Something looked very familiar on Saturday night in Sacramento as Portland State quarterback Dante Chachere led his Vikings' team to a 58-38 victory over the Sacramento State Hornets.
 
Chachere turned in a performance that was remarkably similar to the one against Idaho State on Oct. 12 when the senior from Fresno had 418 total yards and six total touchdowns. That led to a Big Sky Conference and National Offensive Player of the Week honor. Against the Hornets, Chachere had 410 yards of total offense and accounted for five touchdowns, once again earning Big Sky Offensive Player of the Week.
 
Chachere led the Vikings to a 41-17 advantage in the second half against Sacramento State, erasing a 21-17 halftime deficit and leading PSU to the win. It was the most points for the Vikings in the last 15 games.
 
Chachere rushed 14 times for 165 yards and four touchdowns in the game. And each rushing score was different. The first was a dart-and-dash, stop-and-go run of 27 yards around left end. The second was a bruising, up-the-middle, broken-tackle score from 13 yards. The third was a trademark Chachere break-the-pocket-and-outrun-everyone-up-the-middle sprint of 54 yards. The final score was a casual two-yard trot in which the defense went one way and Chachere went the other.
 
Through the air, Chachere completed 14 of 27 passes for 245 yards and one touchdown. He might have had three passing touchdowns (and seven total), but wide receiver Branden Alvarez lost his balance and went down at the two-yard line on one 48-yard pass up the slot. A second throw, also to Alvarez, came down on the goal line pylon and was originally ruled a TD. A review overturned it, placing the ball at the one, and the Vikings scored a play later.
 
Nonetheless, it was a brilliant 410-yard, five-TD effort that was just shy of the 418-yard, six-TD game in Pocatello.
 
This is Chachere's fourth Big Sky Conference Offensive Player of the Week honor in his career.
 
Heading into a game this Saturday against 10^th-ranked Idaho, Chachere has a number of milestones within his reach: 5,000 career passing yards (currently at 4,993), 2,000 career rushing yards (1,990) and 7,000 total yards of offense (6,983 - eighth all-time at PSU). And of course, there are those 76 career touchdowns (45 pass/31 run, 3^rd all-time).
 
Against Sacramento State, Chachere passed Connor Kavanaugh (1,956) for most rushing yards ever by a Viking QB.
 
Big Sky Football Players of the Week for Nov. 2
Offense: Dante Chachere, Portland State
Defense: David Meyer, UC Davis 
Special Teams: Junior Bergen, Montana
 
Portland State hosts Idaho on Saturday at Hillsboro Stadium in a 1 p.m. game. The game will be televised on ESPN+.
Tickets can be purchased at GoViks.com.
Come to the Vikings Football Luncheon on Friday at the Old Spaghetti Factory.