more like when I was a coordinator from 2010-15. That will be new to this group of guys."
      Also leaving was Offensive Line Coach Adam Kleffner to take on a role at Missouri. Linebackers Coach Hansen Sekona was named Defensive Coordinator at College of San Mateo. Defensive Line Coach David Lose moved on to his alma mater, Oregon State, to take a coaching position there.
      Former Viking safety Manoa Latu was added to the coaching staff as linebackers coach.
 
SCHEDULE NOTES:
• Year in and year out Portland State football has one of the most challenging Football Championship Subdivision schedules in the country, and 2018 will be no different. The Vikings open the season with a pair of FBS opponents, Nevada and Oregon, and open Big Sky Conference play against formidable Big Sky Conference opponents Montana State (home), Idaho (road) and Montana (road).
• This will be the ninth time that Portland State has played at least two FBS level programs in the same season (the Vikings played three in 2006).
• Portland State will play a lower division school this season (College of Idaho, NAIA). The Vikings are 15-0 in games against lower division opponents since moving to Division I in 1996. PSU last played a lower division school in 2016.
• This is the 72nd season of Portland State football (1947).
• PSU faces only five teams in 2018 that were on the schedule in 2017 (Montana State, Montana, Idaho State, North Dakota, Eastern Washington).
• In the Big Sky Conference's unusual 14-team format in 2018 (Idaho has just returned in football and North Dakota has departed but remains in the scheduling rotation until 2020), Portland State will face just eight of the other 13 members. The Vikings will miss Weber State, Southern Utah, Northern Arizona, UC Davis and Cal Poly in 2018. In addition, the Vikings play Sacramento State for the third straight time on the road and host Northern Colorado for the second straight time (though both instances do not occur in consecutive seasons).
• Due to scheduling conflicts with Providence Park, Portland State will play four of its five home games at Hillsboro Stadium. PSU played the entire 2000 (4-2) and 2010 (1-3) seasons at Hillsboro due to construction at Providence Park. Including some one-off contests in other seasons, PSU is 6-7 all-time using Hillsboro Stadium as its home field.
 
A FAMILY AFFAIR
• RS FR S Anthony Adams is the brother of former Vikings WR Darnell Adams. Anthony is expected to be a key defensive back for the Vikings in seasons to come. Darnell finished his career in 2017 (99 receptions, 1,568 yards, 12 touchdowns).
• SR S Braxton Winterton was married in 2017 (Madeline).
• SR OL Josh Brown and SO DE Cody Brown are brothers who prepped at Sunset (Beaverton, OR) HS.
• RS FR WR/QB Davis Koetter is the son of Tampa Bay Buccaneers Head Coach Dirk Koetter.
• RS FR WR Mataio Talalemotu is the son of Ina Talalemotu, who played in 1987-88 on Portland State's two NCAA II National finalist teams. He is also the cousin of former Viking DL Savali Talalemotu.
• RS FR DE Jake Porter's father, Jason, was a four-year letterwinner in baseball at Portland State (1991-94).
• SO K Graycen Kennedy is the son of Viking women's basketball coach Lynn Kennedy.
• SO OL Ryan Phillipo and FR OL Zach Phillipo are brother who prepped at Sheldon (Eugene, OR) HS.
 
TIDBITS OF VIKING TRIVIA
• Portland State has 35 players on the roster from the state of Oregon, plus five others from just across the river and the Vancouver, WA area.
• After walking on at Portland State last year, JR TE Cameron Loos (New Mexico State transfer) was given a scholarship prior to the start of the 2017 season. Players this past season who originally walked on, but have earned scholarships include SR LB Houston Barnes, JR FB Sirgeo Hoffman and SO WR Easton Trakel.
• SO P Ben Niesner did not play high school football. He picked up punting on his own in 2016 and attended the Ray Guy Prokicker Camp, attracting collegiate attention. He ended up starting last season's finale as a true freshman.
• SO WR Emmanuel Daigbe was born in Liberia. Originally he wrestled in college at Highline and Green River CCs.
• Portland State has six players on the roster that were formerly members of FBS programs.
• Offensive Coordinator Matt Leunen (OL/TE, 2005-09), and linebackers coach Manoa Latu (S, 2010-11) are both PSU alums who played for the Vikings.
• Special Teams Coordinator and running backs coach Nick Whitworth was Bruce Barnum's first recruit when Barnum was working at Idaho State.
• Assistant coach AC Patterson's father, Andre, is a long-time NFL coach currently working with the Minnesota Vikings.
• 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 2014 off-season, he signed the richest tight end contract in the NFL to play for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Thomas retired in the off-season after a seven-year career that included 71 games, 226 receptions, 2,406 yards and 36 touchdowns. Shead, a starting corner with the Seahawks in 2016, missed 2017 due to an ACL injury, but has signed with Detroit for 2018.
• Other Vikings who were on NFL rosters during preseason camps were LB Patrick Onwuasor (Baltimore Ravens), CB Xavier Coleman (NY Jets), LS Kameron Canaday (Pittsburgh Steelers), OL Cornelius Edison (Minnesota Vikings), OL Randin Crecelius (Baltimore Ravens), CB Donovan Olumba (Dallas Cowboys) and Davond Dade (Baltimore Ravens). Onwuasor and Canaday survived the recent cuts prior to the start of the regular season.
 
GET ON THE BUS: THE AMERICANA TOUR
      Portland State Football Coach Bruce Barnum is renowned for taking his team on the bus to as many road games as possible. He calls it "The Americana Tour." It has made for some long bus rides, but Barnum often lets his team out to see the sights. Barnum also feels it promotes team unity (and saves a few dollars in the budget). In the past three years, PSU has logged 11,934 bus miles with a "program record" of 4,906 in 2016.
      The Americana Tour continues in 2018 as the Vikings plan some extended bus trips once again. PSU will bus round trip to Nevada (1,156 miles round trip), Oregon (218 miles), Idaho (718 miles), Montana (1,098 miles) and Sacramento State (1,158 miles). Only the game at North Dakota (charter) will include air travel. That will be a total of 4,348 bus miles for the Vikings in 2018 which, remarkably, ranks only third-most in four seasons.
      Here is a quick log of the Americana Tour in past seasons:
• Coach Barnum led his first "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.
• The 2016 Americana Tour included round trips to San Jose, Seattle and Sacramento (twice). There was also a return bus ride from Ogden, UT and a shorter trip from Las Vegas to Cedar City... the trip to San Jose was a total of 1,340 miles. It included a stop off at Oregon Wildlife Safari and the obligatory In-and-Out Burger visitation in Medford... on the trip to Southern Utah, PSU flew into Las Vegas, took in the Criss Angel Show at the Luxor Hotel and made another midnight In-and-Out run... while traveling to Weber State, PSU visited Temple Square and the Hogle Zoo... after a pair round trips to Sacramento (UC Davis and Sacramento State), PSU had accumulated 4,906 bus miles for the season.
• The 2017 season was limited to just three bus trips: Oregon State, Idaho State and Eastern Washington. There was also a bus portion from San Jose, CA to Cal Poly. And, Portland State's trip to Corvallis was a mere 168 miles round trip. The Americana Tour bus trip to Pocatello, ID was 660 miles one way, 1,320 miles round trip. The Vikings made a stop in Pendleton and toured the Pendleton Rodeo Museum and Hall of Fame, as well as a stop along the Snake River... the Vikings had bus travel from San Jose Airport to San Luis Obispo for the game at Cal Poly. It was 376 miles round trip and included a stop over on the Monterey Peninsula on the way down. No golf was played... the final week's bus trip from PSU to Eastern Washington was 339 miles one way, 678 round trip. That made the Vikings' Americana Tour for 2017 a total of 2,542 miles.