PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (0-7, 0-3)
at IDAHO VANDALS (2-5, 0-3)

Saturday, Oct. 25, 1 p.m., P1FCU Kibbie Dome (16,000), Moscow, ID
Television: ESPN+
Live Stats: https://govandals.com/sidearmstats/football/summary
 

HEAD COACHES

Portland State: Bruce Barnum (Eastern Washington, 1987) • PSU Record: 38-71/11th year • Big Sky Record: 28-47 • vs. Idaho: 1-4
Idaho: Thomas Ford (Linfield, 2004) • UI Record: 2-5/1st year • Big Sky Record: 0-3 • vs. Portland State: 0-0
 

ANOTHER TRIP TO THE PALOUSE

For the second time in three games, Portland State will head to the Eastern Washington/Northern Idaho region for a Big Sky Conference football game. The Vikings will play at Idaho this Saturday in a 1 p.m. game on ESPN+.
     
It will be an important contest for both schools as they reside in the bottom of the Big Sky standings, tied at 0-3. The winner moves up and the loser... well, the loser will remain in 12th place.
     
The Vikings had spent the past four games getting better and closing in on a first victory but took a step back against Weber State last Saturday. Five turnovers wiped away an initially close game in which the Vikings actually out-gained the Wildcats. PSU lost 43-27 at home and fell to 0-7 on the season.
     
Defensively, Portland State has shown growth. However, they were too often faced with short fields as WSU had four scoring drives of 36 yards or less and also scored a defensive touchdown. On offense, the Vikings had their second consecutive 300+ yard passing game, but continue to struggle in the running game. The turnovers (four interceptions and one fumble) were more than costly to their cause.
     
PSU is 0-4 on the road this season and will be looking for a first-ever win in Moscow. The Vikings program is 0-10 there all-time, 0-3 in Big Sky games.
     
On the other side of the field, Idaho has also had its struggles. The Vandals (2-5, 0-3) were ranked as high as eighth in the nation early in the season. But four straight losses have expunged them from the national polls. Idaho is 2-1 at home, having beaten St. Thomas and Utah Tech, but losing to Northern Colorado.
 

TEAM LEADERS

• PORTLAND STATE: Portland State is averaging 13.4 points and 279.6 yards of total offense per game... the Vikings had their best offensive output against Eastern Washington with 469 total yards and 27 points, then matched it with 27 points against Weber State... PSU is allowing 458.3 yards per game, including 279.6 yards rushing, and 41.9 points... the Vikings have 15 turnovers and have forced seven turnovers... SO QB John-Keawe Sagapolutele has started the last five games and is 97-169 for 1,034 yards, eight interceptions and three touchdowns this season... FR QB Tyrese Smith played against Weber State, entering late in the third quarter. He passed for 170 yards, rushed for 38 yards and was responsible for three touchdowns... SO RB Delon Thompson has 96 carries for 261 yards and three TDs this season, including a season-high 88 yards against Northern Arizona... JR WR Zachary Dodson-Greene has 29 receptions for 258 yards and a touchdown... SO S Isaiah Green leads the team with 67 tackles, has two tackles for loss and a forced fumble. FR S Pierce Walker has 45 tackles, two for losses and a team-high five pass breakups... JR LB Jaxton Helmstetler has 44 tackles, four tackles for loss, two sacks and a fumble return for touchdown... the Vikings have 11 total sacks with 4.5 from JR DE Spencer Elliott, who has also forced two fumbles... SR P Tony Johnson is averaging 41.2 yards per punt... SR K Mathias Uribe is 6-9 on field goals, including making his last four in a row.
• IDAHO: The Vandals average 24.6 points and 375.0 yards per game, split almost evenly between the run and the pass... the Vandal defense is allowing 364.3 yards - second-best in the Big Sky - 27.3 points and has forced six turnovers... quarterback Joshua Wood is 78-130 passing for 927 yards, six touchdowns and an interception, but has missed the past two games with injury. He also leads the team in rushing with 46 carries for 346 yards and six scores... Art Williams has 60 rushes for 291 yards and two TDs... Ryan Jezioro is the top receiver with 23 catches for 321 yards and three touchdowns... Isiah King has 50 tackles and five tackles for loss to lead the defense... Matyus McLain has 9.5 tackles for loss to rank second in the Big Sky.

 

STORYLINES

• A BRIEF BIG SKY HISTORY: This will be the sixth meeting between Portland State and Idaho in a Big Sky Conference game, and the fourth in Moscow... PSU shut out the Vandals, 24-0, 2019, but has lost the last three meetings with Idaho, including a 39-30 decision last year at Hillsboro Stadium.
• COMPARING SCHEDULES: Idaho and Portland State have only one common opponent thus far this season: Eastern Washington on the road. The Vikings lost to the Eagles, 35-27, on Oct. 4. The Vandals lost to the Eagles, 21-14, on Oct. 18.
• SOS: For the second year in a row, Portland State has the most difficult schedule in the nation according to the Massey Ratings. In 2024, PSU played five nationally-ranked FCS teams and two nationally-ranked FBS teams. Four of the FCS teams were in the Top 10... this season, PSU has played four nationally-ranked teams so far, including two in the top 10, and two FBS teams (one ranked).
• BUT... BAGELS ABOUND: Despite the challenging schedule, PSU is playing its fourth straight Big Sky opponent looking for its first Big Sky win (just like the Vikings): Northern Arizona was 0-0, Eastern Washington was 0-1, Weber State was 0-2 and Idaho is 0-3, just like PSU.

 

NUMBERS GAME

• ONE MAN WRECKING CRU: RS FR WR/QB/KR Cru Newman did it all last Saturday against Weber State. He returned five kicks for 91 yards, completed one pass attempt for five yards, rushed twice for 12 yards and caught three passes for 50 yards. Did I mention he also made a tackle?
• 1,000: SO RB Delon Thompson needs just 24 more rushing yards to reach 1,000 in his career. This Saturday will be his 19th game as a Viking.
• GREEN DAY: SO S Isaiah Green led the Vikings in tackles for the third time this season against Weber State. His 10 stops was also his third double-digit tackle performance this season... with 67 tackles total tackles, Green ranks third in the Big Sky Conference (9.6 pg) and 13th in the nation.

 

OFFENSIVE NOTES

• THE NUMBERS: Portland State is averaging 279.7 yards per game, 77.7 on the ground, 202.0 through the air... the Vikings have 15 total turnovers... PSU had season-highs of 130 rushing yards, 339 passing yards, 469 total yards and 27 points at Eastern Washington (10/4). The Vikings matched it with 27 points against Weber State (10/18).
• QUARTERBACK SAGA(POLUTELE): PSU had three different starters at quarterback in the first three games of the season. Now Coach Bruce Barnum has determined that SO QB John-Keawe Sagapolutele is his man. JKS has started five games in a row. He had a season-high 302 passing yards and a touchdown at Eastern Washington (10/4)... for the season, he is completing 57% of his passes for 1,034 yards, three touchdowns and eight interceptions... Sagapolutele faced his former team, Hawai'i, on Sept. 13, completing 23-35 passes for 189 yards... FR QB Tyrese Smith has played in all seven games with one start. He was 9-14 passing against Weber State for 170 yards, a TD and an INT. He has 33 rushing plays for 131 yards and two TDs.
• GET OFF DELON: As expected, SO RB Delon Thompson is the key back for the Vikings this season. Unfortunately, he has been slowed by a broken right thumb that occurred in the first game of the season. He has missed one game and seen limited action in two others... Thompson had 17 carries for a season-high 88 yards against Northern Arizona (9/27)... Thompson leads the team with 96 carries for 261 yards and three touchdowns. He has caught nine passes (despite the cast on his thumb) for 75 yards... in his 19-game career, Thompson has 244 rushing plays for 976 yards and 11 touchdowns... last season, Thompson posted a career-high 117 yards on 22 carries with one score at Montana (11/16).
• PERSONNEL IS AN ISSUE: PSU has been hindered with four of its top five receivers missing games already this season (Tanner Beaman (out for season), Branden Alvarez (out for season), Terence Loville, Chance Miller) and top back Delon Thompson also missing a game. PSU has also lost wide receiver Eddy Schultz (who had been second in receptions at the time of his injury) for the season.
• THAT SAID... LOCAL BOY DOES GOOD: JR WR Zachary Dodson-Greene has stepped into the void of injuries in the Vikings receiving corps. ZDG, a transfer from Montana State who hails from nearby Salem, grabbed 10 passes for 83 yards at Eastern Washington (10/4). It was the first 10-catch game by a Viking in four seasons... Dodson-Greene also caught nine passes for 78 yards at Hawai'i (9/13). In the last four games he has 26 receptions... he now leads the team with 29 catches for 258 yards and a touchdown.
• CATCHING UP: SR WR Terence Loville had career-highs of seven receptions for 114 yards and a touchdown at Eastern Washington (10/4). It was the first 100-yard game by a Viking since last season... SO TE Kristian Ingman has taken over capably in the absence of Tanner Beaman, catching 14 passes for a team-high 254 yards (18.1 pc). He moonlights as the team's occasional long snapper... in all, 15 players already have receptions for the Vikings this season.
• WRECKING CRU: FR WR/KR/QB Cru Newman is doing it all for the Vikings. He has 22 kick returns for 399 yards, three punt returns for 18 yards, 11 receptions for 106 yards and three rushes for 23 yards and is 1-1 passing for five yards. Newman has a team-leading 546 all-purpose yards.

 

DEFENSIVE NOTES

• THE NUMBERS: Portland State has allowed 458.3 yards per game, including 279.6 on the ground (last in the Big Sky) and 178.7 through the air (first in the Big Sky)... the Viking defense played its best game against FBS Hawai'i (9/13), holding the Rainbow Warriors to 357 yards, including 107 on the ground, and 23 points - fewest in all categories this season... the Vikings have forced and recovered five fumbles, have two interceptions, 11 sacks and 20 pass breakups.
• GREEN DAY: SO S Isaiah Green made a career-high 15 stops against BYU (8/30) and leads the team with 67 tackles this season. He ranks third in the Big Sky Conference with 9.6 tackles per game... Green is PSU's top returning tackler after making 50 as a redshirt freshman in 2024.
• ACTION JAXTON: JR LB Jaxton Helmstetler made a career-high nine tackles in consecutive weeks against BYU (8/30) and North Dakota (9/6). He has 44 for the season as well as four tackles for loss and two sacks... at North Dakota, he posted nine stops, two tackles for loss, a sack, a quarterback hurry, and returned a fumble 70 yards for a touchdown. It was PSU's first FR TD in four years.
• SPENCER FOR HIRE: JR DE Spencer Elliott has been emerging as a top pass rusher. He made two sacks at Eastern Washington (10/4) and now has 4.5 on the season, ranking fourth in the Big Sky. That is already the most sacks by a Viking in three seasons... Elliott has 23 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and two quarterback hurries.
• NO FLY ZONE: The Vikings held Eastern Washington (10/4) to an opponent season-low 128 passing yards. Weber State (10/18) totaled only 150 yards passing... Portland State allowed 250 passing yards to Hawai'i's Run-and-Shoot attack (9/13). That wasn't a bad total and it took the Rainbow Warriors 45 attempts to get it. Noticeably, the Vikings broke up eight passes, including three by FR NICK Pierce Walker and two from SO CB Dionte Thornton... the Vikings have 20 pass breakups this season with five from Walker, and four each from Thornton, SO CB Bryson Ross and JR CB Carsten Mamaril... the 178.7 passing yards allowed per game is the fewest in the Big Sky.

 

SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES

• FOOTWORK: SR K Mathias Uribe is 6-9 on field goals this season, including making his last four in a row. Two of his three misses have been from 50+ yards this season... Uribe was 11-12 on field goals last season and his .917 field goal percentage was a PSU record.
• PLACEMENT POLICY: JR P Tony Johnson is averaging 41.2 yards per punt with 34 tries this season... 11 have been placed inside the 20-yard line, nine fair caught with only three touchbacks. Johnson unleashed a career-long 75-yard punt at Eastern Washington (10/4).
• YARD BOYS: RS FRs Cru Newman and Andre Miller are both from Portland and have their own yard care business in the summer to make a little extra cash; C and D Landscaping. Now they are teaming up as kick return partners for the Vikings. Newman has 417 return yards, while Miller has 58 return yards. They also both play slot receiver for the Vikings and have combined for 17 receptions for 216 yards.
• JORDAN RULES: RS FR Jordan Herron was inserted as a punt returner and running back against Northern Arizona (9/27). That was a good move as Herron delivered an electric 57-yard punt return for touchdown - the first by a Viking in two seasons. He had 72 all-purpose yards on the day... Herron has nine career punt returns for 123 yards.

 

MORE FUN FACTS AND MEANINGLESS TRIVIA

• TOUGH SCHEDULE: Seven of Portland State's eight home opponents between the start of 2024 and Sept. 27, 2025 were nationally ranked, including four in the top 10: UC Davis (9th), Montana State (3rd), Idaho (9th), Tarleton State (10th)... so far, four opponents this season have been nationally-ranked; Tarleton State (10th), BYU (20th FBS), North Dakota (20th), Northern Arizona (15th)... PSU had the most difficult strength of schedule in 2024 according to the Massey Ratings. So far this season, PSU once again has the most difficult strength of schedule.
• BYE-BYE: Due to the Week 0 game with Tarleton State, Portland State will have two byes this season: Sept. 20 and Oct. 11.
• SUMMER FOOTBALL: There were a number of milestones in the home opener against Tarleton State: 1) The temperature at kickoff was 96 and crossed 100 degrees by late in the third quarter, making it the hottest home game on record in Portland State history; 2) The August 23 date was the earliest start in school history; 3) It was Portland State's first opener at home since the 2016 season; 4) The Vikings were playing 10th-ranked Tarleton State for the first time in school history; 5) The last time a Portland State team was shut out by an FCS program was a 14-0 loss at Montana State on Oct. 7, 2006.
• FREQUENT FLYER MILES: On the Vikings' run of three straight road games, Aug. 30-Sept. 13, they cross one time zone and back, two time zones and back, then three time zones and back, playing at BYU, North Dakota and Hawai'i successively. It will be a total of 8,906 air miles (RTs of 1,332; 2,424; and 5,206). The transition from North Dakota to Hawai'i in consecutive games is five time zones... PSU will have played in four different time zones in the first four games of the season.
• CROWDED: The announced attendance of 64,494 at BYU was the largest crowd for a Portland State game in history. The previous largest was 61,082 for a game at Cal in 2006... PSU's largest all-time home crowd is 26,102 in a game against Oregon State in 1983.
• YOU CAN GO HOME AGAIN: SO QB John-Keawe Sagapolutele didn't have to wait long to play his former team. A transfer from Hawai'i to Portland State in the off-season, JKS started against the Rainbow Warriors, completing 23-35 passes for 189 yards and one interception.
• I REMEMBER YOU: Despite being long-time Big Sky Conference opponents, PSU and Northern Arizona have only played six times in the last 13 seasons.
• QUARTERBACKS EVERYWHERE: Portland State has FR QB Cru Newman playing kick returner and slot receiver. FR QB Tyrese Smith has played at quarterback and running back. JR TE Brooks Ferguson is a former quarterback converted to tight end. He has four receptions, but also threw the first pass of his PSU career at Eastern Washington (10/4), a 37-yard completion to SO TE Kristian Ingman, on a trick play.
• ONE MAN WRECKING CRU: RS FR WR/QB/KR Cru Newman did it all against Weber State (10/18). He returned five kicks for 91 yards, completed one pass attempt for five yards, rushed twice for 12 yards and caught three passes for 50 yards. He had 153 all-purpose yards and did I mention he also made a tackle?