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Game 12
PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (5-6, 3-4) at EASTERN WASHINGTON EAGLES (6-5, 5-2)
Saturday, November 23, 1:05 p.m. • Roos Field (8,600), Cheney, WA
TELEVISION: SWX-Washington
LIVE VIDEO: Pluto TV Channel 534, www.pluto.tv, www.WatchBigSky.com
LIVE AUDIO: www.GoViks.com/watch • Pregame Show: 12:30 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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VIKINGS PLAY EAGLES IN QUEST FOR 6-6 RECORD
Portland State will be playing for a .500 record this Saturday when it travels to Eastern Washington in the season finale. And the opponent couldn't be much more challenging as the Eagles come into the contest on a three-game winning streak and with the nation's most productive offense.
     
The Vikings, who were 5-3 one month ago, have lost three straight games, and now will have to beat the high-powered offense of the Eagles on their home field. PSU has lost three straight to Eastern Washington, allowing 56 points per game in the losses the past three seasons.
     
PSU is 5-6 overall, 3-4 in the Big Sky Conference, and 1-4 on the road this season. The Vikings come off a bye, so they should be fresh for the contest. Eastern Washington (6-5/5-2) comes off a 42-41 road win at Cal Poly. The Eagles, who played for the National Championship last season, hold out slim hopes of reaching the playoffs again this season if they can get one more win. Currently in fifth place in the Big Sky, Eastern would need at least one of the teams in front of it to lose to receive serious consideration.
     
If Portland State can pick up a win, it would be the Vikings first non-losing mark since the playoff season of 2015 (9-3). It would also mean the Vikings have improved by two wins over 2018 (4-7). Presently, the Vikings are in sixth place in the 13-team Big Sky Conference. That is their highest possible finish.
     
Portland State does have a history of success in Cheney. In Big Sky Conference games at Roos Field, the Vikings are 5-5. Overall, PSU has a 10-8-1 record in Cheney. Remarkably, the all-time series is tied 20-20-1, although Eastern Washington has an edge in Big Sky games, 14-9.
     
This week's game kicks off at 1 p.m. in Cheney. The game is televised on SWX in Washington. A live stream can be found on Pluto TV Channel 534, www.WatchBigSky.com and www.pluto.tv. Live audio can be found at www.GoViks.com/Watch. Live stats are available at www.GoViks.com.
 
STORYLINES
• This marks the eighth straight year that Portland State and Eastern Washington will meet in the regular season finale.
• Eastern Washington has won six of the last seven games.
• In the all-time series, neither school has a winning record on its own home field. Each team has also shut out the other team three times.
• The Eagles reached the NCAA FCS I National Championship game last season before losing to North Dakota State, 38-24.
• Eastern Washington won the national championship in 2010, reached the semifinals in 2012, 2013 and 2016 and got to the quarterfinals in 2014.
• Eastern Washington is the closest - in proximity - Big Sky Conference opponent, and the Eagles also maintain the longest continuous series with the Vikings. This year the teams will meet for the 30th consecutive season.
• Portland State's all-time best passing game (Drew Hubel, 623 yards, 2008, 47-36 win) and rushing game (Ryan Fuqua, 393 yards, 2001, 37-22 win) and longest pass play (Jimmy Blanchard to Terry Charles, 99 yards, 1998, 48-39 win) have come against Eastern Washington.
 
LAST MEETING, Nov. 16, 2018: ^#4 Eastern Washington 74, Portland State 23
Portland State trailed by only one score heading into the final minute of the first half. But things changed quickly against the fourth-ranked Eagles who scored late and went into intermission with a 27-14 lead.
     
Then, Eastern Washington broke open the game with a 47-point second half. The Eagles totaled 624 yards on offense for the game and took advantage of four Portland State turnovers.
     
Quarterback Eric Barriere had 315 yards of total offense, passed for five touchdowns and rushed for a sixth for the Eagles. 
 
THE SERIES RECORD: VIKINGS vs. EAGLES
All-Time Series: Tied 20-20-1 • EWU leads 11-10 in Portland • PSU leads 10-8-1 in Cheney • EWU leads 1-0 in Seattle
Big Sky Series: EWU leads 14-9 • EWU leads 8-4 in Portland • The series is tied 5-5 in Cheney • EWU leads 1-0 in Seattle
 
SCOUTING THE EAGLES
The numbers jump off the board for Eastern Washington as it leads the nation in total offense (521.7 yards per game) and ranks sixth in scoring (39.5 points).
     
Quarterback Eric Barriere is the catalyst for the offense with a Big Sky-leading 362.5 yards of total offense per game (second in the nation). He has thrown 28 touchdown passes and rushed for seven more. Barriere has a fleet of talented receivers, led by Andrew Boston (47-672-5) and Jayson Williams  (44-515-5). Even the Eagles' seventh-leading receiver has gaudy numbers as Talolo Limu-Jones has a team-high seven touchdowns and averages 24.8 yards per catch.
     
Making the Eagle offense even more daunting is one of the best runners in the Big Sky. Antoine Custer Jr.  has rushed 179 times for 1,010 yards and 14 touchdowns to rank second in the league. In fact, the Eagle offense is almost a perfect 50-50 split with 433 rushing plays and 437 passes.
     
On defense, Eastern Washington has allowed 33.5 points and 435 yards per game. The Eagles have forced 21 turnovers and hold a +8 turnover margin, which ranks second-best in the league. Defensive back Dehonta Hayes leads the team and ranks fourth in the Big Sky with 106 tackles this season. Calin Criner has made four interceptions.
     
The Eagles have hurt their cause this season with 88 penalties - second most in the league. Opponents have committed the fewest penalties against them, only 49.
 
ON THIS DATE: NOVEMBER 23
• Portland State is 2-5 on Nov. 23, dating back to 1958.
• Among those contests, PSU was 1-1 on Nov. 23 in NCAA II playoff games.
• PSU lost to third-ranked Eastern Washington, 42-41, on Nov. 23, 2013.
 
THE DAM CUP BATTLE
Portland State will try to reclaim the Dam Cup Trophy this week against Eastern Washington. The Vikings have lost the Dam Cup each of the last three seasons. Eastern Washington has now held the trophy in five of the nine years of its existence. Previously an all-sports trophy, the Dam Cup is now in its fifth year as a football-only competition.
 
More About the Dam Cup . . .
The Eastern Washington Eagles and Portland State Vikings began a five-sport rivalry cup called The Dam Cup in 2010-11. The Dam Cup celebrates the friendly rivalry between the states of Oregon and Washington within the Big Sky Conference.
     
The so-named rivalry refers to the four dams linking Oregon and Washington that one passes on the 339-mile drive from the Portland State campus to the Eastern Washington campus. Located along the Columbia River, they are Bonneville Dam, The Dalles Dam, The John Day Dam and the McNary Dam.
     
The purpose of the Dam Cup is to enhance the rivalry between Portland State and Eastern Washington and provide a sense of pride between alumni in the Portland and Spokane areas. Other goals include increasing attendance at events between both schools and building school spirit among each institutions' student body.
     
The winner of the Dam Cup will possess The Dam Trophy acknowledging the achievement for the following year.
 
Dam Cup Champions
2010-11          PSU             
2011-12          PSU 
2012-13          EWU
2013-14          PSU
2014-15          EWU
2015-16          PSU
2016-17          EWU
2017-18          EWU
2018-19          EWU
 
QUICK SNAPS
 
SO CLOSE, AND YET, SO FAR
The past three games have been particularly painful for the Vikings as they have been on the doorstep of victory in the fourth quarter of all three. On Oct. 26 in Flagstaff, the Vikings trailed 28-9, but roared back to take a 29-28 lead over Northern Arizona on a Cody Williams field goal with 1:26 to play. However, the Lumberjacks answered with a game-winning field goal with a four seconds left, providing PSU with a 31-29 road loss.
     
On Nov. 2, PSU was within 28-23 of the eighth-ranked Montana Grizzlies going into the fourth quarter. But the Griz scored 10 straight in the fourth to come away with a 38-23 win.
     
On Nov. 9, the Vikings cut a UC Davis lead to 31-28 with 8:33 left in the game when Carlos Martin caught an 18-yard touchdown reception. However, the Aggies scored a minute later on a long pass, then tacked on a late score for a 45-28 win. 
 
FLY SWATTER WITH A NEW RECORD
SO S Anthony Adams added another interception and two more pass breakups to his totals in the Vikings' game with UC Davis. He has a school-record 18 pass breakups for the season.
• Adams has 18 pass breakups and five interceptions this season, both of which lead the Big Sky Conference. His 23 passes defended LEADS THE NATION.
• Adams ranks second on the team with 50 tackles as well.
• Adams broke up three passes at Northern Arizona and logged a career-high 10 tackles.
• Adams has 25 career pass breakups in 22 games. He is already sixth all-time at PSU (record, 33).
• The Newberg native now has six career interceptions and seven career takeaways.
 
DEFENSIVE NOTES
• The Vikings rank fourth in the Big Sky in rushing defense (124.7) and total defense at 394.9 yards per game. The Vikings are fifth in scoring defense (27.9). PSU is second in the league in interceptions (12).
• PSU has 18 takeaways this season and a +5 turnover margin. The Vikings have 69 points off turnovers while opponents have just 24... in the last nine games, PSU has a +8 turnover margin.
• The Vikings have 72 tackles for loss, 29 sacks, 48 pass breakups and 18 takeaways in 11 games this season.
• SR DE Shawn Richard (5.5) and SR DT Anthony Del Toro (4.5) and SO DE Jake Porter (4.5) lead the Vikings in sacks this season.
• Among active players, SR DT Anthony Del Toro is the team leader in tackles (118), tackles for loss (18.5) and sacks (9.5).
• 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.
• 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 188-331 passing for 2,609 yards, 21 touchdowns and six interceptions.
• Alexander already has a career-high 21 touchdown passes and is completing a career-best 57% of his passes. His 21 touchdowns are the most by a Viking quarterback since Juston Wood had 23 in 2001.
• He ranks second on the team with 113 rushes for 464 yards (671 positive yards) and five touchdowns.
• With 3,073 yards of total offense, he ranks seventh in PSU history for a season. For his career, he ranks fifth (6,636). Alexander ranks 10th in total passing yards (5,628). His 37 career touchdowns ranks ninth all-time.
• 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 24 career starts, Alexander is 396-713 for 5,560 yards, 37 TDs and 15 interceptions... for his career (26 games), he is 404-718-16-5,628-37TD.
• Alexander has 269 career rushes for 1,008 yards and 19 TDs. He has 1,426 positive rushing yards.
• In all, Alexander is responsible for 56 career TDs.
 
SURGING SIRGEO
SR RB Sirgeo Hoffman returned to action against UC Davis and rushed for 72 yards on 14 carries.
• Hoffman rushed 28 times for a career-high 221 yards and two touchdowns at Northern Colorado. He followed that up with 140 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries at Northern Arizona.
• Hoffman has rushed 143 times for 769 yards and eight touchdowns on the 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 (76.9 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.
• JR WR Emmanuel Daigbe leads the team lead with 36 receptions, 542 yards and six TDs... Daigbe caught two touchdown passes among his five receptions and 81 yards against UC Davis... he posted a career-high 114 yards at Northern Colorado, including the season's longest play - a 76-yard TD reception... in his 22-game career, Daigbe has 59 catches for 915 yards and 10 TDs... Daigbe also has nine tackles on special teams this season.
• SO WR Davis Koetter has 31 receptions for 534 yards and six touchdowns this season. In his career, he has 35 catches and eight 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.
• SO WR Beau Kelly has 28 catches for 402 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 73 return yards on seven punts.
• SO WR Mataio Talalemotu missed two games with a hamstring issue. But, he still has 27 receptions for 407 yards and three TDs... Talalemotu had five receptions for 109 yards and a 40-yard touchdown against Montana... he led the Vikings with five receptions for 78 yards, including a 52-yard touchdown reception, at Boise State... for his career, he has 45 receptions for 771 yards, five TDs and three 100-yard games.
 
CHARTING CHARLIE
After missing two games with hamstring tightness, All-American tight end Charlie Taumoepeau has eased back into competition. He ranks third on the team in receptions (33), but actually lead in catches per game (3.7).
• In nine games played Taumoepeau has 33 receptions for 456 yards and two touchdowns.
• Taumoepeau put up his first 100-yard game of the season at Idaho State. He had seven receptions for 104 yards... 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.
• For his career, Taumoepeau now has 114 receptions for 1,858 yards (16.3) and 11 touchdowns.
• In his last 30 games played, Taumoepeau has 108 catches for 1,780 yards and 10 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 444.1 yards (6th in the Big Sky) and 33.6 points (fifth in the Big Sky).
• Twelve different Vikings have rushed for positive yards and PSU averages 191.6 yards rushing per game (third in the Big Sky).
• The Vikings' ball control offense leads the Big Sky in time of possession (ranking fourth in the nation) at 34:25.
• Portland State is converting third-downs at a 43% rate, and 4th downs at a 55% rate. The Vikings are 37-44 in the redzone (31 TDs, 6 FG).
• After having six turnovers in the first two games, the Vikings have only seven in the last nine.
• 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.
 
PASSING 1,000
Both JR QB Davis Alexander and SR RB Sirgeo Hoffman passed 1,000 career rushing yards in the last game against UC Davis. In two seasons (19 games), Hoffman has 223 carries for 1,068 yards (4.8) and 10 touchdowns. In three seasons (27 games), Alexander has 269 carries for 1,008 yards (3.7) and 19 touchdowns.
 
PASSING 100
Several Vikings have passed the 100 mark this season. SR TE Charlie Taumoepeau passed 100 career receptions (now 114 in 40 games) three games back. SO K Cody Williams (152; 25 FG, 77 PAT) and JR QB Davis Alexander (114; 19 TD) have passed 100 career points. SR DT Anthony Del Toro (115), SR DT Kenton Bartlett (105) and SR ROV Romeo Gunt (101) have all passed 100 career tackles.
 
ANOTHER WEEK, ANOTHER RECORD
SO K Cody Williams picked up his third kicking record of the season against UC Davis. With four made extra points, he now has made 77 in a row, matching the school record. It is the third record he has picked up this season.
• Williams made 5-6 field goals at Northern Arizona to tie the school record for FGs made in a game (Dan Frantz, 1999).
• At Northern Colorado, Williams booted a school-record 56-yard field goal. He even got a shot at a 55-yarder, but that one missed.
• For his career, Williams is 25-35 on field goals, 77-77 on extra points... the PSU record for consecutive PATs is 77, which has him tied with Jonathan Gonzales (2014-15)... Williams already ranks eighth all-time at PSU with 25 field goals.
• With 14 field goals made this season, he ranks sixth 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 42.7 yards with 11 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 16th in the nation.
• The Vikings are 14-21 on field goals and 44-44 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 two opponent fumbles on punt returns (Davis Koetter, Emmanuel Daigbe).
 
YELLOW HANKIES HURTING... BUT NOW NOT AS BAD
Portland State now ranks 10th in penalties in the Big Sky Conference (69.2 yards per game) after ranking last earlier in the season. PSU has 81 penalties for 718 yards... three times this season PSU has had touchdowns taken away on penalties (and proceeded to get only three points on those possessions).