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Game 10
#8 MONTANA GRIZZLIES (6-2, 3-1) at PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (5-4, 3-2)
Saturday, November 2, 2:05 p.m. • Hillsboro Stadium (7,200), Hillsboro, OR
TELEVISION: SWX-Montana
LIVE VIDEO AND AUDIO: Pluto TV Channel 532, www.pluto.tv, www.WatchBigSky.com • Pregame Show: 1:45 p.m. • Play-by-play: Matt Richert • Analyst: Mike Lund
LIVE STATS: www.ViksLive.com
Complete notes and stats in pdf

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BRUCE BARNUM ON THE RADIO AND TV: Viking football Coach Bruce Barnum can be heard and seen every Wednesday afternoon at 4 p.m. on Rip City Radio 620 AM and NBC Sports Northwest on Comcast Cable Systems. Barnum joins Chad Doing and Travis Demers on the Rip City Drive (this week's show has been pre-empted due to Blazers basketball)... on Thursdays Coach Barnum can be heard on John Canzano's Bald-Faced Truth Show, 750 The Game, at 1 p.m.
 
EVERY WEDNESDAY: Vikings Football With Bruce Barnum. Barny reviews and previews Viking football games with Mike Lund. The video is available at www.GoViks.com and on Vikings Social Media.
 
VIKING FOOTBALL LUNCHEONS: Portland State Athletics football luncheons take place on Friday's before home games at the Old Spaghetti Factory, located at 0715 SW Bancroft. Coach Barnum and Viking players will speak and be available for questions. The luncheon starts at noon and is open to the public. Cost is $15.

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PORTLAND STATE WILL TRY TO BOUNCE BACK AGAINST NATIONALLY-RANKED GRIZ
The Portland State Vikings took one of their most difficult losses in a long time when they fell at Northern Arizona, 31-29, on a late field goal last Saturday. But the Vikings will need to regroup quickly as they face their toughest Big Sky Conference foe to date this Saturday. PSU (5-4, 3-2) takes on eighth-ranked Montana (6-2, 3-1) at Hillsboro Stadium in a 2:05 p.m. game.
     
A win for the fourth-place Vikings would vault them over third-place Montana in the standings. If Montana wins, it would move into a tie for second place with the loser of the Sacramento State/Weber State showdown (both 4-0).
     
The Vikings were looking at a fourth straight win at NAU last Saturday. But the Lumberjacks' Luis Aguilar kicked a 38-yard field goal with four seconds left to take the game away.
     
Last year, Portland State beat then-14th-ranked Montana in a similar fashion. Viking kicker Cody Williams booted a 52-yard field goal with two seconds remaining to give PSU a 22-20 win in Missoula. No doubt both teams will carry that memory into this Saturday's game.
     
Fortunately for the Vikings, they get to return home for two weeks, starting with the Griz. PSU is 4-0 at home this season. In addition, the Vikings have won two of the last three meetings with Montana (2015 and 2018).
     
The Grizzlies are 2-2 on the road this season, and in the long history of the series with the Vikings, hold a convincing lead, 30-13 overall and 16-4 in Big Sky games.
     
For the second week in a row, the Vikings face a formidable offense led by a strong passing game. Montana ranks second in the league in scoring (37.8) and averages over 300 passing yards per game.
     
After seeing Big Sky passing leader Case Cookus last week, potentially Dalton Sneed of Montana this week, then Jake Maier (UC Davis, Nov. 9) and Eric Barriere (Eastern Washingto, Nov. 23), Portland State will face the league's top four passers (yards per game) in four consecutive games.
     
This week's game kicks off at 2:05 p.m. in Hillsboro Stadium. Portland State's live stream can be found on Pluto TV Channel 532, www.WatchBigSky.com and www.pluto.tv. The game is televised in Montana on SWX. Live stats are available at www.GoViks.com.
 
STORYLINES
• PSU has beaten Montana four times in its 20 Big Sky meetings. Three wins have come at Providence Park (1999, 2004, 2015) and one in Missoula (2018).
• Viking Head Coach Bruce Barnum is 2-1 against Montana. Grizzlies Head Coach Bobby Hauck is 6-2 against Portland State.
• Only once in Portland State's 20 Big Sky meetings with Montana were the Grizzlies not nationally-ranked (2017).
• Quarterback Dalton Sneed was named Big Sky Conference Newcomer of the Year in 2018.
• Defensive line coach Barry Sacks was an assistant coach for the Vikings in the late 1980s and early 1990s under Head Coach Pokey Allen.
 
LAST MEETING, Oct. 6, 2018: Portland State 22, #14 Montana 20
Freshman kicker Cody Williams drilled a 52-yard field goal with four seconds remaining to give Portland State a 22-20 upset victory at Missoula.
     
The win marked the first time in 10 tries that the Vikings had won a Big Sky Conference game at Washington-Grizzly Stadium. It was Williams' third field goal of the game, and backed up solid efforts on both sides of the football.
     
PSU held Montana to 289 yards of offense and took away four fumbles. The last was a recovery by Sam Bodine with 4:04 to play on the PSU 23. The Vikings drove 42 yards to set up the winning kick.
     
The Vikings got 80 rushing yards and a TD from Sirgeo Hoffman and 70 receiving yards from AJ Ruffin.
 
THE SERIES RECORD: VIKINGS vs. GRIZZLIES
All-Time Series: UM leads 30-13 • UM leads 13-9 in Portland • UM leads 17-4 in Missoula
Big Sky Conference Series: UM leads 16-4 • UM leads 9-1 in Missoula • UM leads 7-3 in Portland
 
SCOUTING THE GRIZZLIES
Montana comes to Hillsboro Stadium ranked eighth in the nation with a 6-2 record overall, 3-1 in the Big Sky Conference. Head Coach Bobby Hauck is in his second go-round with the Grizzlies. After a 6-5 season last year, he has them on the doorstep of another post-season berth.
     
Montana averages 37.8 points and 474.8 yards of offense per game.The Grizzlies offense converts half of its third-down opportunities, ranking first in the Big Sky Conference in that category.
     
Quarterback Dalton Sneed is one of the Big Sky's best with 2,019 passing yards and 15 touchdowns. However, he missed last week's win over Eastern Washington with an injury. Backup Cam Humphrey played in his stead and compiled 211 yards of total offense in the 34-17 win.
     
Samuel Akem is the Grizzlies' top receiver with 54 catches for 718 yards and four touchdowns. Samori Toure has 39 receptions for 590 yards and three scores. Running back Marcus Knight is having a big year with 639 yards and 12 touchdowns. He leads the Big Sky with 13 total touchdowns.
     
Montana allows 25.2 points and 431.2 yards per game on defense. The Griz have forced 14 turnovers in eight games.
     
Dante Olson leads the Big Sky Conference with 99 tackles this season. Robby Hauck has 78 tackles.
     
Malik Flowers lead the conference with a 26.2 kick return average. Jerry Louie-McGee averages 16.8 on punt returns. Each has a return touchdown.
 
ON THIS DATE: NOVEMBER 2
• Portland State is 7-2 all-time on Nov. 2, including 6-0 at home.
• The Vikings are 3-0 in Big Sky Conference games on Nov. 2.
• PSU and Montana have never met on Nov. 2.
 
QUICK SNAPS
 
LUMBERJACKS KNOCK OUT VIKINGS ON LATE FIELD GOAL, 31-29
Portland State suffered one of its most wrenching losses in a long time last Saturday in Flagstaff when Luis Aguilar drilled a 38-yard field goal with four seconds remaining to hand the Vikings a 31-29 loss.
     
The Vikings, who started slow in the first half, got up to speed by the third quarter and mounted a 20-point comeback to nearly pull off the win. PSU trailed 28-9 early in the third when things started coming together.
     
PSU's defense buckled down, forcing four straight punts from the Lumberjacks. And the offense finally found the end zone after three first-half field goals from Cody Williams. A 61-yard catch-and-run by All-American tight end Charlie Taumoepeau set up the first touchdown. Sirgeo Hoffman scored on a one-yard run to complete a quick four-play drive. He also converted a two-point conversion and the Vikings trailed 28-17.
     
Six minutes later Williams hit his fourth field goal of the day to pull PSU within 28-20. Then the Vikings opened the fourth quarter with an 11-play, 90-yard drive. Taumoepeau had another big 39-yard reception in the middle of the series. When Malik Walker rushed in from a yard out, the Vikings were within 28-26. A two-point conversion failed.
     
But after another defensive stop, PSU rolled out what it thought might be the game-winning drive. The Vikings went 76 yards on 14 plays, burning nearly six-and-a-half minutes off the clock. With the aid of a roughing the kicker penalty, PSU got a go-ahead 21-yard field goal by Williams to lead 29-28.
     
Just one problem. There was still 1:26 on the clock and NAU boasts the best passing quarterback in the Big Sky Conference and the nation's top passing offense. Case Cookus completed four straight passes for 47 yards. After a running play in the middle of the field, Aguilar was set up for his game-winning kick. And it was lights out, Vikings.
 
FLY SWATTER
SO S Anthony Adams continues to excel for the Vikings. Adams broke up three more passes at Northern Arizona and logged a career-high 10 tackles.
• Adams has 14 pass breakups and four interceptions this season, both of which lead the Big Sky Conference. His 18 passes defended LEADS THE NATION.
• Adams now leads the team with 39 tackles this season.
• The 14 pass breakups ranks second on the Portland State all-time season list. The record for a season is 15.
• Adams has 21 career pass breakups in 20 games. He is already sixth all-time at PSU (record, 33).
• The Newberg native now has five career interceptions and six career takeaways.
 
DEFENSIVE NOTES
Portland State's defense has been solid all season. The Vikings forced four straight punts in the second half at Northern Arizona, allowing the Vikings to score 20 straight points and take the lead in the late-going.
• The Vikings lead the Big Sky in rushing defense (108.6) and rank second in total defense at 359.0 yards per game. The Vikings are third in scoring defense (24.9). PSU also leads the league in interceptions (11).
• PSU has 15 takeaways this season and a +5 turnover margin. The Vikings have 48 points off turnovers while opponents have just 14... in the last seven games, PSU has forced 12 turnovers and has a +8 margin.
• The Vikings have 58 tackles for loss, 22 sacks, 40 pass breakups and 15 takeaways in nine games this season.
• SR DE Shawn Richard (4.5) and SR DTs Anthony Del Toro (3), Kenton Bartlett (3) and SO DE Jake Porter (3) lead the Vikings in sacks this season.
• SR CB Deon Crayon made his second interception of the season at Northern Arizona. With seven pass breakups, he now has nine passes defended to rank second in the Big Sky behind teammate SO S Anthony Adams.
• Among active players, SR DT Anthony Del Toro is the team leader in tackles (111), tackles for loss (18) and sacks (8).
• Portland State's defense accomplished a feat none had been able to over the past 13 seasons when it shut out Idaho, 24-0. It had been exactly 100 games since the last shutout of a Big Sky opponent (34-0 over Eastern Washington, Oct. 21, 2006 - PSU has shutouts of two lower division teams since that time in 2011 and 2015). The Vikings held Idaho to 236 total yards, had 10 tackles for loss, six sacks, four interceptions and broke up four passes. SO ROV David Joseph led the Vikings with six tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.
• In a win over Southern Utah on Oct. 5, PSU had a decisive four-TD stretch in the second quarter against the T-Birds. In that time, the defense limited the Thunderbirds to 10 plays, 29 yards and no first downs. In all, the defense had four three-and-outs and three forced turnovers in the game. SO DE Jake Porter made a career-high eight tackles against Southern Utah. JR LB Dylan Hanley had a career-high seven stops.
• SR ROV Romeo Gunt had a career-high 15 tackles - fourth-most tackles in the nation for the weekend - in the game against Arkansas. Gunt was named Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Week... despite missing the Idaho game, he and JR S Sam Inos lead the Vikings with 34 tackles this season.
• Portland State set two new school records against Simon Fraser. The -65 rushing yards allowed broke the previous mark of -21 by Western Washington in 1981; the 20 tackles for loss broke a mark of 18 set against Humboldt State in 2013. Fifteen different players were involved in the TFLs. PSU made eight sacks, led by three from SR DT Kenton Bartlett, nine pass breakups and forced two fumbles. SO S Anthony Adams broke up four passes and blocked a field goal for good measure. The defense even scored a touchdown when FR LB David Joseph pounced on a fumble in the end zone. The ball had been knocked loose on a quarterback sack by SO LB Robert Holt.
• The Vikings held Simon Fraser to -23 total yards over the last three quarters of the game. The seven points allowed were the fewest since a 66-7 win over North Texas on Oct. 10, 2015 – 42 games prior.
• Eastern Oregon was allowed only 133 yards of total offense.
 
ALEXANDER IS ROLLING UP THE NUMBERS
JR QB Davis Alexander continues to put up productive numbers and direct an efficient Viking offense.
• For the season, Alexander is 145-245 passing for 2,046 yards, 15 touchdowns and four interceptions.
• Alexander already has a career-high 15 touchdown passes and is completing a career-best 59% of his passes. 
• He ranks second on the team with 93 rushes for 432 yards (582 positive yards) and four touchdowns.
• Alexander had the fifth 300-yard game of his career at Northern Arizona, completing 22-39 for 307 yards. He finished with 337 yards of total offense... he had 230 yards of total offense in the win against UNC (170 passing, 60 rushing), passed for a TD and ran for another... Alexander had 258 yards of total offense (167 passing, career-high 91 rushing), passed for two touchdowns and ran for a third in the win over Idaho... he was brilliant in the win over Southern Utah, compiling 314 yards of total offense and accounting for three touchdowns. He completed 18-30 passes for 234 yards and two scores, and he rushed for 80 yards and a touchdown on seven carries... He had 340 yards of total offense (296 pass, 44 rush) and accounted for two touchdowns against Idaho State... Alexander passed for 366 yards and five touchdowns in the win over Eastern Oregon. The 366 yards were the most since his freshman season. The five TDs were the most by a Viking QB since Drew Hubel had five in a win over Eastern Washington in 2008.
• In 22 career starts, Alexander is 353-627 for 4,997 yards, 31 TDs and 13 interceptions... for his career (24 games), he is 361-640-14-5,065-31TD.
• Alexander has 249 career rushes for 976 yards and 18 TDs. He has 1,337 positive rushing yards.
• In all, Alexander is responsible for 49 career TDs... he now ranks seventh all-time at Portland State in total offense 6,041 yards.
 
SURGING SIRGEO
SR RB Sirgeo Hoffman had the best running game by a Viking in four seasons when he rushed 28 times for 221 yards and two touchdowns at Northern Colorado. Obviously, it was a career high, and it continued the 215-pound back's surge in recent games. He followed that up with 140 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries at Northern Arizona... that makes 51 carries for 361 yards and three touchdowns in the last two games.
• Hoffman has rushed 129 times for 697 yards and eight touchdowns this season to lead the team in all categories. That is the most rushing yards by a Viking since Alex Kuresa had 838 in 2016.
• Hoffman ranks seventh in the Big Sky Conference in rushing (77.4 yards per game).
• Remarkably, PSU has 33 games of individuals rushing for 200 yards in its history. Hoffman's total of 221 ranks 19th-best all-time (record 393, Ryan Fuqua, 2001).
• Hoffman had 24 carries for 81 yards and two touchdowns in a win over Southern Utah... he had a 88 rushing yards and a score at Idaho State. Hoffman would have had more but a 76-yard touchdown run was wiped off the board due to an illegal formation penalty.
 
THESE RECEIVERS ARE GROWING UP
An extraordinarily young receiving corps last season has grown up a lot in one year.
• SO WR Davis Koetter leads the Vikings with 27 receptions for 460 yards and five touchdowns this season. In his career, he has 31 catches and seven have gone for scores. He averages 18.7 yards per catch... Koetter grabbed a career-high seven passes against Eastern Oregon... Koetter went for a career-high 108 receiving yards and a TD against Southern Utah and had a key fumble recovery on the punt coverage team.
• JR WR Emmanuel Daigbe is tied for the team lead with 27 receptions for 440 yards and four TDs. He posted a career-high 114 yards at Northern Colorado, including the season's longest play - a 76-yard TD reception... in his 20-game career, Daigbe has 50 catches for 813 yards and eight TDs.
• SO WR Beau Kelly has 20 catches for 288 yards and three touchdowns. Kelly caught a career-long 61-yard touchdown at Idaho State... he also has a team-best 52-yard running play on a fly sweep and 66 return yards on seven punts.
• SO WR Mataio Talalemotu missed two games with a hamstring issue. But, he still has 17 receptions for 260 yards and two TDs... Talalemotu led the Vikings with five receptions for 78 yards, including a 52-yard touchdown reception, at Boise State... for his career, he has 40 receptions for 662 yards and four TDs and two 100-yard games.
 
CHARTING CHARLIE
After missing two games with hamstring tightness, All-American tight end Charlie Taumoepeau has eased back into competition. Against Northern Arizona, he made five receptions for 127 yards, including a bruising 61-yard catch and run. It was his second 100-yard game of the season and the fifth of his career.
• In seven games played Taumoepeau has 25 receptions for 366 yards, including a 32-yard touchdown at Arkansas.
• Taumoepeau put up his first 100-yard game of the season at Idaho State. He had seven receptions for 104 yards.
• For his career, Taumoepeau now has 106 receptions for 1,768 yards (16.7) and 10 touchdowns.
• In his last 28 games played, Taumoepeau has 100 catches for 1,690 yards and nine scores.
• A consensus second team All-American last year, Taumoepeau was named preseason All-American by no less than four news outlets and is on the Walter Payton Award Watch list for the top offensive player in all of NCAA I FCS football.
 
A LOOK AT THE OFFENSE
Portland State's offense has averaged 458.8 yards (5th in the Big Sky) and 35.4 points (fourth in the Big Sky).
• Twelve different Vikings have rushed for positive yards and PSU averages 212.8 yards rushing per game (third in the Big Sky).
• The Vikings' ball control offense leads the Big Sky in time of possession (ranking fifth in the nation) at 34:48.
• Portland State is converting third-downs at a 45% rate, and 4th downs at a 56% rate. The Vikings are 32-38 in the redzone (26 TDs, 6 FG).
• After having six turnovers in the first two games, the Vikings have only four in the last seven.
• The 52 points scored against Southern Utah were the most against a Division I opponent since a 59-42 win over 16th-ranked Montana State on Oct. 17, 2015. (PSU has scored more against lower division opponents three times since then).
• The Vikings' 70 points against Simon Fraser were the most since a 77-10 win over Idaho State in 2012. The Vikings amassed 646 yards of total offense (300 rushing/346 passing). Seven different players contributed 10 total touchdowns.
• Six different players had positive rushing yards and 10 made receptions in the win over Eastern Oregon. The Vikings totaled a season-high 657 yards.
 
KICKING UP WHERE HE LEFT OFF
SO K Cody Williams has done it again. For the second week in a row he has entered the Portland State record book. Williams made 5-6 field goals at Northern Arizona to tie the school record for FGs made in a game (Dan Frantz, 1999). The previous week, he inked his name in the record book at Northern Colorado when he booted a school-best 56-yard field goal. He even got a shot at a 55-yarder, but that one missed. Williams is now 13-19 on field goals this season.
• For his career, Williams is 24-33 on field goals, 71-71 on extra points... the PSU record for consecutive PATs is 77... Williams already ranks eighth all-time with 24 field goals.
• With 13 field goals made this season, he ranks ninth on the season list.
• Williams' kicked a 50-yarder and a 47-yarder at Arkansas to open the season.
• His previous long was a 52-yard game-winner at Montana in 2018 with four seconds left in the game (22-20).
• Williams has three of the 16 50+ yard field goals in school history. Only Zach Brown has kicked more than Williams (five over four seasons).
 
VERY SPECIAL TEAMS
Portland State special teams are performing well in 2019. Some notes:
• JR P Seth Vernon, in his first season as a Viking, is averaging 42.8 yards with seven in excess of 50 yards. Vernon's average is the best by a Viking since 2014 when All-American Kyle Loomis averaged 46.0... Vernon ranks fifth in the Big Sky Conference and 17th in the nation.
• The Vikings are 13-19 on field goals and 38-38 on extra points this season.
• BLOCK PARTY: Portland State has three blocked kicks this season. SR DT Kenton Bartlett knocked down an extra point at Northern Colorado... SR CB Montre Brown blocked a field goal at Idaho State... SO S Anthony Adams blocked a field goal against Simon Fraser... PSU had five blocked kicks/punts last season.
• The Vikings have recovered one opponent fumble on punt returns (Davis Koetter).
 
YELLOW HANKIES HURTING... BUT NOW NOT AS BAD
Portland State now ranks ninth in penalties in the Big Sky Conference (69.1 yards per game) after ranking last earlier in the season. PSU has 71 penalties for 622 yards... three times this season PSU has had touchdowns taken away on penalties (and proceeded to get only three points on those possessions).