PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (0-0) at MONTANA GRIZZLIES (1-0)

Saturday, April 17, 2021, 11 a.m. MT/10 a.m. PT, Washington-Grizzly Stadium, Missoula, MT 

TELEVISION: SWX-Montana
LIVE VIDEO: GoGriz.com/watch (fee required)
LIVE STATS: https://admin.gogriz.com/sidearmstats/football/media;category=offense

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VIKINGS TRAVEL TO MONTANA FOR SPRING SOLO START

Portland State's very unusual one-game season takes place this Saturday when the Vikings meet an old foe, Montana, in Missoula.
     
The pandemic-impacted 2020 season never came off, and the makeshift spring 2021 season was not amenable to either PSU or Montana. As a result, both programs opted out of the six-game conference schedule and began spring practice later than normal. Now, both are able to fill the gap with non-conference play. The Griz played their first game last Saturday, a 59-3 victory over Central Washington. The Vikings' game with Montana will be PSU's lone start of the spring. (Other Big Sky schools that opted out of the spring include Montana State, Sacramento State and Northern Colorado. They are not playing games. Cal Poly shut down its program after three games).
     
Saturday's contest will be Portland State's first game since November 23, 2019 - a span of 17 months.
     
"We had already begun workouts before we had inked the game," Head Coach Bruce Barnum said. "We were already thrilled to be back on the field after a year away, but after I announced the game - boom! - the team got so much more excited about spring. It is something to strive for and look forward to for this team. It's like a mini-bowl game and a reward for all the work they have done since they have been back."
     
The contest will kick off at 11 a.m. MT/10 a.m. PT at Washington-Grizzly Stadium.
     
The last meeting between the Vikings and Grizzlies was 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.
     
Portland State had 10 players opt out for the spring. Two others are unable to play while recovering from injuries. However, due to the addition of the 2020 NLI signing class, a few from 2021, and the return of 2020 seniors who will not lose their eligibility, the Vikings had more than 80 available for spring practice - a higher number than normal.
     
The Vikings will rely heavily on SR QB Davis Alexander, who compiled 3,445 yards total offense and 30 total touchdowns in 2019, and a strong returning receiver group (although SR WR Emmanuel Daigbe will not be available to play against Montana). Barnum is also excited about a fortified running back position with a lot of young talent. On defense, JR CB Anthony Adams, a 2019 All-American, returns to lead the group. Adams was tops in the nation in passes defensed in 2019 (5 INT, 19 PBU). The defensive line is much deeper and will be anchored by SR DT Semise Kofe.
 
All-Time Series: Montana leads 31-13 • UM leads 14-9 in Portland • UM leads 19-4 in Missoula
Big Sky Series: Montana leads 17-4 • UM leads 8-3 in Portland • UM leads 9-1 Missoula