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Hillsboro, OR – With the major league baseball playoffs in full swing, Portland State decided to join the fun and pitch a shutout – except on the football field. The Vikings used dominant defense to whitewash the Idaho Vandals, 24-0, in a Big Sky Conference game at Hillsboro Stadium.
The win was the second in a row for PSU and third in four games. The Vikings improved to 4-3 on the season, 2-1 in the Big Sky. Notably, they shut out a Big Sky Conference team for the first time since Oct. 21, 2006, when PSU throttled Eastern Washington, 34-0. It was a span of exactly 100 Big Sky games since PSU's last shutout over a league opponent (Portland State has shut out two lower division teams since that time in 2011 and 2015).
"What a magical job by the defense," said Viking Coach
Bruce Barnum. "To hold anybody to a goose egg – even in pee wee football – that's big. It's tough because there is so much involved; field position, turnovers, how many possessions. But our defense did it and that is damn impressive."
Idaho's defense was good as well and remarkably, the game was scoreless at halftime. But the Vikings took advantage of an early third-quarter turnover by the Vandals to get on the board. PSU's
Cody Williams kicked a 38-yard field for a 3-0 lead.
"We needed to be first on the board in a game like that. You get behind in a game like that and it is dangerous," said Barnum.
PSU's defense followed with a three-and-out stop of Idaho on the next series. That led to the first touchdown drive of the game on the longest offensive series of the day. The Vikings went 91 yards on eight plays, highlighted by a 29-yard run by quarterback
Davis Alexander. Two plays later, the Viking QB dropped back to pass, saw nobody open, and took off. He weaved his way through the Vandal defense for a 21-yard scoring run and a 10-0 lead.
Idaho's biggest threat came late in the third quarter. The Vandals drove 75 yards, all the way to the Viking 9. But a sack by
David Joseph and
Semise Kofe pushed the ball back and eventually Idaho settled for a 34-yard field goal attempt. Cade Coffey missed wide left.
Alexander then took the Vikings on a decisive 10-play, 80-yard march. The clincher was a 28-yard touchdown pass over the middle to
Davis Koetter. PSU led 17-0 with 10:51 to play and the Vandals couldn't respond.
PSU tacked on a late touchdown on a 21-yard pass from Alexander to
Emmanuel Daigbe.
This one was all about the defense. Portland State, which leads the Big Sky in total defense, held Idaho to 236 yards of total offense and intercepted four passes. The Vikings had 10 tackles for loss, six sacks and broke up four passes.
Sophomore safety
Anthony Adams had a big day with five tackles, two interceptions and two pass breakups. Also getting picks were safety
Sam Inos and cornerback
Deon Crayon. Joseph, who got the start at rover in place of the injured
Romeo Gunt, had a big day with a team-high six tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and was in on two sacks.
Alexander was the offensive star for the Vikings in a mostly defensive struggle. He completed 13-26 passes for 167 yards and two touchdowns. The junior quarterback also rushed for a career-high 91 yards and a touchdown.
"He's fun to watch," said Barnum, acknowledging his quarterback was the difference on offense. "I thought it was going to be a defensive battle. Idaho is impressive on defense and that's what showed up. I've bragged about our defense, but theirs was a true concern."
Sirgeo Hoffman rushed for 50 yards for the Vikings, and Koetter led the receiving corps with three catches for 56 yards and a score.
Idaho dropped to 2-5 on the season, 0-3 in the Big Sky. The Vandals got 14 tackles and three tackles for loss from defensive end Christian Elliss.
GAME NOTES: PSU has now held 10 if the last 16 opponents to 20 points or less… the win over Idaho was just the second in history for Portland State (2-12) and the first in Big Sky play (1-1)… the Vikings are 4-0 at home this season… Portland State goes on the road the next two weeks, playing at Northern Colorado then Northern Arizona.
