HILLSBORO, Ore. — The Portland State football team struggled to slow down a high-powered North Dakota offense Saturday, as the Fighting Hawks scored early and often in a 47-23 victory over the Vikings at Hillsboro Stadium.
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The seventh-ranked Fighting Hawks (3-0) scored on their opening drive and didn't look back from there, leading wire-to-wire. They racked up 627 yards of total offense between 336 passing and 291 net rushing yards.
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The Vikings (0-3) expected a strong offensive showing from the Fighting Hawks. North Dakota came into the game ranked in the top 20 of the FCS for total offense (11th), rushing offense (15) and passing offense (20th). Senior quarterback Jerry Kaminski was as advertised for the Fighting Hawks. Coming into the game ranked second nationally in passing efficiency, Kaminski went 21-for-29 for 336 passing yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed for a net of 56 yards.
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The day started early for Kaminski and the Fighting Hawks – even with the 7:05 p.m. kickoff time – as they drove 68 yards for a touchdown on their opening drive. Kaminski found Mason South in the end zone from 11 yards out.
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It was the first time the Vikings' opponents had scored first this season. The Vikings had run out to early leads against UC Davis (21-0) and San Diego State (6-0) in their first two games. They tried to answer right away. Behind
Gabe Downing at quarterback, the Vikings drove to the UND 25-yard line before stalling, and a missed field goal meant the Vikings came up empty.
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The Vikings couldn't put points on the board after another missed field goal ended their second drive. That was after UND put another one in the end zone on a one-yard pass from Kaminski and Kuntz.
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It was a 17-0 UND lead before the Vikings put together their first scoring drive in the second quarter. A 49-yard pass from Downing to
Terence Loville on the opening play of the drive set the Vikings up at the UND 5-yard line. Two plays later, Downing found
Tanner Beaman for a touchdown from seven yards out. Beaman also got the catch on a two-point conversion as
Bo Gionet improvised after a botched snap/hold, throwing to Beaman after rolling out to the right.
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But the Fighting Hawks answered immediately with a 99-yard kickoff return touchdown from Charles Langama that pushed their lead to 24-8. Langama finished with 284 all-purpose yards for the Fighting Hawks, upping his average which already ranked him fourth in the FCS.
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The Vikings again cut it to a 10-point game late in the third quarter. Beaman had three catches for 22 yards on the drive, while
Zui Shelton and
Delon Thompson had rushes of 10 and 12 yards, respectively. Thompson's run gave the Vikings 1st-and-goal at the four, and the Vikings punched it in two plays later when Downing found
Cru Newman on a slant route.
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The Vikings went for two, lateraling to Newman who threw it to Beaman for the conversion that made it 26-16 North Dakota.
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But the Fighting Hawks answered right away again, going 80 yards in five plays, ending with a 26-yard touchdown run from Matt Lawson. They added two more fourth-quarter touchdowns before the Vikings answered with a 39-yard pass from Downing to
Darius Bailey for the game's final score.
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Downing finished 23-for-39 for 233 yards and three touchdowns. Beaman caught eight passes from Downing – a career high – for 55 yards. Loville led the Vikings with 71 receiving yards for the game.
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Thompson led the Vikings on the ground with 58 rushing yards on 14 carries.
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The Vikings now turn their attention to Oregon, as they play the Ducks Friday at Autzen Stadium in Eugene.
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GAME NOTES:
- The Vikings fell to 2-8 all-time against North Dakota with Saturday's loss.
- Freshman punter Emiliano Rodriguez – after a couple of tough weeks to open the season – produced his best game yet. He had five punts for an average of 49.0 yards, two of which were downed inside the five.
- Bailey's touchdown in the fourth quarter was his first as a Viking. He had 12 touchdowns to go with 1,028 receiving yards last season while playing for NCAA Division III Puget Sound.
