Laramie, WY – The end result was a loss, but the Portland State Football team's performance at Wyoming was a much better look than the Vikings' opening loss at Oregon.
 
Wyoming used a solid run defense and capitalized on a pair of Viking turnovers to come away with a hard-fought 31-17 win at War Memorial Stadium.
 
"They were what we thought – tough, strong – they beat Texas Tech last week. But I saw that I have a tough unit too and they really battled," said Viking Coach Bruce Barnum. "I'm still not sure who we are because we have played two FBS teams."
 
The Vikings dropped to 0-2 with the loss while the Mountain West Conference Cowboys improved to 2-0.
 
The teams exchanged turnovers in the first quarter of their respective opening series.' The Cowboys took advantage on their second series following an interception of Viking quarterback Dante Chachere. They went 34 yards in five plays for a 7-0 lead midway through the quarter.
 
Late in the first quarter Ayir Asante caught a 64-yard touchdown pass to put the Cowboys up 14-0.
 
The Vikings had an answer with a mammoth 18-play drive that took more than nine minutes off the game clock. PSU converted three of four third downs and one fourth down in the series. The big play was a 4^th-and-three completion from Chachere to Maclaine Griffin at the Wyoming 12. That got the ball down to the one-yard line and two plays later Chachere scored on a two-yard keeper.
 
PSU's defense got a three-and-out on the next series. Then a short punt set the offense up near midfield. Unfortunately, a second turnover prevented the Vikings from a chance to tie the game.
 
Wyoming recovered a Viking fumble and took over at PSU's 49. Three plays later an Andrew Peasley to Wyatt Weiland 29-yard TD toss put the Cowboys back ahead by two scores.
 
A PSU drive was snuffed out near midfield just before halftime and it appeared the Vikings would go into halftime trailing by 14 points. But cornerback Isaiah Avery picked off a Peasley pass and returned it 22 yards to the Wyoming 45 with 49 seconds left. Chachere completed two passes for 17 yards, then Gianni Smith booted a 45-yard field goal.
 
The Vikings were out-gained 253 to 167 in the half. Each team had two turnovers. They proved more costly for PSU as Wyoming scored 14 points off the turnovers. The Vikings had just three points off turnovers. That 11-point difference was the difference in the game at halftime as Wyoming led 21-10.
 
"Playing a Craig Bohl team, you have to show up and fight and take care of the football," said Barnum. "I liked how my team fought the entire game. But if you cough up the ball and give them more chances – I think they got 14 points off turnovers – and that was 14 points we couldn't make up."
 
Wyoming's defense slowed the Viking running game throughout the afternoon. PSU was forced into punts on each of its first two third-quarter series after totaling just 29 yards. The Cowboys were able to put up 10 more points. First, John Hoyland kicked a career-best 56-yard field goal for the Cowboys at the 6:42 mark of the third quarter. Then, Peasley led a 67-yard scoring drive first with his feet, then with another TD pass to Asante, this time for 14 yards. Wyoming led 31-10 at the end of the third quarter.
 
Portland State continued to battle. An 11-play, 54-yard drive resulted in another Viking touchdown midway through the fourth quarter. Chachere hit Griffin on a 10-yard score to close the game to 31-17 with 7:03 left.
 
Wyoming recovered the Vikings' ensuing onside kick, but PSU was soon able to force a punt. PSU took over with 3:05 remaining in the game and drove all the way to the Cowboys' 5-yard line. Finally, Wyoming stopped the Vikings on a fourth-down pass in the end zone with 27 seconds to play.
 
"There was nobody who quit out there. Everybody thought we could win that game until the incomplete pass in the end zone on our last drive," said Barnum.
 
PSU totaled 344 yards of offense in the game to 371 for the Cowboys. The Viking defense stepped up in the fourth quarter, holding Wyoming to five yards on 11 total plays. That allowed Portland State a chance for a late rally.
 
Chachere completed 22-38 passes for 214 yards, one touchdown and one interception. However, the Cowboys shut him down on the ground, sacking him four times and containing him on the outside. Chachere had only five net yards on 17 carries.
 
"They did a nice job on Dante," Barnum said. "He is one of our weapons (running the ball). They did a great job containing him, better than anybody we have ever played. He usually always pops for one, or beats the edge."
 
Running back Quincy Craig led the Vikings with 54 rushing yards on 12 carries. He caught six passes for 55 yards. Wide receiver Jermaine Braddock had seven receptions for 61 yards and also threw a 40-yard completion to Griffin.
 
Linebacker Parker McKenna led the Viking defense with eight tackles, including one for loss. Avery recovered a fumble and intercepted a pass to go with three tackles.
 

GAME NOTES

• JR WR Nate Bennett made his 100^th career reception in the second quarter. He was making his 24^th consecutive start. He had four catches for 44 yards in the game.
• Defensive linemen Dino Kahaulelio and Kennedy Freeman each had two tackles for loss.
• Portland State hosts its home opener against North American next Saturday at Hillsboro Stadium. Game time is 1 p.m.