NORTHERN COLORADO BEARS (1-10, 1-6)
at PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (2-8, 2-5)

Saturday, November 23, 1 p.m. Hillsboro Stadium (7,600), Hillsboro, OR
Television: ESPN+ • Play-by-play: Matt Richert • Analyst: Scott Hermo
Live Stats: www.ViksLive.com
 
HEAD COACHES
Portland State: Bruce Barnum (Eastern Washington, 1987) • PSU Record: 37-64/10th year • Big Sky Record: 27-44 • vs. Northern Colorado: 4-2
Northern Colorado: Ed Lamb (BYU, 1996) • UNC Record: 1-21/2nd year • Big Sky Record: 1-14 • vs. Portland State: 2-2 (0-1 at UNC) • Career Record: 46-68/10th year
 

SEASON FINALE, SENIOR DAY, ARE CHANCE TO FINISH STRONG

The incredibly challenging 2024 football season will conclude for the Portland State Vikings this Saturday at home. PSU will try to end its year on a high note and honor the seniors that will be leaving the program.  
           
PSU (2-8, 2-5) will be hosting Northern Colorado in a 1 p.m. game at Hillsboro Stadium. It is only the fourth home game for the Vikings, who still seek their first home win. But one must consider the three previous home opponents were all top-10 programs. The Bears (1-10, 1-6) come into the game with an unimpressive record, but they did beat Weber State on the road earlier this season - a team that defeated the Vikings back in September.
           
Although Portland State's record does not reveal it, the Vikings have played very good football since the start of October including two wins and three close calls against top-10 teams, UC Davis, Idaho and Montana.
           
Last Saturday, the Vikings were leading the Griz in Missoula for most of the game before they were undone by turnovers and it got away from them in the fourth quarter, 28-17. PSU's running game was impressive with 213 total yards, including a career-high 117 from Delon Thompson and 90 from Quincy Craig. The Vikings can use that ground game against a Northern Colorado run defense that ranks 11th in the Big Sky (244.1 yards allowed).
           
The Vikings have won their last four meetings with UNC, including a 27-23 decision in Greeley last season. The Bears come into the game having lost four in a row, including a 44-3 home loss to Northern Arizona last week.
 

STORYLINES

• SOS: Portland State has the most difficult strength of schedule of any FCS team in the nation according to the Massey Ratings. PSU has played five nationally-ranked FCS teams and two nationally-ranked FBS teams... four of the FCS teams were in the Top 10.
• THIRD TIME A CHARM: Despite being conference opponents, Portland State and Northern Colorado have only met six times in the past 12 seasons. However, this will be the third year in a row they have played.
• ONE FOR THE THUMB: Portland State has its longest winning streak in the Big Sky against Northern Colorado at four games - two each at Greeley and Portland. The Vikings seek five in a row this Saturday... Northern Colorado's five all-time wins in the series are by just a combined 20 points.
• I REMEMBER WHEN: Former Viking quarterback Neil Lomax set Portland State records for pass completions (44) and attempts (77) in a 1979 21-20 loss to the Bears. Lomax passed for 499 yards in the game.

 

NUMBERS GAME

• ALL-AROUND GAME: SO RB Quincy Craig had one of best all-around games of his career at Montana, rushing for 90 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries, catching two passes for 48 yards and returning five kicks of 113 yards. That gave him 251 all-purpose yards - the most in any game in his career. He leads the Vikings with 954 all-purpose yards this season (465 rushing, 301 receiving, 188 returns), and has eight touchdowns.
• HITTING THE C NOTE: SO RB Delon Thompson hit the C Note - 100 yards - for the first time in his career at Montana. Thompson rushed 22 times for a career-high 117 yards and a touchdown. His 654 rushing yards leads the Vikings this season.
• WING STOP: SO LB Peyton Wing had his fourth 10-tackle game of the season. He has led the Vikings in tackles five times and has a team-high 89 stops and 7.5 tackles for loss this season.

 

TEAM LEADERS

• PORTLAND STATE: SR QB Dante Chachere is 135-226 passing for 1,820 yards, 12 touchdowns and six interceptions this season. He also ranks second on the team in rushing with 643 yards (793 positive yards) and 12 scores.... FR RB Delon Thompson leads the team in rushing with 133 carries for 651 yards and six TDs. SO RB Quincy Craig leads the team in all-purpose yards with 100 carries for 465 yards and three TDs, 33 receptions for 301 yards and five scores, and 188 return yards... JR WR Branden Alvarez leads the team with 36 receptions for 480 yards and five TDs... FR WR Eric Denham has 30 catches for a team-high 488 yards and three touchdowns... SO LB Peyton Wing leads the Vikings with 89 tackles and 7.5 tackles for loss this season. SO LB Michael Montgomery has 78 tackles, four tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and four pass breakups... JR K Mathias Uribe is 10-11 on field goals this season... PSU's balanced attack is averaging 187.7 yards rushing, 193.8 yards receiving and 381.5 yards per game... the Vikings are allowing 235.8 rushing yards, 304.0 passing yards and 539.8 total yards per game... PSU has a -6 turnover ratio.
• NORTHERN COLORADO: The Bears have struggled offensively, averaging 140.7 rushing and 133.9 passing for league-low totals of 274.6 yards per game and 11.2 points per game... UNC allows 244.0 yards rushing, 224.8 yards passing and 37.1 points per game... Kia'a Keone has been the leading quarterback with 90 completions in 160 attempts for 796 yards, one touchdown and seven interceptions... Darius Stewart (73-333-2) and Caden Moss (86-305-4) lead the running game... Brayden Munroe has been the top receiver with 35 receptions for 435 yards and three touchdowns... defensive back Camp Chapa has 74 tackles and three interceptions... the Bears have committed the fewest penalties in the league, 29 for 244 yards.

 

VIKINGS WILL RECOGNIZE 13 SENIORS PLAYING IN FINAL GAME

Prior to kickoff this Saturday, the Portland State Football program will recognize 13 seniors competing in their final game as Vikings. Among that group are seven four-year letterwinners.
 
            5          Tyreese Shakir          CB        5-10     195      SR        3V        Murrieta, CA (Vista Murrieta HS)
            15        Dante Chachere          QB       6-3       200      SR        3V        Fresno, CA (Clovis West HS)
            19        Jalynnee McGee         RB/DB 5-10     195      SR        3V        Vancouver, WA (Skyview HS) 
            21        Jamal McMurrin         CB        5-11     190      SR        TR        West Salem, OR (WSHS/Butte Col./Missouri St)
            23        Christian Grubb           RB        5-9       195      SR        1V        Tarzana, CA (Notre Dame HS/UCLA)
            30        Travis West            CB/WR     5-6       175      SR        3V        Portland, OR (Central Catholic HS)
            46        Kennedy Freeman       DE        6-2       250      SR        3V        Aiea, HI (Punahou HS)
            55        Billy Lutui                    OL        6-1       325      SR        1V        Corona, CA (Centennial HS/Sacramento St)
            78        Richard Estrella           OL        6-4       325      SR        3V        Eugene, OR (Churchill HS)
            84        Elias Spence             TE        6-4       230      SR        3V        Medford, OR (North Medford HS)
            91        Sosefo Moeaki             DT        6-1       300      JR         TR        Portland, OR (Parkrose HS/DeAnza JC/Nevada)
            92        Jordon Tagaloa            DT        6-2       285      SR        1V        Ewa Beach, HI (Bishop Diego HS/Santa Barbara CC)
            95        J'Querian Ladson        DT        6-4       335      SR        1V        Northridge, CA (Canoga Park HS/C. of Canyons)
 

OFFENSIVE NOTES

• THE NUMBERS: Portland State is averaging 381.5 yards of offense per game, 187.7 on the ground and 193.8 through the air... the Vikings average 27.7 points per game and have 13 turnovers... PSU had its best offensive output of the season against Sacramento State with 544 yards, including 299 rushing, and 58 points... PSU's top passing game was a 306-yard effort at Chattanooga, and top rushing game was 300 yards at Idaho State.
• DANTE'S DATA: SR QB Dante Chachere has passed for 1,820 yards and 12 touchdowns and rushed for 643 yards and 12 touchdowns... Chachere completed 19-30 passes for a career-high 306 yards at Chattanooga (9/29) with one touchdown and two interceptions... he rushed for a career-high 202 yards and three touchdowns in the win at Idaho State (10/12)... Chachere pulled off a PSU first when he passed for 200 yards (216 with three TDs) and rushed for 200 yards (202 with three TDs) in the same game. In the game, Chachere had runs of 62, 48 and 53 yards, and a pass completion of 50 yards. Chachere was named National and Big Sky Conference Offensive Player of the Week... he was nine yards shy of the PSU QB rushing record of 211 yards by Connor Kavanaugh... Chachere then came close to matching that at Sacramento State (11/2) with 245 yards and one touchdown passing, 165 yards and a career-high four touchdowns rushing for a total of 410 yards and 5 TDs. Once again he was named Big Sky Conference Player of the Week... with three TD passes against ISU, Chachere has seven games of three or more in his career... Chachere has 78 career touchdowns (47 passing, 31 rushing) which is third all-time at Portland State behind Neil Lomax, 1977-80 (13 rushing, 106 passing, 119 total); and Davis Alexander, 2017-21 (25 rushing, 63 passing, 88 total)... Chachere passed three career milestones against Idaho (11/9): 5,000 passing yards, 2,000 rushing yards and 7,000 total yards of offense... with 2,021 rushing yards, Chachere has passed Connor Kavanaugh (1,956) for most rushing yards ever by a Viking QB and is the 12th Viking in history to rush for 2,000 yards in a career.
• Q RATING: SO RB Quincy Craig has battled back from a knee injury suffered in game six of 2023 to once again become the Vikings' key offense weapon... his performance at Montana (11/16) showed that Craig appears all the way back. He totaled a career-high 251 all-purpose yards with 90 rushing, 48 receiving and 113 on kick returns... Craig has a team-high 954 all-purpose yards and eight touchdowns this season. He is third on the team in rushing (100-465-3) and second in receptions and receiving touchdowns (33-301-5). Craig has 186 kickoff return yards and a 28-yard pass completion for good measure... with a 10-carry, 103-yard rushing game at Chattanooga (9/28), Craig now has four 100-yard games in his career... Craig passed 1,000 career rushing yards in his 19th career game (Idaho, 11/9).
• GET OFF DELON: RS FR Delon Thompson has proven to be a tough tackle this season for Vikings opponents. He leads the team in rushing with 651 yards and six touchdowns... Thompson posted a career-high 117 yards on 22 carries with one score at Montana (11/16)... he led the Vikings with 15 carries for 96 yards at Washington State (8/31) and 12 carries for 68 yards against UC Davis (10/5), adding 84 yards and two scores in a win at Sacramento State (11/2).
• YOUTH SHALL SERVE: In addition to PSU's running backs, other youngsters are performing well on offense... RS FR Eric Denham has 30 receptions for a team-high 488 yards and three touchdowns. He had career-highs of five receptions, 127 yards and two touchdowns in the win at Idaho State (10/12)... SO WR Jaylen Lynch has 14 receptions and 220 yards... SO TE Tanner Beaman has 18 catches for 222 yards and a touchdown... even JR WR Branden Alvarez - while an upperclassman - has a team-leading 36 catches for 453 yards and five touchdowns. He went for a career-high 105 yards on five catches at Sacramento State (11/2).
• MORE YOUTH, UP FRONT: Last season, SO OL Isaac Perez earned a spot in the starting lineup as a true freshman. This year, true FR OLs Pule Leatigaga and Shaun Torgeson broke through up front earning starts at guard. Each will not play in the finale to maintain their redshirt status.

 

DEFENSIVE NOTES

• THE NUMBERS: Portland State is allowing 235.8 rushing yards, 304.0 passing yards and 42.8 points per game... the Vikings have 38 tackles for loss, eight sacks, and seven forced turnovers... against UC Davis (10/5), the Viking defense made seven tackles for loss, two sacks, three pass breakups and forced two turnovers while allowing the fewest points (27) of the season... in the decisive second half against Idaho State (10/12), PSU's defense stopped the Bengals on six of seven series, including three three-and-outs, and two fourth-down stops.
• WING STOP: SO LB Peyton Wing leads the Vikings with 89 tackles and 7.5 tackles for loss this season. He also has a sack... Wing had a career-high 13 stops at Weber State (9/7) and led the team in tackles with nine at Boise State (9/21) and 10 at Chattanooga (9/28). He came back to match his career high with 13 tackles and a sack against Idaho (11/9). Wing's 10 tackles at Montana (11/16) marked the fifth time this season he has led the Vikings... Wing is second in the Big Sky in tackles per game (8.9).
• SWEET 16: SO LB Michael Montgomery had a career-high 16 tackles at Weber State (9/7), which was the most by a Viking in six seasons. Montgomery, named a Freshman All-American by two media outlets last year, is second on the Vikings in tackles with 76. He also has four tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and four pass breakups... he had 10 tackles against UC Davis (10/5) to tie for the team lead... Montgomery is tied for eighth in the Big Sky in tackles per game (7.8).
• CAREER LEADER: SR CB Tyreese Shakir picked up his sixth career interception in the win at Sacramento State (11/2). He is the Vikings leader in several categories among active players... he has 172 career tackles, 13 pass breakups, six interceptions and three fumble recoveries - all of which ranks first among active players. His 11.5 tackles for loss ranks second and three sacks ranks third... Shakir had a team-high 10 tackles and three tackles for loss against UC Davis (10/5)...
• YOUTH SHALL SERVE, PART 2: Among Portland State's top nine tacklers, seven are freshmen and sophomores.

 

SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES

• FOOTWORK: JR K Mathias Uribe is 10-11 on field goal attempts this season (43, 42, 35, 40, 23, 30, 44, 27, 48, 40)... 23 of his 53 kickoffs have been touchbacks... SO K Fedya Henrichs-Tarasenkov handled all three second-half kickoffs at Idaho State (10/12) and all three were touchbacks.
• DON'T EVEN TRY: JR P Tony Johnson is averaging 40.8 yards per punt. He bombed a season-best 69-yarder at Weber State (9/7). Most important, Johnson's punts are not being returned with any effectiveness. In 22 returns this season, opponents have netted only 72 yards. Boise State (9/21) had four attempts for -4 yards.
• IT'S A SNAP: FR TE Kristian Ingman has started nine games at long snapper, while FR LS Brock Fleming started in game three. Ingman has seven tackles and a fumble recovery on punt coverage.
• GRUBB HUB: SR RB Christian Grubb had a season-best 71-yard kickoff return at Sacramento State (11/2). He is averaging 21.9 yards on 21 returns this season.
• YOUTH SHALL SERVE, PART 3: FR RB Jordan Herron surprised everyone when he picked up a UC Davis (10/5) punt on the bounce and raced 40 yards up field before being tackled in his first career play as a Viking. Not a bad start as the true freshman was given the punt returner role against the Aggies.