The Portland State Vikings will play football this spring as they have scheduled a non-conference contest with the University of Montana on April 17. The game will be played in Missoula with the kick time and fan attendance yet to be determined.
 
PSU and Montana are two of the five teams that opted out of the Big Sky Conference's six-game spring league schedule deciding to play a modified spring slate that falls more closely in line with the traditional spring calendar. The schools, along with Montana State, Sacramento State and Northern Colorado, determined that they would be unable to have their programs fully prepared to compete due to COVID-related concerns and winter weather practice conditions in a Big Sky game schedule that began last week. 
 
The schools do, however, still have the option to compete in the spring. Portland State is scheduled to begin spring practice some time between March 12 and 22 pending a determination by the NCAA for their circumstance.
 
It is certain though, that the April 17 contest at Washington-Grizzly Stadium will be a regulation FCS game. The game is contingent on approval by the Missoula County Health Department (MCHD) approval and will follow all NCAA guidelines and best practices for COVID testing.
 
"This will be the coolest spring ever," said Viking coach Bruce Barnum. "Maybe we can set a precedent with the NCAA to choose an opponent for a spring game in the future. Our game this year will be the Griz in Missoula. Our kids are jacked up for it. This is the best COVID relief we could have around here."
 
Portland State has not played since the 2019 season. The Vikings were able to hold spring practice in 2020 as it concluded the day most of the country went into lockdown last March. PSU football players have only recently been able to return to campus and began conditioning and strength training for the first time in 11 months in late January.
 
The Vikings and Grizzlies last met in 2019, a 38-23 Montana victory at Hillsboro Stadium. The teams last met in Missoula in 2018, a 22-20 Portland State win on a last-second field goal by Cody Williams.
 
Due to an unbalanced Big Sky Conference schedule, Portland State and Montana are not scheduled to meet on the fall 2021 schedule. 
 
Montana also has a game scheduled with Central Washington on April 10. PSU still maintains the possibility of additional competitions in the spring.