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GAME 2
PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (0-1) vs. SIMON FRASER CLAN (1-9 in 2018)
Saturday, September 7, 2:05 p.m. • Hillsboro Stadium (7,200), Hillsboro, OR
TELEVISION: None
LIVE VIDEO: 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.
 
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 every Friday 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... on Oct. 11 the luncheon will be replaced by a TopGolf Tournament and luncheon at TopGolf in Hillsboro.
 
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 MEET SIMON FRASER FOR FIRST TIME IN 37 SEASONS 
Portland State will open its six-game home schedule this Saturday with a non-conference matchup against Simon Fraser. Kickoff is 2:05 p.m. at Hillsboro Stadium.
     
The Vikings and the Clan have not met since 1982. It will be the first of two non-conference home games for PSU before opening the Big Sky Conference home slate on Oct. 5 against Southern Utah. In all, the Vikings have four non-conference games this season, facing Boise State on Sept. 14, then hosting Eastern Oregon on Sept. 21.

Despite losing in their opener, the Vikings have to feel optimistic about their performance against Arkansas of the SEC. The Razorbacks won 20-13, but the Vikings had a chance to tie in the final minute of the game. In fact, the Vikings performed well enough to get attention from the nation's coaches. PSU received 17 voting points in the AFCA FCS Coaches' Top 25 poll. That was good for a tie for 33rd among teams ranked.     

The Vikings hope to take advantage of a stretch that includes four of the next six games at home, including two non-conference games and Big Sky matchups with Southern Utah and Idaho. This year's league slate ramps up as the season progresses with PSU playing nationally-ranked UC Davis and Eastern Washington and perennial power Montana over the last three games of the year.
     
Simon Fraser is an NCAA II member of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. The Vikings and the Clan met fairly regularly between 1968 and 1982, playing 10 times split evenly at home between the schools. PSU won eight of the 10 games, including the last six in a row.
     
This marks the 17th time PSU has played a lower division opponent since joining the Big Sky Conference in 1996. The Vikings are 16-0 in those games.
     
Simon Fraser will be opening its 10-game schedule against the Vikings. The Clan hopes to improve on a 1-9 season in 2018 as second-year coach Thomas Ford builds the program.
     
Saturday's game will be live streamed on Pluto TV Channel 532 (also www.pluto.tv and www.WatchBigSky.com). Links are also available at www.GoViks.com. Live stats are available www.ViksLive.com.
 
STORYLINES
• Portland State and Simon Fraser meet for the first time in 37 years.
• The game is one of two against lower division opponents for the Vikings and was facilitated by the "out-of-the-norm" 12-game schedule in 2019 (the other being Eastern Oregon on Sept. 21). PSU has only played two lower division opponents in a single season while a member of the Big Sky one other time (2011). PSU is 16-0 against lower division opponents since joining the Big Sky in 1996.
• Simon Fraser is an NCAA II member of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. The Clan was 1-9 last season under first-year coach Thomas Ford.
 
ON THIS DATE
Portland State has only played five times in its history on Sept. 7. The Vikings are 1-4 all-time on the date, with the one win coming at home against Montana State in 1985. PSU is 1-1 at home on Sept. 7 and has never played a Big Sky Conference game, or a lower division opponent on the date.
 
SCOUTING THE CLAN
Simon Fraser is led by second-year Head Coach Thomas Ford. The Clan was 1-9 last season, 0-8 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. The lone win came over Willamette, 54-7. SFU returns 53 players, including 10 starters this year, seven on offense, two on defense and one on special teams.
     
Simon Fraser averaged 18.7 points and 335.3 yards of offense per game last season. The Clan threw for 291.1 yards per game, but managed only 44.2 yards rushing. Turnovers were a problem as SFU gave away 35 (20 INT/15 FUMB) in just 10 games. The Clan also allowed 45 sacks.
     
Quarterback Justin Seiber returns after part-time duty last season. He completed 105-185 passes for 1,116 yards, seven touchdowns and seven interceptions. Four of the top five receivers are also back, led by 6-7 wideout Rysen John. A second-team All-GNAC selection last season, John had 50 receptions for 706 yards and six TDs.
     
Simon Fraser allowed 40.7 points and 422.1 yards. The Clan forced 24 turnovers.
     
Linebacker Griffin Barrett led the Clan with 85 tackles last season. Defensive end Isaac Evans made four sacks, 8.5 tackles for loss and was also a second-team All-GNAC choice.
 
QUICK SNAPS
 
GUNT NAMED BIG SKY CONFERENCE DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
SR ROV Romeo Gunt was selected as Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Week after a career-best performance against the University of Arkansas. Gunt made a career-high 15 tackles - the most of any player in the game - in what was a strong defensive effort by both teams. His 15 stops were the fourth-most in the nation last week and aided in PSU holding the SEC Razorbacks to 20 points. PSU lost just 20-13 and had possession of the ball in the final minute.

Gunt, a 5-10, 190-pound roverback, was a playmaker for the Vikings as a junior. He had 58 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, two interceptions, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. His three takeaways were a team high. In addition, he earned Academic All-Big Sky Conference.

CHARTING CHARLIE
One might say All-American tight end Charlie Taumoepeau had modest numbers at Arkansas with four receptions for 56 yards and one touchdown. But it was an SEC opponent, and Taumoepeau did have a circus catch-and-run for touchdown in the fourth quarter, pulling the Vikings within seven at 20-13.
• For his career, Taumoepeau now has 85 receptions for 1,458 yards (17.8) and 10 touchdowns.
• In his last 22 games played, Taumoepeau has 79 catches for 1,380 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.
 
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.
• For his career, Williams is 13-16 on field goals, 38-38 on extra points.
• Williams' 50-yarder in the first quarter 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.
 
LONGEST FIELD GOALS IN PSU HISTORY
1. 55 Pat Moore, 1975 at Eastern Washington
2. 53 Jonathan Gonzales, 2014 vs. UC Davis
     53 Zach Brown, 2011 at Montana
     53 Zach Brown, 2010 at Arizona State
     53 Mike Erickson, 1986 at California Lutheran
6.  52 Cody Williams, 2018 at Montana
     52 Zach Brown, 2009 vs. Southern Oregon
     52 Mike Erickson, 1987 vs. CSUN
     52 John Kincheloe, 1979 at Weber State
10.     51          Zach Brown, 2011 at Northern Colorado
     51 Jonathan Gonzales, 2015 at Idaho State
12.     50          Cody Williams, 2019 at Arkansas
     50 Zach Brown, 2010 vs. Eastern Washington
     50 Zach Brown, 2009 at Northern Colorado
     50 John Kincheloe, 1980 vs. Weber State
 
20 OR LESS
Defensive Coordinator Payam Saadat's group made huge strides of improvement in 2018. And although the Vikings lost their opener at Arkansas, the Viking D turned in another fine performance. PSU held the Razorbacks under 400 yards and allowed only 20 points. It was the seventh time in the last 10 games, the Vikings have held their opponent to 20 points or less. To put that in perspective, prior to that stretch, none of the previous 12 opponents had been held to less than 30 points.
     
Some highlights from Saturday's game:

• SR ROV Romeo Gunt had a career-high 15 tackles in the game to lead both teams. It was also the fourth-most tackles in the nation last week. Gunt was named Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Week.
• SO LB Robert Holt had a career-high seven tackles and the first takeaway of his career with an interception late in the first half. Holt was honored as the College Sports Madness Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Week.
• The Vikings held Arkansas to 5-15 conversions on third down. They had five tackles for loss, a sack and four pass breakups.

 
NEW FACES ON THE FIELD
The Vikings had seven first-time starters at Arkansas. Included in the group were: SR LG Larry Brister, JR RG Babak Ghadaksaz, JR RT Daniel Giannosa, FR LB Zack Mandera, JR P Seth Vernon and the long snappers, JR Luke Fulford (punts) and FR Zach Phillipo (kicks).     
• Brister is a great story, having walked onto the team in 2017. He saw limited duty mainly on special teams in 2018. In the off-season, Brister was awarded a scholarship, then earned the starting guard position during preseason camp.
• Zack Mandera is the only true freshman to start for the Vikings in the vital role of middle linebacker, and one of only two to play (FR CB Greg Oliver).
• In all, 14 players saw action for the Vikings for the first time: JR RB Evyn Holtz, JR RB Malik Walker, JR OL John Krahn, SR TE Jackson Davis, FR CB Greg Oliver, JR CB Arin Mannery, JR CB Ty Apana-Purcell, FR CB Benton Hoge, FR LB Zack Mandera, SO LB Moses Finau, SO DE Jarryn Bush, FR OL Zach Phillipo, JR LS Luke Fulford, JR P Seth Vernon.
 
OREGONIAN INFLUENCE
Portland State's defense has a decidedly Oregon flavor to it - at least among its starters. The seven players lined up closest to the ball on the first snap against Arkansas were all Oregonians. They included: SO DE Jake Porter (West Linn), JR DT Semise Kofe (Portland), SR DT Anthony Del Toro (Grants Pass), JR DE Noah Yunker (Bend), FR LB Zack Mandera (Roseburg), JR LB Nicolas Ah Sam (Springfield) and SO S Anthony Adams (Newberg).
• PSU started three Oregonians on offense and played 19 Oregonians in all among the 34 on the roster and the 57 players that got into the game.
 
TAKING THEIR SHOT
Portland State managed just 230 yards of total offense against the SEC defense of Arkansas. But the Vikings still managed some big plays, going 3-3 on fourth downs. The biggest was a fourth-and-12 pass from JR QB Jalani Eason to SR TE Charlie Taumoepeau. Under great duress from on-coming rushers, Eason sprinted out left and found Taumoepeau down the left sideline. The big senior made an acrobatic catch, managed to stay on his feet, spin off some defenders and take the ball to the house for a 32-yard touchdown. That made the score 20-13 with 4:14 to play and gave the Vikings a chance to tie late.
 
FULL HOUSE
Portland State played in front of 61,055 fans at Arkansas last Saturday. It was the second-largest in PSU history. A crowd of 61,082 attended the Vikings game at Cal in 2006... Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium was the largest venue in which PSU has ever played (76,000).