GAME 5

PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (2-2, 1-0) at #3 MONTANA STATE BOBCATS (3-1, 1-0)

Saturday, Sept. 30, 2 p.m. MT/1 p.m. PT, Bobcat Stadium (20,000), Bozeman, MT
TELEVISION: Fox 12+ in Portland
LIVE STREAMING: ESPN+ • Play-by-Play: Ben Creighton • Analysts: Ty Gregorak, Scott Breen
LIVE STATS: www.ViksLive.com

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A STORM IS BREWING IN THE GALLATIN VALLEY AS VIKS MEET #3 CATS

All the good feelings of the past two weeks of Vikings Football will be met by the Big Sky Conference's most talented team in the Gallatin Valley of Montana this Saturday afternoon. Portland State will face the third-ranked Montana State Bobcats in front of 20,000 howling 'Cat fans. The game kicks off at 2 p.m. MT/1 p.m. PT in Bobcat Stadium in Bozeman and will be televised on ESPN+ Portland.
     
The Vikings go into the game at 2-2 on the season and on a modest two-game winning streak. What isn't modest are the 150 points put up by PSU over the past two weeks at home, which includes a 59-21 beat down of Cal Poly in the Big Sky Conference opener last Saturday.
     
However, Portland State goes into this week's game against a team likely to be the best they will see all season in the Big Sky. The Bobcats lead the league in offense (44.0 ppg, 516.3 ypg) and defense (15.0, 284.5 ypg-2nd) and are ranked third in the nation. While the Vikings put up 404 rushing yards in their win over the Mustangs, MSU enters this week's game as the top rushing team in the league (324.8).
     
Moreover, the Bobcats (3-1, 1-0) come off a shut out of then-10th-ranked Weber State in Ogden. Their lone loss was a 20-16 defeat at #1 South Dakota State. In that game, Montana State appeared to score a winning touchdown on the final play, but the play was overruled as a Bobcat receiver had his toe on the end zone back line on the potential winning reception. Montana State was a Big Sky co-champion and national semifinalist last year (12-2, 8-0), and played in the 2021 National Championship game (12-3, 7-1).
     
All that data on the powerhouse Bobcat program sounds like an impending storm. But the Vikings have a lot to feel good about and a lot to gain this week. PSU's running game is deep with four talented backs (Quincy Craig, Jobi Malary, Andrew Van Buren, Christian Grubb) and a quarterback (Dante Chachere) that can all break a play - all five had a run of more than 50 yards against Cal Poly last week. The Viking defense swamped NAIA North American for -23 total yards on Sept. 16, then held Cal Poly to 263 yards - the fewest by a Big Sky opponent in 11 games - on Sept. 23. PSU forced four turnovers in those two wins. And PSU's special teams have been very special. The Vikings lead the Big Sky in kick returns (31.0) and punt returns (20.0) while Grubb had a touchdown return in each of the last two weeks.
     
So, the Vikings feel good about starting week one of league play with a win and jumping into a six-way tie for first place. Now, they have a chance to show so much more against one of the nation's finest programs. That leaves us with this week's question: Will the Vikings weather the storm?           
 

STORYLINES

• CAT HAS CLAWS: Montana State has won three in a row in the series with Portland State and 11 of 12 dating back to 2006.
• LAST-SECOND HEROICS: The last time Portland State won a game on the final play was against Montana State on October 15, 2005. In that game, Vikings kicker Eric Azorr booted a 40-yard field goal as time expired for a 44-41 PSU win over the ninth-ranked Bobcats in Portland (PSU's late FG win over Montana in 2018 came on the second-to-last play).
• POWERHOUSE PROGRAM: The Bobcats have won 16 Big Sky Conference titles including a share of it last year with Sacramento State (both 8-0)... MSU has been in the FCS post-season 10 times (11-9), winning the national championship in 1984, being runner-up in 2021 and reaching the semifinals in 2022.
• RANKED OPPONENTS: Portland State plays its second nationally-ranked opponent of the season, having already played then 15th-ranked (FBS) Oregon. PSU is 21-53 all-time against nationally-ranked FCS opponents, 21-63 against all ranked opponents. Coach Bruce Barnum is 7-19 against all ranked opponents, 7-15 against ranked FCS opponents.
• BIG SKY IS THE NATION'S BEST: ...at least the rankings say so. The Big Sky Conference now has seven of its 12 teams among those nationally-ranked. Three are in the top eight in the nation.
• AGING GRACEFULLY?: This week's game features the two oldest SIDs in the league, working in the press box: Bill Lamberty (MSU) and Mike Lund (PSU). That's a combined 70+ years in the biz!

 

TEAM LEADERS

• PORTLAND STATE: JR QB Dante Chachere has completed 41 of 71 passes for 394 yards, six touchdowns and one interception. He has also run for 194 yards on 29 carries, scoring three TDs... FR RB Quincy Craig leads the team in rushing with 38 carries for 247 yards and three scores. Craig also has 11 receptions for 123 yards and a touchdown. His 499 all-purpose yards rank second in the Big Sky Conference... JR RB Jobi Malary has 27 carries for 194 yards and a team-high four rushing TDs... SR WR Jermaine Braddock is tied with Craig with 11 receptions for 108 yards and two touchdowns. JR WR Nate Bennett has eight catches for 69 yards... FR LB Michael Montgomery leads the team with 23 tackles. JR NICK Travis West has 20 tackles. SO LB Parker McKenna has 19 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, an interception and a pass breakup. JR LB Jaymason Willingham has 18 tackles, 3.5 TFLs, a sack and an interception... PSU is averaging 364.8 yards and 43.3 points per game... the Vikings have given up 335.0 yards and 33.3 points per game... SR P George Triplett has had a solid start to the season with a 43.8 yard punting average... JR K Gianni Smith has been strong on kickoffs with 19 touchbacks on 24 kicks. He is 2-2 on field goals and 20-20 on extra points... JR RB Christian Grubb has 242 combined return yards this season and two return touchdowns.
• MONTANA STATE: The Bobcats feature the most productive offense in the Big Sky, averaging 515.3 yards and 44.0 points per game. MSU averages 324.8 yards per game on the ground... on defense, the Bobcats are number one in the Big Sky, allowing only 15.0 points and number two in allowing only 284.5 yards per game... quarterback Sean Chambers has thrown for 418 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 252 yards and seven touchdowns this season... running back Julius Davis leads the Bobcats with 280 rushing yards. Jared White has rushed for 249 yards... the top receiver is Clevan Thomas with 12 receptions for 177 yards... linebackers Danny Uliulakepa and Nolan Askelson each have 22 tackles to lead MSU... the Bobcats have 13 sacks on the season and have forced seven turnovers.

 

OFFENSIVE NOTES

• Portland State is averaging 364.8 yards and 43.5 points per game... PSU's 231.8 yards per game on the ground ranks second in the Big Sky... the Vikings have committed four turnovers this season... the Vikings have scored 150 points in the last two games, including a stunning 115 points in the two first halves of those wins. PSU had 63 at halftime against North American, and 52 points at halftime against Cal Poly... the Vikings' 91-0 score over North American ranks as the third-highest scoring game in PSU history.
• FOR HISTORY BUFFS: With 150 points over the past two weeks, Portland State scored the most points in back-to-back games since Nov. 8-15, 1980 when a Mouse Davis/Neil Lomax-led program scored 153 points (105-0 over Delaware State and 48-17 over South Dakota State). The Vikings then proceeded to beat Weber State 75-0 in the final game of the season on Nov. 23, 1980.
• DANTE'S DATA: JR QB Dante Chachere has completed 41-71 passes for 394 yards, six touchdowns and an interception this season. He played only one-half of the game against Oregon and North American and sat out the fourth quarter against Cal Poly... Chachere has also rushed 29 times for 194 yards and two scores... Chachere has 2,362 career passing yards and 25 touchdowns passing... he has 943 career rushing yards and 12 rushing touchdowns.
• ALL-AROUND GROUND AND POUND: A bruising running game led PSU to an eye-opening 52-14 halftime lead over Cal Poly behind 340 first-half rushing yards. The Vikings totaled 404 rushing yards for the game (10th most in school history), 496 yards overall. The running game was dominant and explosive. Among the 404 rushing yards, PSU had five(!) runs of 50 yards or longer. JR QB Dante Chachere had a 51-yard touchdown and a 50-yard touchdown… JR RB Jobi Malary rushed for a 56-yard touchdown… SR RB Andrew Van Buren carried the ball a season-long 70 yards and FR RB Quincy Craig added a 53-yard run… Malary's 56-yard run was the longest of his career. He led the ball-carrying group with 11 totes for 119 yards and two scores. It was the second 100-yard rushing game of his career… through four games this season, PSU is averaging 231.8 rushing yards per game and has 14 rushing touchdowns. Six different players have scored on the ground.
• Q RATING: RS FR RB Quincy Craig is quickly becoming the key offensive component for the Vikings. He has 499 all-purpose yards (124.8) this season to rank second in the Big Sky Conference... Craig leads the team in rushing with 38 carries for 247 yards and three touchdowns... he has 11 receptions for 123 yards and a touchdown... and he has 129 combined return yards... Craig is second in the Big Sky in punt returns (14.4).
• NATE THE GREAT: JR WR Nate Bennett has 105 career receptions in 26 career starts. He is approaching PSU's all-time top 20 for receptions.
• AND IN OTHER WIDE RECEIVER NEWS...: SR WR Jermaine Braddock leads the receiving group with 11 receptions for 108 yards and two touchdowns this season... six different receivers have TD catches.
• I AM IRON MAN: SR OL Shiloh Ta'ase played in his 41st career game, while starting his 34th game. He leads the current Viking roster in both categories.
• NEW KID ON THE BLOCK: JR OL Billy Lutui has started at right guard the last two weeks for the Vikings. That came after starting the first two games at defensive tackle. Lutui, a transfer from Sacramento State, was deemed more valuable on the offensive side of the ball, and it took only three practices to get him into the starting lineup on offense.

 

DEFENSIVE NOTES

• DEFENDING THE SHIP: The Viking defense has allowed 335.0 yards and 33.3 points per game this season... PSU has forced six turnovers and has a +1 turnover margin... against Cal Poly, PSU allowed only 263 yards of offense - the fewest by a Big Sky opponent in the last 11 games... the Vikings also had 10 tackles for loss, two sacks, forced two turnovers and five three-and-outs... in the 91-0 win over North American, the Vikings pitched their first shutout since a 24-0 win over Idaho on Oct. 12, 2019. PSU had 15 tackles for loss and two interceptions. The Viking D held North American to -23 yards of total offense. That is a new PSU record. The previous mark was 24 total yards by Western Washington in 1981.
• BACK WHERE HE BELONGS: SO LB Parker McKenna is Portland State's career tackles leader among active players with 141. He led the team in tackles in 2021, then a knee injury limited him to four games and a redshirt season last year. Now he is back on top of the Viking defense with 19 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, an interception and a pass breakup.
• MAN IN THE MIDDLE (LINEBACKER): JR LB Jaymason Willingham led a strong defensive effort for the Vikings against Cal Poly. He had 10 tackles in the game, including one for loss, and intercepted a first-quarter pass. He became the fourth different Viking to have a pick this season… Willingham has 19 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, a pass breakup and the pick this season.
• BIG PLAY MAKERS: In addition to Willingham's interception, JR DE Kennedy Freeman had a strip-sack of the Cal Poly quarterback in the second quarter leading to a FR DE Elijah Eason fumble recovery on the Cal Poly eight-yard line. On the next play, JR RB Jobi Malary scored on an eight-yard run.
• LITTLE BIG MAN: At 5-6, 160 pounds, JR NICK Travis West is the smallest player on the Viking roster. But West is playing big, having started all four games, and making 20 tackles this season.
• HIT MAN: FR LB Michael Montgomery got significant playing time in the second half against Oregon and he made the most of it. The true freshman from Seattle had 14 tackles - the most by a Viking since Romeo Gunt had 15 in the 2019 season-opener at Arkansas... Montgomery's 14 tackles were the most by any player in the Big Sky Conference on the opening weekend of games... though not a starter, Montgomery leads the Vikings with 23 tackles this season.

 

SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES

• FOOTNOTES: SR P George Triplett is averaging 43.8 yards per punt, a three-yard improvement over his average last season (40.6).
• NO RETURN FOR YOU: Of JR K Gianni Smith's 24 kickoffs this season, 19 have been touchbacks... Smith is 20-20 on extra points and 2-2 on field goals with a pair of 45-yarders... Smith is 86-87 on extra points and 12-16 on field goals in his career.
• GRUBB HUB: JR RB Christian Grubb returned the opening kickoff against Cal Poly 99 yards for a touchdown. It was the first KOR for a TD by a Viking in six seasons… against North American, Grubb had a 60-yard punt return. That was the first PR for a TD by a Viking in 18 seasons... Grubb ranks third in the Big Sky in kick return average at 30.3.
• RIGHT BACK 'ATCHA: PSU is averaging 20.0 yards on seven punt returns and 31.0 yards on eight kickoff returns. Both numbers lead the Big Sky Conference.
• I AM IRON MAN, PART TWO: JR LS Ryan Alvidrez made his 27th consecutive start and has not missed a snap in his career.

 

YOUTH SHALL SERVE

• PSU has played 47 freshmen, including 24 redshirt freshmen and 23 true freshmen, this season. Twenty-four of those freshmen appeared in their first game against North American.
• The Vikings have had 94 different players participate in at least one game.
• The Vikings well-documented true freshman class has had an impact, particularly on defense where 15 true freshmen have played in at least one game. The true freshman group was rated the best National Letter of Intent class in the Big Sky Conference and third-best at the FCS level after the Feb. 1 signing date by 247Sports.com (18 freshmen, three JCs).
• PARTICIPATION AWARD: Portland State played 91 different players against North American, including numerous true freshmen. Although such records are not kept, it is likely the most Vikings ever to appear in a single game… nine different players scored touchdowns, 10 different players rushed the ball and 34 different players had tackles during the game.