Vikings Go For Three in a Row against Red-Hot Northern Arizona Saturday

KICKOFF
Winning football games is hard enough. So, the teams that make it easier on themselves usually come out on top.

Over their past two games, that has been the Portland State Vikings. They forced six turnovers – their most in a game since 2004 – in their win over Weber State, including an interception that set up the game-winning field goal as time expired. Against Utah Tech, the Vikings gave themselves short fields on three straight possessions between a blocked punt and two fumble recoveries while building a 23-0 lead.

The Vikings used that to win back-to-back conference games for the first time since 2022.

A third straight win over a Northern Arizona team ranked in the top 10 of both major national polls would be the crown jewel. The Vikings will go for that Saturday, when they travel to Flagstaff for a 4 p.m. PT / 5 p.m. MT kickoff against the Lumberjacks.

Northern Arizona has put itself in position to win throughout the season. The Lumberjacks come into the game leading the Big Sky and the nation at the FCS level with 18 total takeaways. They lead the conference while ranking second nationally in both fumbles recovered (8) and interceptions (10). They have a +1.57 turnover margin this season, which ranks them first in the Big Sky and third nationally.

The Lumberjacks will come into Saturday's game with all the confidence in the world, having beaten higher-ranked opponents in back-to-back weeks. NAU beat an Idaho State team ranked 12th/14th at the time, 38-31, on Oct. 3. They followed up with a 49-44 win over then-No. 2/3 Montana this past Saturday. That was the Lumberjacks' first win over a top two opponent since 2014, and put them in the top 10 for the first time since 2013.

Senior quarterback Ty Pennington led the Lumberjacks to the upset win over Montana. He finished 26-for-38 for 322 yards and a touchdown through the air while adding 52 net rushing yards and four touchdowns on the ground. He also caught a seven-yard pass for a touchdown, giving him six total touchdowns in the game. He was named the Big Sky Conference and Stats Perform FCS National Offensive Player of the Week as a result.

But that was last week. The Vikings have to feel they can make their own luck against NAU if they repeat some of what went well against Weber State and Utah Tech. Running the ball effectively behind Delon Thompson would certainly help the Vikings keep the ball out of Pennington's hands. Thompson rushed for a career-high 213 yards and three touchdowns against Weber State. He added 123 all-purpose yards against Utah Tech between 78 on the ground and 45 on a screen pass that set up the Vikings' final touchdown of the game.

As a team, the Vikings have seemed to break through on the ground over their last two games. After totaling only 297 rushing yards through their first four games, they have rushed for 416 combined yards over their last two games, including a season-high 248 against Weber State.

Niall Raby got in the act against Utah Tech, rushing for a season-high 55 yards. That included a 33-yard touchdown in which he trucked a defender before running up the right sideline to the end zone. Quarterback Tyrese Smith added 41 yards on the ground, pushing him over 200 yards of total offense as he went 13-for-20 for 192 yards and two touchdowns through the air.

It was Smith's first game back since starting the Vikings' season opener against UC Davis. Smith had over 300 yards of total offense in the team's near-upset of the Aggies, going 23-for-36 for 268 yards through the air while adding 33 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.

Defensively, the Vikings put in a seasonal-best performance against the Trailblazers last Saturday. After their last three opponents had all totaled 600+ yards of offense, the Vikings held Utah Tech to 330, a season low for a Viking opponent. The Vikings also held them to just 14 points, another season low for a PSU opponent. Additionally, Utah Tech's 330 yards of offense came on 74 offensive plays, giving them an average of 4.46 yards per play. The previous season low for a Viking opponent was 5.75 yards per play by UC Davis.

The Vikings will need to repeat that defensive performance against the Lumberjacks if they hope to extend their win streak. And they can do that by putting themselves in advantageous positions like they did against Weber State and Utah Tech.

GAME DETAILS
PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (2-4, 2-1) vs. #10/#8 NORTHERN ARIZONA (5-2, 3-1)
INFO: Saturday, Oct. 17, 4 p.m. PT / 5 p.m. MT, Flagstaff, Ariz. (Findlay Toyota Field)
TV: ESPN+
LIVE STATS: GoViks.com/LiveStats
SCOUTING NORTHERN ARIZONA:

The Northern Arizona Lumberjacks are coming off back-to-back ranked wins, having beaten then-No. 12/14 Idaho State, 38-31, on Oct. 3, then following with a 49-44 win over then-No. 2/3 Montana last Saturday. The win over the Grizzlies was the Lumberjacks' first win over a top five opponent since 2015, and their first over a top two opponent since 2014.
The Lumberjacks' losses this season have come against Arizona, 35-7 on Sept. 5, and then-No. 1 Montana State, 28-14 on Sept. 26. They beat Eastern Washington, 34-27, to open the season on Aug. 29. They also beat Utah Tech, 35-23, on the road on Sept. 19 in what was counted as a non-conference game.
The Lumberjacks' recent wins put them in the top 10 of both the AFCA Coaches Poll and Stats Perform FCS Top 25, where they rank 10th and eighth, respectively. It's the first time they've been ranked in the top 10 since 2013.
The Lumberjacks have been on an upward trajectory the past couple of seasons. Third-year head coach Brian Wright led them to back-to-back winning seasons in his first two years, the first time they have done that since they had four straight winning seasons between 2012-15.
The Lumberjacks have frequently put themselves in good positions by forcing turnovers this season. They come into Saturday's game leading the Big Sky and the nation at the FCS level with 18 total takeaways. They lead the Big Sky and rank third in the FCS with a +1.57 turnover margin. Additionally, they lead the conference and rank second nationally in both total fumbles recovered (8) and interceptions (10).
Individually, senior quarterback Ty Pennington was named the Big Sky Conference and Stats Perform FCS National Offensive Player of the Week after leading the Lumberjacks to their upset win over the Grizzlies. Pennington finished 26-for-38 for 322 yards and a touchdown through the air, while adding 52 yards rushing and four touchdowns on the ground. He also caught a pass for a seven-yard touchdown, giving him six total touchdowns in the game. Pennington ranks fifth in the Big Sky and 18th nationally with 1,621 total passing yards this season. He ranks second in the conference and 22nd nationally with a 64.4 completion percentage.
Jeter Purdy leads the Lumberjacks' receivers with 22 catches for 415 yards and four touchdowns. Joey Stout ranks second on the team with 35 catches for 362 yards.
Three different players have rushed for 200+ yards for the Lumberjacks through seven games. Quran Gossett leads the team with 94 rushes on 415 yards. Kenveon Stone has rushed 42 times for 303 yards while Pennington has rushed 62 times for 237 yards.
Defensively, Jahaad Fort leads the Lumberjacks with three interceptions, ranking him second in the Big Sky and 19th nationally with 0.43 interceptions per game. Shoes Brinkley leads the Lumberjacks with 56 total tackles. Devin Murphy leads the team with four sacks.

SERIES NOTES:

The Vikings lead the all-time series between them and the Lumberjacks, 19-7. They lead the Big Sky series, 15-7.
Northern Arizona beat the Vikings 31-17 in Hillsboro last season. That snapped a two-game winning streak for the Vikings over NAU that included a 45-21 road win in 2023.

QUICK STORYLINES

BACK-TO-BACK DUBS: The Vikings won their first game under head coach Chris Fisk, beating Weber State, 44-41, on Sept. 26. They followed with a 30-14 win over Utah Tech this past Saturday while coming off a bye week. It was the Vikings' first back-to-back conference wins since 2022.
FIRST HOME WIN SINCE 2024: The Vikings snapped a seven-game home losing streak with their win over Utah Tech. The Vikings were 0-5 at home last season and had dropped their opening two home games this season.
STARTING FAST: The Vikings scored the first 23 points of the game Saturday while building a 30-7 halftime lead over Utah Tech. It was the third time out of the Vikings' first six games that they've built at least a 21-point lead. The Vikings led UC Davis 21-0 at halftime. They also led 28-7 in the second quarter against Weber State. The Vikings are averaging 8.0 points per game in the first quarter this season. That's nearly double what they averaged in the first quarter last season, which was 4.5 points per opening quarter.
DRAMATIC FIRST WIN: The Vikings made their new head coach sweat out his first win as the Vikings beat Weber State on a 41-yard field goal from Joshua Hossmann Lees as time expired against Weber State. It was the program's first win on a last-second play since Oct. 15, 2005, when the Vikings beat a ninth-ranked Montana State team. Coincidentally, that game also ended 44-41, and was also won on a last-second field goal. Twenty-one years ago, Eric Azorr hit a 40-yard to deliver the win for the Vikings.
SEASON'S BEST OFFENSIVE SHOWING: The Vikings' win over Weber State came behind a season's best offensive performance. Among the season highs the Vikings set were:
- 44 points – previous best was 24 against UC Davis
- 248 rushing yards – previous best was 111 against North Dakota
- 409 total yards – previous best was 375 yards against San Diego State
SEASON'S BEST DEFENSIVE SHOWING: The defense set a number of seasonal bests in the Vikings' win over Utah Tech. Among them were:
- 14 points allowed – previous best was 31 against UC Davis
- 330 total yards allowed – previous best was 374 against UC Davis
- 4.46 yards per play allowed – previous best was 5.75 yards against UC Davis
WHEN IN DOUBT, GIVE IT TO DELON: Delon Thompson has played a prominent role in the Vikings' last three wins. Going back to last year, Thompson totaled 238 yards (184 rushing, 54 receiving) and four total touchdowns in a 40-35 PSU win over Cal Poly. Against Weber State this season, Thompson rushed for a career-high 213 yards and three touchdowns while averaging 9.3 yards per carry. Against Utah Tech, Thompson totaled over 100 all-purpose yards between 78 on the ground and 45 through the air.
BALL HAWKS ON DEFENSE: The Vikings have tied their total takeaways from last season with 13 through their first six games. The Vikings rank second in the Big Sky and 11th in the FCS with their 13 takeaways this season. They rank third in the conference and eighth nationally with seven fumble recoveries. They rank fifth in the conference and 24th nationally with six interceptions. The Vikings forced six turnovers in their win over Weber State – the most by PSU in a single game in 22 years.
BEND DON'T BREAK DEFENSE: The Vikings' game against Utah Tech was the first time out of the last four games that the Vikings held their opponent below 600 yards of offense. North Dakota (627 total yards), Oregon (740) and Weber State (703) had all surpassed that number before the Vikings held Utah Tech to a season-low 330 total yards.
STARTING IN THE GAUNTLET: The Vikings opened the season with a four-game gauntlet that featured two FCS top 10 teams in UC Davis (Aug. 29) and North Dakota (Sept. 12), and two FBS opponents in San Diego State (Sept. 5) and Oregon (Sept. 18). The Vikings rank 10th in the FCS in terms of strength of schedule according to the Massey Ratings system.
RANKED OPPONENTS: As the rankings stand now, the Vikings have either played or are scheduled to play five teams ranked in the STATS Perform FCS Top 25 and AFCA FCS Coaches Polls. That list includes Montana (7th/7th), North Dakota (15th/11th), UC Davis (12th/14th), Northern Arizona (10th/8th) and Idaho State (21st/21st). Additionally, Weber State is receiving votes in the STATS Perform top 25.
NEW JERSEYS: The Vikings will be wearing new uniforms this season designed in collaboration with Van Horne Brands. Founder Todd Van Horne has designed every Oregon Duck uniform since 1997 as well as the 1990s rebrand of the Denver Broncos. He also served as Creative Director for the new Hayward Field in Eugene and led the team for the 2015-20 Nike Campus Expansion which included the creation of the Seb Coe Building, Serena Williams Building, Lebron James Building and Coach K Fitness Center. Van Horne described his work for the Vikings as being "for Chris" in reference to Chris Crawford – the Vikings' quarterback for the 1987 and 1988 NCAA Division II championship games and a PSU Hall of Famer who passed away in 2019 from Leukemia. Van Horne worked with Crawford at Nike.
NEW FACES ON DEFENSE: The Vikings returned only one starter on defense in senior linebacker Jaxton Helmstetler. Unsurprisingly, Helmstetler is the Vikings' top returning tackler from last season when he ranked third on the team with 71 total tackles. He also ranked second on the team with 6.5 tackles for loss a year ago.
OH CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN: The Vikings named their five captains for the season on their second day of fall camp. Tanner Beaman and Terence Loville will captain the offense. Jaxton Helmstetler and Brogan De'Asis will captain the defense, while Brock Fleming will captain the special teams.
MEN OF STEELE: Five Vikings made the Phil Steele Preseason All-Big Sky teams announced in early August. Cru Newman made the list three different times, earning second-team honors as a kick returner to go with third-team honors as a wideout and all-purpose player. Terence Loville joined Newman on the second team as a wideout, while Delon Thompson, Tanner Beaman and Brock Fleming earned third-team honors at running back, tight end and long snapper, respectively.
THE ROSTER: Portland State returned 41 players from the 2025 roster, including 29 letterwinners… seven starters return on offense and one starter returns on defense… 12 redshirts return, including five with game experience… the new coaching staff has signed 67 newcomers, 34 freshmen and 33 transfers.
STARTING OVER: Portland State will strive to be healthier than it was in 2025. The Vikings have eight returning players on the roster for 2026 who never had a chance to compete in 2025 due to preseason injuries. Included in that group were returning lettermen tight end Tanner Beaman, linebacker Davin Beason and defensive end Elijah Eason, all of whom were projected to start last season.

OFFENSE NOTES

DEEP QUARTERBACK ROOM: Three different quarterbacks have started the Vikings' first six games of the season, while two different starters have won the Vikings' two games. Tyrese Smith earned his first win as starting quarterback against Utah Tech this past Saturday. Out of the three quarterbacks, he leads the team in passer rating (141.5), completion percentage (64.3) and passing yards per game (230). Gabe Downing has started the most games (3) while averaging 204.7 yards per game on a 55.9 completion percentage. John-Keawe Sagapolutele won the Vikings' game at Weber State, going 9-for-24 for 161 yards and a touchdown.
BREAKTHROUGH ON THE GROUND: The Vikings' 248 yards rushing against Weber State was more than double what they had rushed for in any other game to that point in the season. They followed up with 168 rushing yards on 41 carries against Utah Tech.
EXPLOSIVE VIKS: The Vikings have had 11 total offensive plays go for 20+ yards from scrimmage over their last two games. That matches the total they had through their first four games of the season. Five of the 11 recent explosive plays have gone for touchdowns.
SCORING FIRST: The Vikings have scored first in four of their six games this season. They're 2-2 in those four games. They beat Weber State and Utah Tech but lost after taking early leads against UC Davis and San Diego State.
DEPEND ON DELON: The Vikings go as junior running back Delon Thompson goes, and after his big game against Weber State – 23 carries for 213 yards and three touchdowns – Thompson now finds himself ranked among the best backs in the Big Sky Conference. He ranks sixth in the Big Sky in rushing yards (489), yards per carry (4.84) and rushing yards per game (81.5). Additionally, he ranks 11th in the conference with 98.8 all-purpose yards. Thompson now has 1,866 career rushing yards at Portland State. He will move into the top 15 in career rushing with 75 more yards.
SPILL THE T AND SPREAD THE LOVE: Senior wide receiver Terence Loville, nicknamed T-Love, recorded his second career high of the season against Weber State. Loville topped the 119 receiving yards he totaled against San Diego State with 130 yards on five catches and a touchdown against Weber State. He also set a career high with 10 receptions at San Diego State. He led the Vikings in receiving again versus Utah Tech, giving him the team lead in five of the six games this season. He heads into this week ranked seventh in the Big Sky and 29th in the FCS with 75.8 receiving yards per game. Loville also ranks 10th in the conference with 4.50 receptions per game.
BEAMAN IS BEAMING: Junior tight end Tanner Beaman proposed to girlfriend Tori Forst – herself a member of the Portland State track & field team – a week before fall camp. Beaman proposed to Forst on the same beach that Forst's parents got engaged in Longboat Key, Florida. The happy home life has translated to the football field where Beaman is making his return from injury this season. He set a career high with 63 receiving yards on four receptions at San Diego State. He followed with a career-high eight catches for 55 yards and a touchdown against North Dakota. He ranks 20th in the Big Sky in receptions (3.50) and 29th in receiving yards (37.8) per game.
NEED TO FINISH: The Vikings were much better in the red zone against Weber State, but they scored on only three of their five trips against Utah Tech. One of those was at the end of the game when the Vikings were running out the clock. But the Vikings have still scored touchdowns on only nine of their 18 trips (50.0 percent) to the red zone this season. Comparatively, the Vikings' opponents are scoring touchdowns on 24 of their 33 trips (72.7 percent).
WE ROW WITH CRU: Sophomore all-purpose wideout Cru Newman set career highs for all-purpose yards (177), receptions (7) and receiving yards (66) in the Vikings' season opener against UC Davis. He followed up with 51 all-purpose yards on nine total touches against San Diego State. Newman totaled over 1,000 all-purpose yards last year as a freshman when he received freshman All-American honors from FCS Football Central and Stats Perform.
MERRY CHRISTMAS, YA OL' BUILDING AND LOAN: Junior transfer wide receiver Darius Bailey was a 1,000-yard receiver for NCAA Division III Puget Sound last season. He caught 64 passes for 1,028 yards and 12 touchdowns for the Loggers. He caught his first touchdown pass for the Vikings against North Dakota, reeling in a 39-yard bomb from Gabe Downing. He has six receptions for 89 yards so far this season.
BIG PLAY DA: Sophomore wide receiver Devon Anderson caught six passes for 99 yards in his Viking debut against UC Davis. His 38-yard reception in the first quarter helped set up the Vikings' first touchdown of the game. He started against San Diego State but was injured early in the game and has not played since.
A LYNCH-PIN: Senior wide receiver Jaylen Lynch is the active career leader for the Vikings in games played (42). Lynch ranks fourth among active players for the Vikings with 518 career receiving yards.
EXPERIENCE IS A PLUS: On offense, the Vikings have experience. In fact, all three quarterbacks who saw significant action, the top running back, two of the top three receivers and top tight end return. In addition, three starters on the offensive line and one part-time starter are back… Junior quarterback John-Keawe Sagapolutele (148-261-16-1,623-4TD), sophomore quarterback Tyrese Smith (40-69-4-551-2TD, 98-405-6 rushing) and junior quarterback Gabe Downing (15-26-2-140-0) are experienced signal callers… Junior running back Delon Thompson (191-662-7 rushing, 22-217-1 receiving) led the Vikings in rushing and has over 1,300 career yards on the ground… Senior wide receiver Terence Loville (33-517-1) was given an NCAA waiver for an additional year of eligibility after leading the Vikings in receiving yards last year… Sophomore wide receiver and kick returner Cru Newman (29-302-0, 12-70-1 rushing, 669 return yards) proved to be the Vikings top all-purpose player, earning Freshman All-American and Honorable Mention All-Big Sky honors… Junior tight end Tanner Beaman was a 2024 second team All-Big Sky Conference selection and preseason All-Big Sky choice in 2025. Unfortunately, a foot injury ended his season before it started. He will be back to full health in 2026… the offensive line returns starters senior James Minot (12 starts), sophomore Pule Leatigaga (11 starts), senior Semisi Latu (8 starts) and redshirt freshman Juan Pasillas-Stanton (4 starts).

DEFENSE NOTES

BALL HAWKS: The Vikings did something they hadn't done in 22 years by forcing six turnovers against Weber State on Sept. 26. With two more fumble recoveries against Utah Tech last Saturday, they have already tied their total takeaways from last season with 13. The Vikings now rank second in the Big Sky and 14th in the FCS in turnovers gained this season. They rank third in the conference in fumbles recovered (7) and fifth in passes intercepted (6).
PROGRESS IN TURNOVER MARGIN: The Vikings have won the turnover battle in their last two games, which has corresponded to their two wins. The Vikings are now +0.17 in turnover margin this season, ranking them sixth in the Big Sky. That's a significant improvement over last season when the Vikings averaged minus-1.25 turnovers per game.
RECENT STATS: The Vikings snapped a streak of three straight games in which they allowed their opponents over 600 yards of total offense by holding Utah Tech to a season-low 330 yards last Saturday. The Vikings rank still 13th in the Big Sky with 528.0 yards allowed per game.
RUSH DEFENSE: The Vikings' rush defense opened the season by holding UC Davis to only 87 yards even as the Aggies returned All-Big Sky honorable mention running back Jordan Fisher. Their next four opponents all rushed for 200+ yards. The Vikings got back in form against Utah Tech this past Saturday, when they held the Trailblazers to 102 net rushing yards.
LEADING TACKLERS: Isaac Redford and Jaxton Helmstetler led the Vikings in tackles against Utah Tech. That matches the order for the season, as Redford and Helmstetler rank 1-2 with 51 and 47 total tackles, respectively.
VARIED DEFENSE: Five different players led the Vikings in tackles through their first five games of the season before Isaac Redford was the first repeat leader this past Saturday. Redford has now led the Vikings in tackles in each of the last two games, recording a career-high 13 against Weber State then following up with 11 against Utah Tech. Before that, Gio Kafentzis (8 tackles vs. UC Davis), Logan Lisherness (9 tackles vs. San Diego Stateo), Lono Solomon (10 tackles vs. North Dakota) and Jaxton Helmstetler (11 tackles vs. Oregon) led the Vikings through their first four games.
WE LIKE IKE: Junior safety Isaac Redford – nicknamed Ike – picked off passes in back-to-back games against San Diego State and North Dakota. He nearly had a third in a row against Oregon but dropped a ball that would have been a pick in the second quarter. Redford now ranks among the leaders in the Big Sky Conference for both interceptions and tackles. Redford leads the conference and ranks fifth nationally with 6.17 solo tackles per game. He also ranks sixth in the conference with 8.50 total tackles per game. Redford ranks fifth in the Big Sky with 0.33 interceptions per game.
JAXTON AT THE HELM: Senior linebacker Jaxton Helmstetler jumped on two fumbles in the Vikings' win over Weber State. Against Utah Tech, he both caused and recovered a fumble that set up the Vikings' third score of the game. He now leads the Big Sky and the FCS with his three fumble recoveries this season. He also led the Vikings with two tackles for loss and a sack against Utah Tech. The senior ranks 12th in the Big Sky and 65th in the FCS with 7.75 tackles per game.
A WOLFE IN THE BACKFIELD: Junior safety Terahiti Wolfe flipped the script late in the win over Weber State, intercepting a ball on the PSU 23-yard line in the final minute and taking it back 32 yards to set up the Vikings' game-winning field goal. It was his second interception of the day.
SONG OF SOLOMON: Freshman safety Lono Solomon recorded a tackle for loss in three straight games before sitting out the Vikings' game against Weber State. He returned to play against Utah Tech with seven tackles (six solo). Solomon heads into this week ranked second on the team with 3.5 tackles for loss this season. Solomon had 1.5 tackles for loss while adding two pass break ups against North Dakota on Sep. 12. He ranks 17th in the Big Sky with 6.8 tackles per game.
DUCSIK IS A DUDE: Freshman defensive end Avery Ducsik forced two of the three fumbles the Vikings recovered against Weber State. Both forced fumbles came on strip sacks. Ducsik now leads the Vikings with four tackles for loss this season. His 0.33 forced fumbles per game rank him first in the Big Sky and 15th in the FCS. He also ranks ninth in the Big Sky and 56th in the FCS with 0.50 sacks per game.
COSMA IS COOKING: Junior defensive end Kekama Cosma has his own cooking Instagram (@kamas_mayjah_grindz) that focuses on Hawaiian food. It's appropriate, because the newcomer got his first sack and second tackle for loss this season against Oregon on Sept. 18.
BIG MAN INTERCEPTION: Junior defensive tackle Eddie Vega collected a tipped ball from Brogan De'Asis against UC Davis for the first interception of his career. The interception came along with three tackles for Vega in the game.
STOUT START AGAINST UC DAVIS: The Vikings' 21-0 halftime lead against UC Davis on Aug. 29 was thanks to a standout defensive effort through the first 30 minutes of the game. The Vikings held the Aggies to just four first downs and 84 total yards in the first half.
NEW LOOK DEFENSE: On defense, the Vikings lost a number of players to graduation and the transfer portal, particularly on the line. Including redshirts, 20 players return on that side of the football… leading the way is veteran senior linebacker Jaxton Helmstetler (71 tackles, 6.5 TFLs, 2 sacks, fumble recovery for touchdown), a starter in all 12 games… the Vikings return eight defensive backs… three of the eight returning defensive linemen were redshirts in 2025… two of the six returning linebackers were also redshirts.
CENTRAL MEN: The Vikings added two transfers from Fisk's former team at Central Washington that figure to make an impact on defense. Junior linebacker Logan Lisherness and senior defensive end Brogan De'Asis both followed Fisk to Portland State. Lisherness was a second-team All-Lone Star Conference selection last season when he ranked third on the team with 49 total tackles. Lisherness also ranked tied for second on the team with 9.0 tackles for loss. De'Asis, meanwhile, played in all 12 games last season, totaling 19 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss.
SAFETY MEASURES: The back of the Vikings' secondary will be a sea of new faces as the Vikings added transfers Terahiti Wolfe (Montana), Isaac Redford (Eastern Washington), Gio Kafentzis (Utah State) and Nash Burkart (Sacramento State). Redford had two interceptions for the Eagles last season. Kafentzis recorded a pick for the Aggies against Washington State in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.
D3 TO D1 ON D: The Vikings added three additions on defense from NCAA Division III schools in the Portland area. Two came from Lewis & Clark in Solomon McDaniel and Kekama Cosma, while a third came from Pacific (Ore.) in Quincy Springs.

SPECIAL TEAMS/MISCELLANEOUS NOTES

A MAN WITH THREE NAMES GETTING US THREE POINTS: Junior kicker Joshua Hossmann delivered the Vikings their dramatic victory over Weber State with a 41-yard field goal as time expired. It came as part of a 3-for-3 day for Hossmann Lees that also included a career-long 42-yarder earlier in the game. He was named Big Sky and Stats Perform FCS National Special Teams Player of the Week as a result. Hossmann Lees ranks second in the Big Sky in field goal percentage (0.778) and fifth in makes per game (1.17).
ZUI CAN ZIP: Freshman Zui Shelton took a kickoff back 95 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter of the Vikings' win over Weber State. It was the first kickoff return touchdown by a Viking since Christian Grubb took one 99 yards back for a score against Cal Poly on Sept. 23, 2023. He followed up with his first offensive touchdown of the year against Utah Tech, reeling in a 39-yard pass from Tyrese Smith for the Vikings' first score of the game. He later helped set up the Vikings' final score of the game with a 41-yard kickoff return right before halftime. Shelton now ranks second in the Big Sky and third in the FCS with 31.8 kickoff return yards per game. He also ranks second in the conference and third nationally in kickoff return touchdowns (1).
THE BALLAD OF JONAH HENRY: Senior linebacker Jonah Henry recorded the first blocked kick of the season for the Vikings last Saturday against Utah Tech. Henry blocked a punt on the first play of the second quarter, setting the Vikings up for their second score of the game. Henry also recovered a fumble on a muffed punt against San Diego State.
EMILIANO IS EAGER TO PROVE HIMSELF: The most resilient kid on the team through the first quarter of the season may have been freshman punter Emiliano Rodriguez. He shook off two sour games to start the year – fumbling a snap on a punt against UC Davis that led to a safety, while having two punts blocked against San Diego State – to record a strong game against North Dakota. Rodriguez had five punts go for an average of 49.0 yards against UND, two of which were downed inside the five. He added a career-long 59-yard punt against Oregon on Sept. 18, a number he matched last Saturday with a 59-yard punt against Utah Tech. Rodriguez now ranks third in the Big Sky and 16th in the FCS with an average of 43.8 yards per punt.
ONE MAN WRECKING CRU: Sophomore all-purpose wideout Cru Newman took a punt return 78 yards for a touchdown in the Vikings' season opener against UC Davis. Newman ranks second in the Big Sky and seventh in the FCS with one punt return touchdown this season. He also ranks ninth in the Big Sky with 168 combined kick return yards this season.
NOT SO MANY PENALTIES: One of head coach Chris Fisk's goals this season was for the Vikings to limit their penalties. A year after they ranked 10th in the Big Sky in penalties per game (6.17) and 11th in penalty yards per game (56.1), they've been better in both regards. The Vikings head into this week ranked eighth in penalties per game (5.83) and fifth in penalty yards per game (44.2).
NOT SO NICE: The Vikings' two blocked punts at San Diego State mean they rank ninth in the Big Sky for blocked kicks allowed.

VIKING BACKGROUND TRIVIA

CHARACTER, STRENGTH & HONOR: Coach Fisk lists the core values of his program as Character, Strength and Honor. The principle of strength is focused on building strong young men, strong decision makers and strong leaders for the Portland State campus. The principle of honor means the Vikings will honor those who came before them in the program, honor their family, honor their fellow students and honor the community around them.
FOURTH-QUARTER PROGRAM: Portland State players, like a lot of programs will hold up four fingers at the start of the fourth quarter. But for the Vikings, the four fingers each represent a tenant of the Vikings' Fourth Quarter program. Those being, effort, toughness, commitment and pride.
FRESHMAN ALL-AMERICAN: Sophomore all-purpose player Cru Newman was named a Freshman All-American by Stats Perform and FCS Football Central. Newman led the Vikings with 1,041 all-purpose yards in 2025. Previously running back Delon Thompson (2024) and linebacker Michael Montgomery (2023) were Freshman All-Americans for the Vikings… in addition, Newman did it all against Weber State last October 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 he also made a tackle.
2025 ALL-CONFERENCE HONORS: Honorees from the 2025 roster include: Sophomore all-purpose player Cru Newman (Freshman All-American, HM All-Big Sky Conference); senior linebacker Jaxton Helmstetler (Academic All-District); junior quarterback John-Keawe Sagapolutele (Academic All-District)… Portland State had a program record 3.22 team GPA in the fall of 2025 and bettered that with a 3.36 GPA in the winter of 2026.
BUY LOCAL: Portland State has 50 players on the roster from the states of Oregon and Washington.
OH, BROTHER: Junior quarterback John-Keawe Sagapolutele's brother Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele is the starting quarterback for the Cal Bears.
FAMILY AFFAIR: Senior offensive lineman Braylon Cornell has had a cousin, Jake Porter, play on the Viking Football team (2018-22), another cousin played on the Viking volleyball team, Ellie Snook (2019-22), and two uncles played at PSU, Jamie Snook (basketball, 1996-99) and Jason Porter (baseball, 1991-94).
FAMILY AFFAIR, PART TWO: Freshman safety Marcus Post is the son of Katie (Rose) Post and Josh Post (both Portland State, 1992-95). Katie played on the women's basketball team (and competed in the NCAA Division II National Championship game in 1995) and Josh pitched on the baseball team.
ISLAND LIFE: Senior safety Tre Kramer-Taylor is a native of the Marshall Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. He is the only Marshall Islander competing in Division I football. Taylor played high school football in Hawai'i.
STUDENT-ATHLETES: Portland State has two players on the roster who were named Academic All-District by the College Sports Communicators (CSC) in 2025: Senior linebacker Jaxton Helmstetler and junior quarterback John-Keawe Sagapolutele.
VIKINGS' PRESENCE IN THE NFL: Entering the 2026 season, there have been 33 former Portland State players who have appeared in regular season NFL games. The first: Tom Oberg, DB, Denver Broncos, 1968. Longest career: Neil Lomax, QB, 1981-88; Clint Didier, TE, 1982-89; and Adam Hayward, LB, 2007-14, all played in eight NFL seasons. Hayward played in the most total games (118). Highest draft pick: Neil Lomax, QB, 1981, 2nd round, 33rd pick, St. Louis Cardinals. Total draft picks: 10. Most Touchdowns: Julius Thomas, TE, 2011-17, 36 (receiving). Darick Holmes, RB, 1995-99, 9 (rushing); Neil Lomax, QB, 1981-88, 136 (passing). Head Coach: June Jones (Atlanta Falcons and San Diego Chargers, 1994-98). Super Bowl Champions: Clint Didier, TE (2, 1982, 1987, Washington); DeShawn Shead, CB (2013, Seattle); Ted Popson, TE (1994, San Francisco).
SUPER PLAYERS: Portland State had a pair of former players meet in the Super Bowl for the first time in history in February 2014. TE Julius Thomas ('10, Denver) and DB DeShawn Shead ('11, Seattle) both played in Super Bowl XLVIII. Shead returned to the Super Bowl in 2015 with the Seahawks. He joins Clint Didier and Ted Popson as former Vikings with Super Bowl rings. Thomas was named a Pro Bowl tight end in 2013 and 2014. In the 2014 off-season, he signed the richest tight end contract in the NFL to play for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Thomas retired in the 2018 off-season after a seven-year career that included 71 games, 226 receptions, 2,406 yards and 36 touchdowns. Shead, who played six years in the NFL, is now an assistant coach with the Miami Dolphins.
CC6: Another Viking football legend was quarterback Chris Crawford. Crawford, a native of Portland and Sunset High School, played for the Vikings from 1985-88. He led the team to two NCAA II National Championship games in 1987 and 1988 as the Vikings went 22-5-2 in those seasons. Crawford, who wore the number 6 on the field, was later inducted into the Portland State Athletics Hall of Fame. Crawford went on to a prominent career at Nike where he was a Senior Director in charge of cleated shoes. Sadly, Crawford passed away due to complications from leukemia at the age of 51 in 2019. He is still honored by Nike though, as "CC6" is stamped on the bottom of every pair of football cleats it produces.