SACRAMENTO STATE HORNETS (5-4, 3-2)
at PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (1-8, 1-4)

Saturday, Nov. 8, 2 p.m., Hillsboro Stadium (7,600), Hillsboro, OR
Television: ESPN+ • Play-by-play: Matt Richert • Analyst: Scott Hermo
Live Stats: www.ViksLive.livestats.us
 

HEAD COACHES

Portland State: Bruce Barnum (Eastern Washington, 1987) • PSU Record: 39-72/11th year • Big Sky Record: 29-48 • vs. Sacramento State: 2-3
Sacramento State: Brennan Marion (Tulsa, 2009) • SAC Record: 5-4/1st year • Big Sky Record: 3-2 • vs. PSU: 0-0
 

VIKINGS RETURN HOME WITH FIRST WIN, TOUGH STRETCH RUN AHEAD

Portland State comes home for two games in a row beginning this week against a talented Sacramento State Hornets squad. The long-time series between the Vikings and the Hornets will feature the 39th all-time meeting and 24th Big Sky Conference contest. Interestingly, it could be the final time the teams ever meet as Sacramento State is moving out of the conference and up to the FBS level. How it all turns out can be witnessed this Saturday in a 2 p.m. game at Hillsboro Stadium. The game will air on ESPN+.
     
Having played six of their first nine games on the road, the Vikings play the next two at home. In the nation's most difficult schedule (for the second year in a row), PSU hosts Sacramento State (5-4, 3-2), a team on the edge of a national ranking, at Hillsboro Stadium. Then, the home finale comes Nov. 15 at Providence Park as the Vikings host second-ranked Montana (9-0, 5-0) in PSU's first home game downtown in seven years.
     
PSU comes off its first win of the season, a 40-35 victory at Cal Poly last Saturday. The Vikings rolled on offense with 502 total yards, featured by SO RB Delon Thompson who had 184 rushing yards, 54 receiving yards and four touchdowns. Defensively, the Vikings got three important second-half three-and-outs against the Mustangs, and a pair of key interceptions by JR CB Carsten Mamaril. Adding in three pass breakups and two tackles, Mamaril was named Stats Perform FCS National Defensive Player of the Week.
     
The Vikings are now 1-8 on the season, 1-4 in Big Sky games.
     
Sacramento State, at 5-4, 3-2 in the Big Sky, will pose a huge challenge this week. The Hornets feature the league's top running game (249.8 ypg) and a defense that has a league-best 31 sacks, five defensive touchdowns, and ranks third overall (368.8 ypg allowed).
     
PSU leads the all-time series, 24-14, and the Big Sky series, 14-9. Last year, the Vikings had an explosive offensive effort in a 58-38 win at Sacramento State. The Hornets won the last time the teams played at Hillsboro Stadium, 45-17, in 2022.
 

STORYLINES

• HAPPY TO BE HOME: Portland State will play its fourth home game out of 10... it marks only the second time in the last seven meetings with Sacramento State that PSU will play a home game against the Hornets.
• LOTSA POINTS: Last year, Portland State scored a season-high 58 points in a win over Sacramento State. That is not unusual as the winner in this series has scored at least 41 points in each of the last seven meetings... the Hornets won the last time the teams played at Hillsboro Stadium, 45-17, in 2022.
• SEE YA: Sacramento State will be leaving the Big Sky Conference in 2026, making the move to the FBS level.
• 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). 

NUMBERS GAME

• RECORD-BREAKING DAY: In the win over Cal Poly, SO RB Delon Thompson set new career highs for rushes (26), rushing yards (184), rushing touchdowns (3), long run (77), receiving yards (54), long reception (30), all-purpose yards (238) and total touchdowns (4). His 77-yarder was the longest run by a Viking since 2018 (Jalani Eason, 82 yards). That's a pretty good day.
• NATIONAL HONORS: JR CB Carsten Mamaril was named Stats Perform FCS National Defensive Player of the Week for his performance at Cal Poly. Mamaril had two interceptions, three pass breakups and two tackles. He leads the Vikings with three interceptions and seven pass breakups this season.
• 10 IN A ROW: SR K Mathias Uribe made two more field goals at Cal Poly and has now made his last 10 attempts. He missed his first three attempts of the season (two of which were over 50 yards)... Uribe is 21-25 in his career on field goals, which ranks as a PSU career record for percentage (.840). He already holds the season record from last year (11-12, .917)... his 21 career field goals rank 11th in school history.
• RUN TO WIN: Coach Bruce Barnum has always said you must "run to win." So the Vikings accomplished that at Cal Poly with a season-high 242 rushing yards.

TEAM LEADERS

• PORTLAND STATE: Portland State is averaging 15.6 points and 308.6 yards of total offense per game... the Vikings average 102.3 yards rushing and 206.2 yards passing... PSU is allowing 458.0 yards per game, including 262.6 yards rushing, and 41.4 points... the Vikings have 19 turnovers and have forced 10 turnovers... SO QB John-Keawe Sagapolutele has started seven games and is 121-209 for 1,327 yards, 10 interceptions and four touchdowns this season... FR QB Tyrese Smith has played significant time at quarterback as well. He is 22-41 passing for 338 yards, one TD and two interceptions. Smith ranks second on the team in rushing with 52 carries for 211 yards and three scores... SO RB Delon Thompson has 138 carries for 481 yards and six TDs this season, including a season-high 184 yards against Cal Poly... JR WR Zachary Dodson-Greene has 32 receptions for 260 yards and a touchdown. SR WR Terence Loville has 18 receptions for 293 yards and a score... SO TE Kristian Ingman has 17 catches for a team-high 303 receiving yards... SO S Isaiah Green leads the team with 81 tackles, has two tackles for loss, a pass breakup and a forced fumble. FR S Pierce Walker has 54 tackles, two for losses and five pass breakups... JR DB Carsten Mamaril has team highs of three interceptions and seven pass breakups... JR LB Jaxton Helmstetler has 50 tackles, four tackles for loss, two sacks and a fumble return for touchdown... the Vikings have 13 total sacks with 4.5 from JR DE Spencer Elliott, who has also forced two fumbles... SR P Tony Johnson is averaging 39.6 yards per punt... SR K Mathias Uribe is 10-13 on field goals, including making his last 10 in a row.
• SACRAMENTO STATE: The Hornets bring an impressive resume to this week's game. They average 33.7 points and 424.8 yards of total offense per game. That included a Big Sky-leading 249.8 rushing yards per game and 29 rushing touchdowns... quarterback Cardell Williams has big-play potential as he has thrown for 1,270 yards and seven touchdowns and run for 309 yards and 10 touchdowns... Rodney Hammond Jr. leads the rushing attack with 122 carries for 762 yards and nine scores. He is also the Big Sky's best kick returner at over 30 yards per return... wide receiver Ernest Campbell has a team-high 26 receptions for 580 yards and five TDs... on defense, the Hornets allow 368.8 yards and 26.7 points per game. They have a league-high 31 sacks and have forced 11 turnovers... Koa Akui is the top tackler with 51 for the season and he leads the Big Sky with four interceptions and six pass breakups... Jayland McGlothen's seven sacks leads the Hornets pass rush... kicker Grant Meadors leads the Big Sky in field goal percentage (8-9, .889).

 

OFFENSIVE NOTES

• THE NUMBERS: Portland State is averaging 308.6 yards per game, 102.3 on the ground, 206.2 through the air... the Vikings have 19 total turnovers... PSU had season-highs of 339 passing yards at Eastern Washington (10/4), 242 rushing yards, 502 total yards and 40 points at Cal Poly (11/1).
• 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 seven 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 58% of his passes for 1,327 yards, four touchdowns and 10 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 nine games without a start. He is 22-41 passing for 338 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions. He has 52 rushing plays for 211 yards and three TDs.
• GET OFF DELON: As expected, SO RB Delon Thompson is the key back for the Vikings this season. Unfortunately, he was slowed by a broken right thumb that occurred in the first game of the season. He missed one game and saw limited action in two others... Thompson posted a career-best 26 carries for 184 yards and three touchdowns in a win over Cal Poly (11/1). He added three receptions for 54 yards and a score as well in that game... Thompson leads the team with 138 carries for 481 yards and six touchdowns. He has caught 16 passes for 151 yards and a score... in his 21-game career, Thompson has 286 rushing plays for 1,196 yards and 14 touchdowns... Thompson has two career 100-yard games with a 22-carry, 117-yard effort last year 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)... he now leads the team with 32 catches for 260 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. He now has 18 catches for 293 yards... SO TE Kristian Ingman has taken over capably in the absence of Tanner Beaman, catching 17 passes for a team-high 303 yards (17.8 pc). He moonlights as the team's occasional long snapper with two tackles and a fumble recovery - the second of his career... 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 28 kick returns for 484 yards, three punt returns for 18 yards, 18 receptions for 194 yards and six rushes for 34 yards and is 1-1 passing for five yards. Newman has a team-leading 730 all-purpose yards.

 

DEFENSIVE NOTES

• THE NUMBERS: Portland State has allowed 458.0 yards per game, including 262.6 on the ground (which ranks last in the Big Sky) and 195.4 through the air (which ranks 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 six fumbles, have four interceptions, 13 sacks and 27 pass breakups.
• GREEN DAY: SO S Isaiah Green made a career-high 15 stops against BYU (8/30) and leads the team with 81 tackles this season. He ranks fourth in the Big Sky Conference and 25th in the nation with 9.0 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 50 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 31 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, a pass breakup 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... JR CB Carsten Mamaril is becoming the Vikings' top pass defender. He has team-highs of three interceptions and seven pass breakups this season. Mamaril ranks fourth in interceptions in the Big Sky and third in passes defended (10). That is also good for 19th in the nation.

 

SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES

• FOOTWORK: SR K Mathias Uribe is 10-13 on field goals this season, including making his last 10 in a row over the last six games. 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... now at 21-25 in his career (.840), Uribe is on pace for a career percentage record as well.
• PLACEMENT POLICY: JR P Tony Johnson is averaging 39.6 yards per punt with 38 tries this season... 12 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 492 return yards, while Miller has 75 return yards. They also both play slot receiver for the Vikings and have combined for 25 receptions for 306 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.  

 

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.
• PROVIDENCE PARK PRIMER - OR, EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAIN: Portland State will face Montana at Providence Park on Nov. 15. The last time PSU played at Providence Park was Oct. 13, 2018, a 35-14 win over Northern Colorado. The Vikings last played a full season at Providence Park in 2016... Portland State called Providence Park its home from 1967 through the 2018 season with the exception of the 2000 and 2010 seasons due to renovation projects. During that time it was formerly named Multnomah Stadium, Civic Stadium, PGE Park and JELD-WEN Field... PSU first played football in old Multnomah Stadium in 1949, but did not return until a game on November 25, 1965 against the University of Montana. PSU (then PSC) played Lewis and Clark and Idaho State at the Stadium in 1966, then began playing all of its home games there in 1967. The exception was a game against Weber State that year which was played at Wilson High School... Portland State used Hillsboro Stadium as its home field in 2000 and 2010, due to the renovations, then four games in 2018. The Vikings became a full-time tenant at Hillsboro for the 2019 season to present... the Viking program has a long history at Providence Park: Mouse Davis, June Jones and Neil Lomax masde the Run-and-Shoot and Portland State football famous there during the 1970s; PSU hosted 15 NCAA Division II playoff games at Civic Stadium between 1987 and 1995. During those seasons under Coach Pokey Allen and Coach Tim Walsh, PSU ranked among the leaders in Division II attendance and set the playoff attendance record of 21,079 against Texas A&I; the first 23 season of PSU's Big Sky era took place there; and PSU hosted an FCS playoff game against Northern Iowa at the stadium in 2015 under Bruce Barnum following its best Division I season ever (9-2).
• BYE-BYE: Due to the Week 0 game with Tarleton State, Portland State has 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. SR QB CJ Jordan has also seen time at wide receiver.
• 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?
• LITTLE BIG MAN: At 5-9, 180 pounds, JR CB Carsten Mamaril is one of the smallest players on the field. But he certainly played big in the Vikings 40-35 win at Cal Poly. Mamaril made two interceptions, broke up three passes and had two tackles. He was named Stats Perform FCS National Defensive Player of the Week for his performance.