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Game 7
IDAHO VANDALS (2-4, 0-2) at PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (3-3, 1-1)
Saturday, Oct. 12, 2:05 p.m. • Hillsboro Stadium (7,200), Hillsboro, OR
TELEVISION: None
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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GAME WEEK ACTIVITIES
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... 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: This week's Viking Football Luncheon will be replaced by a TopGolf Tournament and luncheon at TopGolf in Hillsboro. The tournament is at 9 a.m. with the luncheon at noon.
 
TICKETS: Season Tickets, Mini-Plans, and Single Games can be purchased by visiting GoViks.com/Tickets or calling 1.888.VIK.TIKS (1.888.845.8457).

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VIKINGS WANT TO KEEP THE WINS GOING AT HOME
Portland State goes after its fourth straight home win this season when it takes on Idaho this Saturday in a Big Sky Conference game.
     
The Vikings come off a convincing 52-31 victory over Southern Utah last week at Hillsboro Stadium. That improved their record to 3-3 on the season, 1-1 in the Big Sky. They have won all three home games this season, though two came against lower division schools. Still, a 181-47 scoring advantage in those three games is impressive.
     
Portland State knows getting a win in Saturday's Homecoming contest with Idaho is vital. Behind that comes two road games, then a closing stretch against three likely nationally-ranked teams in Montana, UC Davis and Eastern Washington.
     
PSU's offense is starting to shine behind the effective play of JR QB Davis Alexander. The Vikings are averaging 38.0 points and 459.2 yards per game. Meanwhile the defense continues to lead the Big Sky in fewest yards allowed (339.2 per game) and has given up just 100.0 rushing yards per game.
     
The Vikings would like to avenge a 20-7 loss to the Vandals last season in Moscow. It was a first-ever meeting between the schools in Big Sky Conference play. Idaho dominated time of possession in a defensive struggle and capitalized on a big special teams play, blocking a punt and returning it for a score.
     
Idaho comes into the contest off a pair of Big Sky losses, and losses in three of their last four games. But a closer examination shows the Vandals are playing their best football. Last Saturday's 41-35 loss to fourth-ranked Weber State was nothing to be ashamed of. Prior to that, Idaho had dropped a 27-24 road decision at Northern Colorado, knocked off then-Top-10 Eastern Washington, 35-27, and played FBS Wyoming to the end in a 21-16 loss on the road. So, Idaho's 2-4 overall record is deceiving to say the least.
     
Saturday's game will be live streamed on Pluto TV Channel 532, www.pluto.tv and www.WatchBigSky.com with a 2:05 p.m. kickoff. The pregame show begins at 1:45 p.m. Live stats are available www.ViksLive.com.
 
THE SERIES RECORD: VIKINGS vs. VANDALS
All-Time Series: Idaho leads 12-1 • Idaho leads 4-1 in Portland • Idaho leads 8-0 in Moscow
Big Sky Conference Series: Idaho leads 1-0 • Idaho leads 1-0 in Moscow
 
STORYLINES
• Idaho returned to the Big Sky Conference in 2018 after leaving the league in 1996. Idaho became the first NCAA Division I program to move from the FBS level to the FCS level.
• The Vandals lead the all-time series 12-1. The teams played for 10 straight seasons from 1980 to 1989. Portland State's only victory was a 29-20 home win in 1989. Prior to last season, the most recent meeting was in 1997 - a 46-0 Vandal win. The Vikings have only scored more than 18 points on two occasions against the Vandals.
• Idaho was an original member of the Big Sky Conference when it formed in 1963. The Vandals won eight league titles in its 33 seasons, and made 11 appearances in the NCAA playoffs.
 
LAST MEETING, Sept. 29, 2018: Idaho 20, Portland State 7
Idaho controlled time of possession early, put up just enough points, then withstood Portland State's second-half rally to win. The Vandals totaled only 289 yards in the game, but kicked field goals when stopped and made one big play on special teams, returning a blocked punt for a touchdown.
     
The Vikings had only 261 yards of offense and did not turn the football over. However, they battled poor field position the entire game and were able to sustain only one drive of over 50 yards.
     
Vandals' running back Isaiah Saunders was the offensive star of an otherwise poor offensive game. He rushed 22 times for 99 yards. 
 
SCOUTING THE VANDALS
Idaho has compiled a 2-4 record this season, 0-2 in the Big Sky Conference. The Vandals marquee win is a 35-27 victory over nationally-ranked Eastern Washington. Head Coach Paul Petrino is in his seventh year with the program and has a 25-52 record.
     
Idaho averages 389 yards of total offense, scoring just over 26 points per game. A strong running game is led by Aundre Carter, who has 378 rushing yards and five touchdowns this year. Carter ranks ninth in the Big Sky in rushing. Quarterback Mason Petrino has completed 64% of his passes for just under 200 yards per game, eight touchdowns and five interceptions. His main target is Jeff Cotton, who has 49 catches for 556 yards and three scores. Cotton ranks second in the Big Sky in catches and yards. Cutrell Haywood has 32 receptions for 300 yards and four touchdowns.
     
On defense, the Vandals allow 431.0 yards and 37.7 points per game. However, they have been dominant on third downs, allowing a league-low 28% conversions on third down.
     
Idaho leads the Big Sky Conference in kick return average (28.2). Nick Romano averages 32.5 per return, including a 97-yard touchdown.
     
Idaho has the most penalties in the league with 56 for 522 yards through six games. The Vandals are last in the Big Sky in turnover margin (-4).
 
ON THIS DATE: OCTOBER 12
• Portland State is 5-4 all-time on Oct. 12, including 3-2 at home.
• The Vikings are 1-1 in Big Sky Conference games on Oct. 12.
• PSU and Idaho never met on Oct. 12.
 
QUICK SNAPS
 
VIKINGS STEAMROLL THUNDERBIRDS IN FIRST HALF, CRUISE TO WIN
Opportunity knocked and the Vikings answered. Portland State took advantage of virtually everything they earned or were given and the result was a relatively easy 52-31 Big Sky Conference win over Southern Utah. The Vikings scored 10 points on their first two drives of the day. Then when opportunities arose the rest of the way they took advantage. Excellent field position after defensive stops and a pair of forced turnovers in the second quarter led to a 28-point run by the Vikings allowing them to go to halftime with a 38-10 lead. PSU amassed 306 yards in the first half. The Thunderbirds had 154 yards, but the two turnovers led to a pair of Viking TDs. SUU scored a touchdown on its first possession of the second half to close within 38-17. But the Vikings controlled possession and the clock from there. A pair of touchdown drives – one in the third quarter and one in the fourth quarter – chewed up more than 11 minutes of clock time. That simply didn't allow Southern Utah enough opportunities to come back. Davis Alexander finished with another big day, passing for 234 yards and two touchdowns, and rushing for 80 yards and another score. PSU totaled 239 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. Davis Koetter caught five passes for a career-high 108 yards and a score. Portland State's 52 points were the most against a Division I opponent since scoring 59 against Montana State on Oct. 17, 2015.
 
FLY SWATTER
SO S Anthony Adams finally picked up that elusive first interception of the season against Southern Utah. He has definitely made the airways a challenge for opposing quarterbacks. Adams now has 10 passes defended (9 PBU, 1 INT) this season and leads the Big Sky Conference. He ranks 10th in the nation.
• Adams has 16 career pass breakups in 17 games. He is already ninth all-time at PSU.
• The Newberg native now has two career interceptions and three career takeaways.
 
DEFENSIVE NOTES
Portland State's defense continues to lead the Big Sky Conference in fewest yards allowed (339.2).The Vikings are giving up 27.2 points (5th). Some highlights:
• PSU has eight takeaways this season. Three takeaways from Southern Utah led to two touchdowns. PSU now has a +1 turnover margin. The Vikings have 35 points off turnovers this season while opponents have just 14.
• During PSU's decisive four-TD stretch against Southern Utah, 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.
• The Vikings have held nine of the last 15 opponents to 20 points or less.
• The Vikings have 42 tackles for loss, 13 sacks and 26 pass breakups and eight takeaways in six games.
• 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... he currently leads the Vikings with 34 tackles.
• 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.
• SO LB Robert Holt has been involved in three takeaways this season. Holt had his first career interception against Arkansas, then he forced a fumble on a sack against Simon Fraser that was recovered for a touchdown. He forced another fumble against Eastern Oregon.
• 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 STARTS TO ROLL UP THE NUMBERS
JR QB Davis Alexander is putting up pretty good numbers this season considering he didn't play more than three quarters in any of the first four games. Alexander went almost the entire way against Idaho State and Southern Utah.
• For the season, Alexander is 102-166 passing for 1,402 yards, 12 touchdowns and three interceptions.
• Alexander already has a career-high 12 touchdown passes and is completing a career-best 61% of his passes. 
• He ranks second on the team with 57 rushes for 250 yards (341 positive yards) and two touchdowns.
• Alexander was brilliant against 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 a career-high 80 yards and a touchdown on seven carries.
• Alexander has accounted for 1,075 total yards (358.3) and 10 TDs over the last three games for the Vikings... 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 19 career starts, Alexander is 310-548 for 4,353 yards, 28 TDs and 12 interceptions... for his career (22 games), he is 318-561-13-4,421-28TD.
• Alexander has 213 career rushes for 794 yards and 16 TDs. He has 1,096 positive rushing yards.
• In all, Alexander is responsible for 44 career TDs.
 
THESE RECEIVERS ARE GROWING UP
An extraordinarily young receiving corps last season has grown up a lot in one year.
• SO WR Davis Koetter has 23 career receptions (19 this season) for 476 yards and six touchdowns. He averages 20.7 yards per catch... this season, he leads the team with 19 receptions for 355 yards and four scores... he 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 leads the team with 19 receptions for 247 yards and two TDs. He posted a career-high 109 yards against Eastern Oregon, totaling three catches, with touchdowns of 57 and 44 yards... in his 17-game career, Daigbe has 42 catches for 620 yards and six TDs.
• SO WR Beau Kelly has 13 catches for 203 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 41 return yards on four punts.
• SO WR Mataio Talalemotu missed two games with a hamstring issue. But, he still has 13 receptions for 224 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 36 receptions for 626 yards and four TDs and two 100-yard games.
 
CHARTING CHARLIE
After missing two games with hamstring tightness, All-American tight end Charlie Taumoepeau put up his first 100-yard game of the season at Idaho State. Taumoepeau had seven receptions for 104 yards.
• In four games played Taumoepeau has 18 receptions for 222 yards, including a 32-yard touchdown at Arkansas.
• For his career, Taumoepeau now has 99 receptions for 1,624 yards (16.3) and 10 touchdowns.
• In his last 25 games played, Taumoepeau has 93 catches for 1,546 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 459.2 yards and 38.0 points this season.
• The 52 points scored 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).
• In the last three games, PSU has averaged 545 yards per game.
• Portland State has run a "by committee" backfield with five players over 100 rushing yards, but SR RB Sirgeo Hoffman is starting to become Chairman of the Board. Hoffman leads the way with 59 carries for 286 yards (4.8) and five touchdowns. Hoffman had 24 carries for 81 yards and two touchdowns against Southern Utah... he had a career-high 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... in the last three games, the Gresham native has 46 rushes for 232 yards and four touchdowns.
• Twelve different Vikings have rushed for positive yards and PSU averages 197.5 yards rushing per game. 
• The Vikings' ball control offense possessed the pigskin for more than 37 minutes against Southern Utah. PSU leads the Big Sky in time of possession (ranking fifth in the nation) at 34:14.
• Portland State is converting third-downs at a 45% rate, and 4th downs at a 58% rate. The Vikings are 24-28 in the redzone (20 TDs, 4 FG).
• After having six turnovers in the first two games, the Vikings have only one in the last four.
• 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.
 
YELLOW HANKIES HURTING
Portland State had its fewest penalties of the season against Southern Utah with five for 38 yards.  However, one wiped a touchdown off the board. That marked the third time this season PSU has had TDs taken away on penalties (and proceeded to get only three points on those possessions). For the season, PSU has 52 penalties for 479 yards. With 79.8 penalty yards per game, the Vikings ranked 11th in the Big Sky Conference.
 
KICKING UP WHERE HE LEFT OFF
SO K Cody Williams is picking up where he left off last season. At Arkansas the second-year kicker was 2-2 on field goals, hitting from 50 and 47 yards... he is now 6-10 on the season.
• For his career, Williams is 17-24 on field goals, 63-63 on extra points... the PSU record for consecutive PATs is 77.
• Williams' 50-yarder at Arkansas was his second from 50+ in his career in two attempts. His long was a 52-yard game-winner at Montana in 2018 with four seconds left in the game (22-20).
• Williams has two of the 15 50+ yard field goals in school history. Only five players have two or more in their careers.
 
VERY SPECIAL TEAMS
Portland State special teams are off to a good start in the 2019 season. Some notes:
• JR P Seth Vernon, in his first season as a Viking, is averaging 43.0 yards with five 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 19th in the nation.
• The Vikings are 6-10 on field goals and 30-30 on extra points this season.
• SO WR Beau Kelly is averaging 10.3 yards per punt return.
• BLOCK PARTY: SR CB Montre Brown blocked a field goal at Idaho State. It was PSU's second blocked kick of the season. 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).