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Hillsboro, OR – Quick. Efficient. Effective.
 
Those three words summed up the Portland State Vikings effort against Eastern Oregon at Hillsboro Stadium on Saturday as the home team took a 59-9 win.
 
Heavy favorites against the NAIA Mountaineers, the Vikings validated that notion on both sides of the football. Portland State gained 657 yards of total offense and allowed just 133 yards to the Mountaineers.
 
"The focus was to be ready to play right away," said Viking Coach Bruce Barnum. "We don't want the opportunity to slip away - especially when we get to conference play - because we had a slow start. It was a polished game to get ready for Idaho State. Now it gets real."
 
The win improves the Vikings to 2-2 on the season with the Big Sky Conference opener coming next Saturday at Idaho State. Eastern Oregon dropped to 1-3 with the loss.
 
Portland State took charge right away scoring on the opening drive. PSU went 65 yards in a methodical 11-play march. Running back Sirgeo Hoffman scampered in on a nine-yard run for the score.
 
After a defensive three-and-out, the Vikings scored on their next series as well. This time it was a 57-yard toss from Davis Alexander to Emmanuel Daigbe. That had PSU ahead 14-0 at the 6:37 mark of the first quarter.
 
Alexander completed his first 10 passes in the game for 139 yards.
 
On the defensive side, the Vikings gave up only 12 yards and no first downs in the first quarter. In fact, Eastern Oregon's first four series ended in three-and-outs.
 
Portland State rolled up 411 yards of offense and a 31-0 lead by halftime. Alexander had 280 yards and three touchdowns passing. Daigbe caught two of those long balls for scores from 57 and 44 yards. Davis Koetter had the other receiving touchdown on a 10-yard reception.
 
Eastern Oregon scored a quick touchdown to start the second half, but that was the only resistance the Vikings would get. Alexander answered by throwing his fourth TD pass of the day, a 19-yarder to Beau Kelly, for a 38-6 PSU lead.
 
Alexander finished his day midway through the third quarter with 366 passing yards and five touchdowns.
 
Ten different Vikings caught passes in the game and eight different Vikings had running plays. Koetter led the team with seven receptions for 96 yards. Kelly caught six for 57, and Daigbe had three for 109 yards. Malik Walker led the running game with 11 carries for 73 yards.
 
On defense, the Vikings forced six three-and-outs, seven punts and recovered one fumble against the Mountaineers. With only nine points allowed, PSU has held nine of the last 13 opponents under 20 points.
 
"I know I have a dominant defense. They are playing lights out right now and we have to keep that going. They are keeping us in games, no matter who we play or where we play," said Barnum.
 
Robert Holt, Nicolas Ah Sam and Semise Kofe each had four tackles to lead the team. Ah Sam added a sack, while Holt got his second forced fumble of the season.
 
GAME NOTES: Alexander's five passing TDs were the most since Drew Hubel threw five against Eastern Washington in 2008… Beau Kelly, George McCorley, Malik Thirdgill and Marshaun Tucker all had their first career touchdown receptions… quarterback Nathan West saw his first action of the season and led a touchdown drive, throwing a 15-yard TD pass to Thirdgill… Jalen Chatman also saw his first action at quarterback… Portland State is now 18-0 against lower division opponents since joining the Big Sky Conference in 1996.