Game 1
PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (4-7 in 2018) vs. ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS (2-10 in 2018)
Saturday, Aug 31, 3 p.m. CT/1 p.m. PT • Razorback Stadium (76,000), Fayetteville, AR
TELEVISION: SEC Network • Play-by-play: Dave Neal • Analyst: DJ Shockley • Sideline: Dawn Davenport
LIVE AUDIO: www.GoViks.com • Pregame Show: 12:30 p.m. PT • Play-by-play: Matt Richert • Analyst:
Mike Lund
LIVE STATS: www.ViksLive.com
Complete notes and stats in pdf
THE SERIES RECORD: VIKINGS vs. RAZORBACKS: 1st meeting
VIKINGS OPEN 2019 SEASON WITH FIRST-EVER SEC OPPONENT
Portland State will have an unprecedented start to the 2019 football season when it plays Arkansas in Fayetteville this Saturday. The Viking program, now in its 73rd season, will be facing a member of the powerful Southeastern Conference for the first time ever, and could potentially play in front of the largest crowd in PSU history.
The Vikings and Razorbacks meet in a 3 p.m. Central Time game, that will air at 1 p.m. in Portland. The game will be televised on the SEC Network. A live audio stream airs on www.GoViks.com with live stats at www.ViksLive.com.
Both Portland State and Arkansas will be trying to set the tone for an improvement in 2019. The Vikings were 4-7 in 2018, 3-5 in the Big Sky Conference. That was actually a four-game improvement over a dismal 2017 season. The Razorbacks were 2-10 last year, 0-8 in the SEC West Division. That was a dip from a 4-8/2-6 season in 2017.
PSU, an NCAA I FCS member of the Big Sky Conference, plays up against an FBS-level program for the first of two times this season. It will be the 43rd time in school history that Portland State has played an FBS team. The Vikings are 4-38 all-time, including 2-6 under Head Coach
Bruce Barnum. The Vikings won Barnum's first two meetings with FBS opponents, Washington State (24-17) and North Texas (66-7) in 2015. Since then, the Vikings have lost six in a row to FBS teams, the closest being a 35-32 decision at Oregon State in 2017.
The Vikings are opening a 12-game schedule that includes six at home and six on the road. It is just the third 12-game regular season in school history (2013, 2014). With an extra Saturday before Thanksgiving this season, FCS programs have an extra week to schedule prior to the playoffs.
STORYLINES
• Portland State and Arkansas will meet for the first time in history. The game also marks the first-ever by a PSU football team against an SEC team.
• This is the first of two FBS opponents for the Vikings in 2019. They will also play at Boise State on Sept. 14. It marks the sixth straight year that PSU will play two FBS teams in the same season and the 10th time overall (three in 2006).
• Portland State is 4-38 all-time against members of the FBS. Viking Head Coach
Bruce Barnum is 2-6 against the FBS.
• Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium will be the largest capacity venue in which Portland State football has ever played. The Stadium seats 76,000, which ranks as 21st largest in the nation. The previous largest venue for the PSU football was Husky Stadium (70,138 in 2016). The largest crowd before which the Vikings have ever played was 61,082 at California in 2006 (42-16 loss).
• Arkansas has played collegiate football since 1894 and is beginning its 126th season.
• The Razorbacks won the national championship in 1964. They have had 57 All-Americans, 271 NFL draft picks, 23 in the first round.
A QUICK LOOK AT THE VIKINGS
Portland State opens its 24th season as a member of the Big Sky Conference. Head Coach
Bruce Barnum (16-29) begins his fifth season at the helm and 10th overall with the Vikings.
PSU returns 46 letterwinners and 15 redshirts from last season. Nine starters on offense, eight starters on defense and two special teams starters return. Featured is consensus All-American SR TE
Charlie Taumoepeau. Despite spending some time injured in 2018, he totaled 28 catches for 580 yards and five TDs. His 45 catches in 2017 were the most by a Viking TE in 29 years.
PSU also returns JR QB
Davis Alexander (2,210 yards totals offense, 23 total TDs) and the entire receiving corps.
On defense the Vikings will have a middle linebacker and whip linebacker in the starting unit, but return strong defense tackle and defensive backfield groups.
The Vikings ranked eighth in scoring offense (27.5 points) and total offense (393.6 yards) among 13 teams in the Big Sky last year. PSU was 10th in scoring defense (36.2) and eighth in total defense (419.3).
PSU was 4-7 overall, 3-5 in the Big Sky Conference (2-3 at home, 2-4 on the road).
ON THIS DATE
This week's game marks the second year in a row that Portland State will play on Aug. 31 and the Vikings are 1-1 all-time on the date. PSU defeated Stephen F. Austin on Aug. 31, 2002 and lost at Boise State on Aug. 31, 2018. This marks the eighth time ever that Portland State has played in the month of August. The Vikings are 3-4 all-time in August games.
SCOUTING THE RAZORBACKS
Arkansas is led by second-year Head Coach Chad Morris. The Razorbacks were 2-10 last season, 0-8 in the SEC West Division. Arkansas beat its only FCS opponent last year, Eastern Illinois of the Ohio Valley Conference, 55-20.
Arkansas averaged 21.7 points per game and allowed 34.8 per game last season. The Hogs totaled 335.7 yards of offense per game while allowing 413.2.
Sixty letterwinners return for Arkansas, including six starters on offense, six on defense and two on special teams.
The top offensive player returning is Rakeem Boyd. The junior running back rushed 123 times for 734 yards (6.0) and two touchdowns last season. Wide receiver Cheyenne O'Grady (30-400-6) also returns.
Senior linebacker De'Jon Harris leads Arkansas' defensive unit. Harris had 118 tackles last season, nine for loss, two sacks and five pass breakups.
QUICK SNAPS
WINS, LOSSES, AND THE BIG SKY
• Portland State was 4-7, 2-3 at home, 2-4 on the road, in 2018. The Vikings were 1-0 at Providence Park, 1-3 at Hillsboro Stadium in home games.
• 2019 is Portland State's 27th season at the NCAA I FCS level (1978-80 (1-AA), 1996-2018). PSU is 130-159 in all games at the FCS/1-AA level.
• PSU will be competing in its 24th season since moving back to FCS and the Big Sky Conference (1996-2019). PSU is 111-146 in that span, 71-52 in home games, 40-94 on the road.
• As a member of the Big Sky Conference (1996-2019) PSU is 73-105 all-time in league games, 43-47 at home, 30-59 on the road.
• The Vikings have nine winning records in 23 previous years as a member of the Big Sky Conference.
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Bruce Barnum (2015-19, 11-21 Big Sky, 16-29 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).
CAPTAINS NAMED
Portland State has named for captains for the 2019 season. They are SR TE
Charlie Taumoepeau, SR DT
Kenton Bartlett, JR QB
Davis Alexander and SO S
Anthony Adams. This is Taumoepeau's second season as a captain and will be his third as a Viking starter. Bartlett also begins his third season as a starter on the defensive line. Alexander is slated to be a starter at quarterback for the second season in a row. Adams, just a sophomore, is one of the top returners on the defense and will start again at safety.
ROSTER BREAKDOWN
• The Vikings return nine starters and 25 letterwinners on offense. They return eight starters and 19 letterwinners on defense. Two starters return on special teams. In all, 46 letterwinners and 15 redshirts return for 2019.
• The Viking roster consists of 19 seniors, 27 juniors, 20 sophomores and 33 freshmen (including 10 redshirt freshmen).
• Portland State signed 27 players in the off-season, 18 freshman and 9 transfers. Sixteen are defensive players, 10 are on offense and one is on special teams.
• There are 34 Oregonians on the roster and four players from just across the river in the Vancouver area.
