PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (0-2) at BOISE STATE BRONCOS (1-1)

Saturday, September 21, 7:45 p.m. MT/6:45 p.m. PT, Albertsons Stadium (36,363), Boise, ID
Television: FS1 • Play-by-play: Eric Collins • Analyst: Spencer Tillman
Live Stats: www.ViksLive.com
All-Time Series: Boise State leads 7-1
 

VIKINGS WILL RETURN TO PLAY AT BOISE STATE

Portland State will return to competition this Saturday with a non-conference game at Boise State. The Vikings will be playing a second FBS-level opponent in three games as part of the most challenging schedule in school history. Game time is 7:45 p.m. MT/6:45 p.m. PT at Albertsons Stadium in Boise. The game will be televised on FS1.
           
In one of the most bizarre and unfortunate situations in program history, Portland State's game with South Dakota last Saturday was canceled. Illness within the Vikings' program and the potential ramifications for both teams was the cause. PSU has been taking appropriate measures to get healthy and get back on the field of competition (SEE BELOW).
           
As a result of the canceled game, the Vikings (0-2) will now play four consecutive road games to open the season. It marks the first time since 1989 that PSU has played four games in a row on the road within a season.
           
Boise State (1-1) had a more conventional bye week last Saturday. The Broncos will be playing their home opener against the Vikings. BSU has a 56-45 win at Georgia Southern, then took Oregon to the wire on Sept. 7, losing in Eugene, 37-34.
           
The Broncos' dynamic offense (510.0 ypg) is led by perhaps the finest running back in the nation, Ashton Jeanty. In two games, Jeanty has 45 carries for 459 yards and nine touchdowns. Slowing him down will be priority one for the Vikings defense.
           
This will be the first meeting between schools since 2019 and ninth all-time.
 

STORYLINES

• PLAYING UP: The Vikings are 4-47 all-time against FBS-level competition with wins over Hawai'i (2000), New Mexico (2006), Washington State (2015) and North Texas (2015)... this marks the 10th consecutive season that Portland State has played two FBS opponents. PSU has done so a total of 14 times, including three in 2006.
• POKEY PRIMER: Former Portland State Football Head Coach Pokey Allen (1986-92) moved on to be the Head Coach at Boise State in 1993. Not coincidently, Allen's Vikings had beaten the Broncos, 51-26, in 1992 in Boise.
• BRONCOS BACKGROUND: Boise State was 8-6 last season, including 6-2 and tied for first in the Mountain West Conference. Head Coach Spencer Danielson was named interim Head Coach last November, then given the position full-time in December.
• GAME CANCELATION: Portland State's canceled game with South Dakota last week marked the first time a Vikings' game was called off since the tragedy of 9/11. That game was made up later in the season. There are no plans at this time to make up the PSU/USD game.

 

NUMBERS GAME

• TOUCHDOWN MAKER: SR QB Dante Chachere has 58 career touchdowns, 37 passing and 21 rushing... with his 37th passing TD at Weber State, he has tied Juston Wood for 10th all-time in PSU history.
• ALL-PURPOSE PLAYER: After two games, SO RB Quincy Craig leads the Vikings in rushing with 24 carries for 125 yards, and receiving with nine catches for 46 yards and a touchdown.
• 1-2 PUNCH: Backup JR QB Will Haskell (#1 on the roster) and starting JR WR Branden Alvarez (#2) have connected on touchdown passes in each of the first two games. Haskell hit Alvarez for a 10-yard score at Washington State and a six-yard TD at Weber State.
• HIT MEN: Both Viking sophomore starting linebackers set career-highs for tackles at Weber State. Michael Montgomery had 16 tackles, two for losses and a sack. His 16 stops were the most by a Viking in six years. Peyton Wing made 13 tackles with two tackles for loss.

 

VIKINGS GAME WITH SOUTH DAKOTA CANCELED DUE TO ILLNESS

Portland State University's football game against South Dakota, scheduled for this past Saturday, was canceled as a precautionary measure following the diagnosis of a PSU team member with pertussis (whooping cough). The decision to cancel was made after thorough consultations between the administrations of both universities and the team physicians, prioritizing the health and safety of student-athletes and their communities.
           
The diagnosis for the one individual was confirmed Thursday evening, with several additional PSU players exhibiting symptoms of upper respiratory illness, though they had not yet been officially diagnosed at the time of the game. Multiple players were in close contact with the infected individual.
           
Portland State University team physicians, Dr. Melissa Novak and Dr. Jacqueline Brady, who are employed by Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) Sports Medicine, are working in close collaboration with the Multnomah County Health Department and the Oregon Health Authority. Together, they are ensuring the safety of the PSU community as well as the teams and universities PSU will compete against in the future.
           
As a precaution, all PSU players who may have been exposed to the illness have begun a five-day course of antibiotics, under the guidance of our OHSU medical professionals. These measures are expected to be completed in time for the team's next scheduled game at Boise State on September 21. Only athletes and staff who have completed the antibiotic regimen will be eligible to travel and participate in the upcoming game.
 

TEAM LEADERS

• PORTLAND STATE: SR QB Dante Chachere is 24-47 passing for 236 yards, two touchdowns and one interception this season. He has also rushed for 86 yards (133 positive yards) and two scores... SO RB Quincy Craig leads the team in rushing (24-125-0) and receiving (9-46-0)... SO TE Tanner Beaman has six catches for 63 yards, and JR WR Branden Alvarez has five receptions for 57 yards and two TDs...  SO LB Michael Montgomery has a team-leading 19 tackles after making a career-high 16 at Weber State. His linebacker mate Peyton Wing has 18 tackles and three tackles for loss after a career-high 13 at Weber State... JR K Mathias Uribe is 2-2 on field goals with makes from 43 and 42 yards... PSU  is averaging 180.5 yards rushing, 167.0 yards receiving and 347.5 yards per game... the Vikings are allowing 271.0 rushing yards, 316.0 passing yards and 587.0 total yards per game... PSU has a -3 turnover ratio.
• BOISE STATE: Boise State has averaged 45.0 points and 510.0 yards per game through two weeks of play. The Broncos have also allowed 41.0 points and 406.5 yards... most significant has been the play of running back Ashton Jeanty, who has 45 carries for 459 yards and nine touchdowns in just two games. Jeanty led the nation in yards from scrimmage in 2023 (159.0 per game)... the Broncos average 296.0 yards rushing in all... quarterback Maddux Madsen is 39-71 for 428 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.... Cameron Camper and Latrell Caples are the top receivers for BSU. Camper has eight receptions for 151 yards and a score. Caples has 10 catches for 132 yards... safety Zion Washington has a team leading 16 tackles with three pass breakups. Safety Ty Benefield has 15 tackles and a fumble recovery... linebacker Andrew Simpson has two of the team's eight sacks and has forced three fumbles.

 

OFFENSIVE NOTES

• THE NUMBERS: Portland State is averaging 347.5 yards of offense per game, 180.5 on the ground and 167.0 through the air... the Vikings average 23.5 points per game and have three turnovers.
• DANTE'S DATA: SR QB Dante Chachere has passed for 236 yards and rushed for 86 yards through the first two games. He is responsible for four touchdowns, two passing and two rushing... Chachere completed 14-25 passes for a season-high 175 yards at Washington State (8/31). He rushed for a season-high 57 yards on 15 carries (despite three sacks) at Weber State (9/7)... Chachere has 58 career touchdowns (37 passing, 21 rushing) which ties for fifth all-time at Portland State. 1) Neil Lomax, 1977-80 (13 rushing, 106 passing, 119 total); 2) Davis Alexander, 2017-21 (25 rushing, 63 passing, 88 total); 3), Jimmy Blanchard, 1997-2000 (6     rushing, 63 passing, 69 total); 4) Kieran McDonagh, 2012-15  (17 rushing, 42 passing, 59 total); t5.) Dante Chachere, 2019-24 (21 rushing, 37 passing, 58 total); t5) John Charles, 1991-92, (0  rushing, 58 passing, 58 total).
• YOUTH SHALL SERVE: Portland State is getting most of its offensive production from a youthful group of backs. SO RB Quincy Craig leads the team in rushing (24-125-0) and receptions (9-46-1)... RS FR Delon Thompson is second in rushing (22-110-0) and led the Vikings with 15 carries for 96 yards at Washington State (8/31)... SO TE Tanner Beaman has the most receiving yards (6-63-0) and second-most catches... RS FR Eric Denham has five receptions for 44 yards and a touchdown, and two rushes for 11 yards... SO WR Jaylen Lynch has two starts, three receptions and 35 yards... even JR WR Branden Alvarez - while an upperclassman - has started his first two games for the Vikings, catching five passes for 57 yards and two TDs.
• GROUND GAME: The Viking running game appears as though it will be multi-faceted once again this season. FR RB Delon Thompson (110 yards), SO RB Quincy Craig (125) and SR QB Dante Chachere (86) are the leaders.... the Vikings are averaging 180.5 yards per game on the ground... last season, PSU averaged 224.0 yards per game rushing.

 

DEFENSIVE NOTES

• THE NUMBERS: Portland State is allowing 271.0 rushing yards, 316.0 passing yards and 56.5 points per game... the Vikings have eight tackles for loss and one sack, but have yet to force a turnover.
• SWEET 16: SO LB Michael Montgomery made a career-high 16 tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack at Weber State (9/7). His 16 tackles were the most by a Viking in six years... SO LB Peyton Wing made a career-high 13 tackles and two tackles for loss at Weber State (9/7)... those two have combined for 37 tackles through two games.
• THIS DOESN'T MAKE SENSE: Portland State gave up 535 yards to Weber State, but held the Wildcats to 2-10 on third down and 0-1 on fourth down... PSU ranks 16th in the nation in third-down defense (5-18, .278).

 

SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES

• FOOTWORK: It is a new blue line for the Vikings in 2024... JR K Mathias Uribe has made his first two field goal attempts this season (43, 42). Seven of his 10 kickoffs have been touchbacks... JR P Tony Johnson is averaging 41.1 yards per punt. He bombed a season-best 69-yarder at Weber State (9/7)... FR TE Kristian Ingman started the first two games at long snapper, while FR LS Brock Fleming also snapped in game two.

 

NEW FACES ON THE PARK BLOCKS

• NEWCOMERS: 11 players started for the first time ever as Vikings in the opener at Washington State (8/31): SO C Jake Cooper, JR RT Jakob Belton, JR WR Branden Alvarez, JR WR Terence Loville, SO WR Jaylen Lynch, JR DE Jayden Brannan, JR DT Sosefo "Joe" Moeaki, SO LB Peyton Wing, SR CB Jamal McMurrin, JR P Tony Johnson and JR K Mathias Uribe... FR WR Eric Denham made his first start at Weber State (9/7).
• I REMEMBER MY FIRST TIME: 14 players competed for the first time as Vikings at Washington State (8/31), including JR QB Will Haskell, JR WR Branden Alvarez, JR WR Terence Loville, JR RB Jacques Badolato-Birdsell, JR WR Eddy Schultz, SR OL Gavin Miller, JR OL Jakob Belton, FR TE Kristian Ingman, SO DE Cyrus Moss, SR CB Jamal McMurrin, FR LB Brandon Bryant, JR DT Sosefo Moeaki, JR P Tony Johnson and JR K Mathias Uribe... FR LS Brock Fleming played for the first time at Weber State (9/7).