PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (0-0) at HAWAI'I RAINBOW WARRIORS (0-1)

Saturday, September 4, 2021, 6 p.m. HT/9 p.m. PT, Clarence T.C. Ching Complex, Honolulu, HI
 
TELEVISION: Spectrum Sports PPV in Hawai'i
LIVE STREAMING VIDEO: Team1 Sports App (only)
LIVE AUDIO: ESPN Honolulu, espn.honolulu.com
LIVE STATS: www.ViksLive.com

ALL-TIME SERIES

Hawai'i leads 4-1 • UH leads 3-1 in Hawai'i • UH leads 1-0 in Portland
 
GAME-BY-GAME
1972, Hawai'i 38, at PSU 13
1975, at Hawai'i 24, PSU 7
1976, at Hawai'i , 20, PSU 17
1977, at Hawai'i , 21, PSU 12
2000, PSU 45, at Hawai'i 20 

STORYLINES

• UPSET-REMINDED: Portland State's 45-20 win at Hawai'i in 2000 marked the program's first-ever against a Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) program. The Vikings are now 4-40 all-time against FBS-level competition with additional wins over New Mexico, Washington State and North Texas.
• THE RAINBOW CONNECTION: Former Portland State star quarterback June Jones (1975-76) was the Head Coach at Hawai'i (1999-2007, 76-41), winning WAC titles in 1999 and 2007. Two of his assistants during that span were former Portland State Head Coaches Mouse Davis (1975-80, 42-24) and Jerry Glanville (2007-09, 9-24).
• A TRUE HOME FIELD: This week's game will be played at Hawai'i's small 9,000-seat, on-campus stadium, the Clarence T.C. Ching Complex. Hawai'i had played at Aloha Stadium dating back to 1975. Due to health concerns, fans will not be allowed for in-person attendance.  

VIKINGS RETURN TO PLAY STARTS WITH OPENER AT HAWAI'I

Portland State Football is happy to be back for a full slate of games in 2021. The Vikings will open the season with a road contest at the University of Hawai'i, returning to the scene (almost) of one of the greatest wins in PSU history.
     
The Vikings, members of the FCS Big Sky Conference, take on Hawai'i, members of the FBS Mountain West Conference, this Saturday in a 6 p.m. HT/9 p.m. PT kickoff. The game will be played at Clarence T.C. Ching Complex on the Hawai'i campus. That is a move for the Rainbow Warriors who have played at Aloha Stadium since 1975. Aloha Stadium was the venue where the Vikings upset Hawai'i, 45-20, on Sept. 9, 2000 (see story below).
     
The on-campus venue has undergone a rapid transformation over the past six months to get ready for Hawai'i Football in 2021, however the 9,000 seats will go unused as City and County of Honolulu officials have declared that fans will not be allowed at the season-opening game due to the state's recent record surge in COVID-19 cases and the resulting overwhelmed hospital capacity.
     
All that said, both Portland State and Hawai'i have been taking necessary precautions in preparing for the 2021 season and this week's opener. The Vikings saw their 2020 season wiped out due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as five Big Sky Conference teams elected not to play. Hawai'i's season was abbreviated to a nine-game slate.
     
PSU last played in 2019, going 5-7 overall, 3-5 in the Big Sky Conference. The Vikings started 5-3/3-1, but a last-second, two-point loss to Northern Arizona in week nine sent them on a four-game losing skid to end the year.
     
Hawai'i went 5-4 in 2020, splitting their eight MWC games, with wins over Fresno State, New Mexico, Nevada and UNLV. The Warriors beat Houston, 28-14, in the New Mexico Bowl. The Rainbow Warriors opened their 2021 season last Saturday with a 44-10 loss at UCLA.
     
Despite PSU's upset win over Hawai'i in 2000, UH leads the all-time series, 4-1, with the four Rainbow Warrior wins coming during the 1970s. Hawai'i returns 66 letterwinners from last season, including seven starters on offense.
     
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. 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 (30T, 7.5 TFL, 2.5 SK). 

LAST MEETING, Sept. 9, 2000: Portland State 45, Hawai'i 20

Honolulu, HI - In what was unquestionably the biggest win to date in Portland State's brief Big Sky Conference history, the Vikings rolled over the University of Hawai'i, 45-20.
     
For PSU it was the school's first win ever over a 1-A (FBS) program, let alone the defending Western Athletic Conference and Oahu Bowl champion Warriors. The Vikings also played in front of a school-record 50,000 fans at sold out Aloha Stadium.
     
The PSU defense came out strong, making big plays early to keep the Vikings in the game, then the much-touted offense took over, turning a 10-0 deficit into a huge win. The Vikings outscored Hawai'i 38-3 from late in the first period until midway through the fourth as they put a licking on the Warriors.
     
With the offense sputtering on the first few possessions, the defense took control of the game late in the first quarter. Hawai'i was already up 10-0 after scoring on its first two possessions. But, the third time the Warriors had the ball, Viking defensive back Steve Morse stripped receiver Craig Stutzman of the ball. PSU linebacker Tino Retamoza swooped in to pick it up and rumbled 67 yards for a touchdown.
     
Then, early in the second period, Morse picked off a Nick Rolovich pass and returned it 17 yards for a touchdown. Suddenly, the Vikings led 12-10, and had not yet made a first down.
     
The PSU offense accepted the challenge though and went on two 10-play drives of 53 and 92 yards later in the period to take a 25-10 lead into halftime.Tailback Chip Dunn scored both times on three-yard runs.
     
After a Hawai'i field goal early in the third quarter, the Vikings began to air it out. Quarterback Jimmy Blanchard hit Terry Charles on a 72-yard TD pass with 8:25 left in the period.
     
Meanwhile, the Viking defense handled Hawai'i's run-and-shoot offense. Portland State made three sacks and forced three turnovers. Morse and Retamoza were the stars. Morse finished with seven tackles, an interception, a forced fumble and two pass breakups. Retamoza had five tackles, the fumble return for touchdown, an interception and a pass breakup.
     
Once PSU had a 32-13 lead, the ball was handed off to Dunn with regularity. The senior ran 39 times for 154 yards and the two scores. It was his 23rd career 100-yard game. He also moved into second place all-time in rushing in Big Sky Conference history with 4,528 yards (he finished his career with 6,007 yards).
     
Charles had five receptions for 168 yards and a touchdown. Blanchard was 12 of 24 passing for 235 yards, a TD and no interceptions.
     
A pair of fourth-quarter field goals by Dan Frantz and a late touchdown by backup rusher Amad Robinson finished the scoring for the Vikings.
     
Rolovich completed only 28 of 57 pass attempts for Hawai'i. Warriors Head Coach June Jones, a Viking quarterbacking legend from the 1970s, took the loss to his alma mater.

SCOUTING THE RAINBOW WARRIORS

Hawai'i has a veteran group with 66 returning letterwinners under second-year Head Coach Todd Graham. The team won a New Mexico Bowl title last year over University of Houston.
     
Hawai'i opened the season last Saturday at UCLA, losing 44-10. The running game played a significant role in the outcome. UCLA rushed 43 times for 244 yards and four touchdowns, while Hawai'i managed only 26 rushing yards on 21 carries. 
     
Overall, UCLA had 392 yards of offense to 269 for Hawai'i. An early special teams miscue and two interceptions were costly as the Bruins jumped to a 24-3 first-quarter lead and never looked back.
     
Hawai'i junior quarterback Chevon Cordeiro was 25-47 for 220 yards and two picks and one touchdown.
     
Junior linebacker Darius Muasau had 10 tackles and one pass breakup to lead the Rainbow Warriors defense. 

HAWAI'I/WASHINGTON STATE CONNECTION BRINGS HAPPY MEMORIES

Portland State opens its season at the University of Hawai'i on Sept. 4. It will be the first meeting between the schools in 21 years. It will also be a return to the scene of one of the greatest wins in PSU history.
     
The Vikings beat the Warriors, 45-20, on Sept. 9, 2000, marking a first-ever win over a Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) program in school history. It was no small feat as Hawai'i was coming off a Mountain West Football Conference Championship and Oahu Bowl title in 1999. PSU's 2000 team went on to go 8-3 and record the FCS playoffs.
     
The Warriors Head Coach in 2000 was June Jones, a Portland State Athletics Hall of Famer from his days in the 1970s leading the Run-and-Shoot offense of Mouse Davis. Jones' quarterback in that game? Nick Rolovich, one of Hawai'i's all-time greats… which leads us to the Vikings' second game this season, a Sept. 11 contest at Washington State. The Head Coach for WSU? Nick Rolovich.
     
PSU's last meeting with the Cougars came in 2015 – Bruce Barnum's first game as Head Coach of the Vikings. You might remember that one, a 24-17 Viking win, marking a first-ever victory over a Pac-12 school (and then-Coach Mike Leach). That WSU team went on to go 9-4 and win a Sun Bowl title at the end of the season. PSU went 9-3, reaching the FCS playoffs.
     
That means two of PSU's four all-time wins over FBS teams came against this year's first two non-conference opponents.