KICKOFF
The Portland State football program reached the end of a four-game gauntlet to open its 2026 season last week. An opening stretch that saw the Vikings play two FCS Top 10 teams in UC Davis and North Dakota, as well as two FBS teams in San Diego State and Oregon, came to an end with a rout by the Ducks last Friday.
 
That's in the past.
 
For all intents and purposes, the season starts now for the Vikings, beginning with a matchup against Weber State this Saturday in Ogden (5 p.m. PT / 6 p.m. MT kickoff).
 
This week marks the resumption of the Vikings' Big Sky Conference schedule. The Vikings are 0-1 in Big Sky play following their season-opening loss to UC Davis but will look to move up the conference standings over the rest of the season.
 
Weber State started Big Sky play 1-0 with a 30-29 win over Northern Colorado on the opening weekend of the season. The Wildcats blocked a PAT – one of five blocked kicks on the year for the Wildcats, an FCS-best – to seal the win over the Bears with three seconds left. The Wildcats picked up their second win of the season this past Saturday, beating Northwestern State out of the Southland Conference, 49-20, in the Wildcats' home opener.
 
The Wildcats have already proven to be a strong offensive team in their first year under head coach Eric Kjar. They rank third in the Big Sky with 35.5 points per game, while they also rank fourth in the conference with 410.8 total yards per game. They've extended drives by converting on third down 50.0 percent of the time, a success rate that ranks them second in the Big Sky and 10th in the FCS.
 
A strong running game has helped in that regard. The Wildcats rank second in the Big Sky with 166.5 rushing yards per game. Junior running back Spencer Ferguson averages 6.7 yards per carry, ranking him second in the Big Sky and 11th in the FCS.
 
Through the air, wide receiver Noah Kjar – son of head coach Eric Kjar – leads the FCS with six receiving touchdowns. He also ranks third in the conference and 11th in the FCS with 101.3 receiving yards per game.
 
Slowing the Wildcat offense down will be the first job for the Vikings. They're coming off two tough games defensively as North Dakota and Oregon finished with 627 and 740 total yards, respectively, against the Vikings. Portland State had more success in their first two games, however, as they held UC Davis and San Diego State both below 400 total yards. UC Davis only had 84 yards of offense by halftime as the Vikings jumped out to a 21-0 lead on the Aggies.
 
The Vikings can help themselves defensively by forcing a few turnovers. They've had success in that regard, the game against Oregon notwithstanding. PSU finished level in the turnover battle in their first three games while forcing two fumbles and three interceptions. Isaac Redford has two of the Vikings' three interceptions and nearly picked off a third pass against the Ducks.
 
The Wildcats have had issues with turnovers. They've lost the turnover battle in three of their four games already, while they were level with the other.
 
Teams have also been able to move the ball against the Wildcats, something the Vikings were able to do in their first three games before Oregon held them to 103 total yards last week. The Wildcats are giving up 37.0 points and 491.5 total yards per game so far this season. That includes 226.3 rushing yards per game for Weber State opponents.
 
The Vikings could use a strong running game. Their game high so far this season is 111 rushing yards against North Dakota on Sept. 12. Otherwise, the Vikings have been moving the ball through the air. They passed for 233 or more yards in each of their first three games. They finished with more than 250 passing yards in their first two games, a benchmark they only reached three times last season.
 
Offense was a struggle last week against an Oregon team still pissed off from its upset loss at Oklahoma State the previous week. But that game and the Vikings' four-week gauntlet to open the season is in the past. The Vikings can now focus on what will still be a difficult, albeit more manageable, Big Sky slate.
 
And that resumes this Saturday at Weber State.
 
GAME DETAILS
PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (0-4, 0-1) vs. WEBER STATE (2-2, 1-0)
INFO: Saturday, Sept. 26, 5 p.m. PT / 6 p.m. MT, Ogden, Utah (Stewart Stadium)
TV: ESPN+
LIVE STATS: GoViks.com/LiveStats
SCOUTING WEBER STATE:

• The Weber State Wildcats have split their first four games of the season, beating Northern Colorado (30-29) and Northwestern State (49-20) while losing to Southern Utah (47-42) and Colorado (52-21). The game against Southern Utah did not count as a conference game, meaning the Wildcats are 1-0 in Big Sky play entering their game against the Vikings this Saturday.
• The Wildcats are in their first year under head coach Eric Kjar (pronounced "Care"). Kjar came to the Wildcats after posting a 112-10 record and winning six state championships over nine seasons as head coach at Corner Canyon High School in Draper, Utah.
• Offensively, the Wildcats rank third in the Big Sky and 21st in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) with 35.5 points per game this season. They also rank fourth in the Big Sky and 30th in the FCS with 410.8 total yards per game. They gain a large chunk of those yards on the ground as they rank second in the Big Sky and 38th in the FCS with 166.5 rushing yards per game.
• The strong offense means the Wildcats convert on third down 50.0 percent of the time, ranking them second in the Big Sky and 10th in the FCS.
• Junior running back Spencer Ferguson leads the Wildcats with 82.7 rushing yards per game, ranking him fourth in the Big Sky and 22nd in the FCS. Ferguson averages 6.70 yards per carry, ranking him second in the conference and 11th in the FCS.
• Freshman quarterback Nate Dahle averages 189.5 passing yards per game while completing 48.4 percent of his passes. He has passed for seven touchdowns, which rank him fourth in the Big Sky and 20th in the FCS.
• Junior wide receiver Noah Kjar, son of head coach Eric Kjar, leads the FCS with six receiving touchdowns already this season. He also ranks third in the conference and 11th in the FCS with 101.3 receiving yards per game.
• Defensively, the Wildcats are giving up 37.0 points and 491.5 total yards per game. Opponents are averaging 226.3 rushing yards and 265.3 passing yards per game against the Wildcats.
• Raimoana Tinirauarii ranks third in the Big Sky with 1.00 tackles for loss per game.
• Special teams have been an early strength for the Wildcats. They've blocked an FCS-best five kicks already as a team. Ashden Oberg has blocked two of those five. One of the Wildcats' blocked kicks was an extra point with three seconds left that sealed their 30-29 win over Northern Colorado.

SERIES NOTES:

• The Wildcats lead the all-time series between them and the Vikings, 25-15. The Wildcats have won the last three games in the series, including a 43-27 victory at Hillsboro Stadium last season.
• The Vikings' last victory over the Wildcats came on the road in 2021. The Vikings beat a 24th-ranked Weber State team, 30-18, in Ogden that season.

OFFENSE NOTES

• AIRING IT OUT: The Vikings passed for 250+ yards in their first two games of the season, while they went for 233 yards against North Dakota. While Oregon held the Vikings to 101 passing yards last week, the Vikings' strong start through the air has been a marked improvement. For comparison, the Vikings only passed for 250+ yards three times last season.
• DEEP QUARTERBACK ROOM: The Vikings have started two different quarterbacks in their three games this season. Both have played well. Tyrese Smith went over 300 yards of total offense against UC Davis, finishing 23-for-36 for 268 yards passing while rushing for 33 yards and two touchdowns. Gabe Downing, meanwhile, has started the past three games and is completing 55.9 percent of his passes for 204.7 yards per game and five total touchdowns. He has set career highs for completions (31, against San Diego State), yards (280, against San Diego State) and passing touchdowns (3, against North Dakota) over the last three weeks.
• SCORING FIRST: The Vikings scored first in their first two games of the season. They built a 21-0 lead on UC Davis before the Aggies finally scored in the third quarter. They also led San Diego State 6-0 behind two early field goals before the Aztecs scored. North Dakota and Oregon both scored first against the Vikings, however.
• LIMITING TURNOVERS: The game against Oregon aside when the Ducks forced four PSU turnovers, the Vikings have done well limiting turnovers. They only had five turnovers (two lost fumbles, three interceptions) through their first three games. Last season, they averaged 2.33 turnovers per game.
• SPILL THE T AND SPREAD THE LOVE: Senior wide receiver Terence Loville, nicknamed T-Love, had a career game at San Diego State on Sept. 5, setting career highs for receptions (10) and receiving yards (119). It was Loville's third-career game with 100+ receiving yards for the Vikings. He led the Vikings in receiving in the next two games, as well. Loville heads into this week ranked 11th in the Big Sky and 54th in the FCS with 67.8 receiving yards per game. He ranks ninth in the conference with 15.9 yards per reception.
• 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 13th in the Big Sky in receptions (4.25) and 23rd in receiving yards (44.5) per game.
• ALWAYS THANK YOUR O-LINEMEN: In two matchups against FBS teams, the Vikings only gave up six combined tackles for loss against San Diego State and Oregon. That's an impressive number considering FBS teams usually overpower FCS teams at the line of scrimmage. The Vikings head into this week ranked eighth in the Big Sky and 69th in the FCS while allowing only 5.75 tackles for loss this season.
• NEED TO FINISH: The Vikings must find the end zone this season. Through four games, the Vikings have scored a touchdown on 6-of-11 (.545) trips to the red zone. Opponents, meanwhile, have scored touchdowns on 21 of their 26 trips (.808).
• OUR OBSESSION WITH POSSESSION: The Vikings won the time of possession battle in their first three games of the season. Against UC Davis, their advantage was 33:56-to-26:04. Against San Diego State, it was 33:25-to-26:35. Against North Dakota, it was narrower, but the Vikings still won the possession battle 30:13-to-29:47. The Vikings head into this week ranked sixth in the Big Sky and 70th in the FCS in time of possession.
• EXPLOSIVE VIKS: The Viking offense has produced 11 plays of 20+ yards through four games this season. Terence Loville and Tanner Beaman both have three explosive plays this season, while Cru Newman and Delon Thompson have two. Newman's list includes a 78-yard punt return touchdown at the end of the first quarter against UC Davis. That was the longest punt return touchdown since 2005, when Brendan Ferrigno took one back 91 yards against Eastern Washington.
• WE ROW WITH CRU: Sophomore all-purpose wideout Cru Newman set career highs for all-purpose yards (177), receptions (7) and receiving yards (66) 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.
• DEPEND ON DELON: An Iron Man for the Vikings in the backfield, Delon Thompson has 1,575 career yards and 15 career rushing touchdowns. Thompson posted the biggest game of his career in the Vikings' win over Cal Poly last season, totaling 184 yards and three touchdowns on the ground to go with 54 yards and a score through the air. So far this season, he ranks 12th in the Big Sky with 49.5 rushing yards per game. He's averaging 3.41 yards per carry, ranking him 14th in the Big Sky.
• 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.
• A LYNCH-PIN: Senior wide receiver Jaylen Lynch is the active career leader for the Vikings in games played (40) and games started (17). 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 have forced five turnovers already this season between three interceptions and two fumbles. The five total turnovers rank them seventh in the Big Sky and 42nd in the FCS for turnovers gained.
• 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.
• RECENT STATS: North Dakota and Oregon both finished with more than 600 yards of total offense against the Vikings. North Dakota totaled 627 total yards between 291 yards rushing and 336 yards passing. Oregon totaled 740 yards of offense between 289 on the ground and 451 through the air. The Vikings held their first two opponents to below 400 total yards.
• RUSH DEFENSE: The Vikings' rush defense opened the season by holding UC Davis to only 87 yards despite the Aggies returning All-Big Sky honorable mention running back Jordan Fisher. The Vikings' last three opponents have had an easier time of it, however. San Diego State, North Dakota and Oregon have all rushed for 200+ yards against the Vikings.
• LEADING TACKLERS: Jaxton Helmstetler took over the team lead for tackles with a career-high 11 against Oregon last Friday. Helmstetler now leads the Vikings with 30 total tackles this season. Logan Lisherness, Isaac Redford and Lono Solomon are all tied for second with 27 total tackles.
• VARIED DEFENSE: Four different players have led the Vikings in tackles through their first four games of the season. Gio Kafentzis led the Vikings with eight tackles against UC Davis on Aug. 29. Logan Lisherness led the Vikings with nine tackles against San Diego State on Sept. 5. Lono Solomon led the Vikings with 10 tackles against North Dakota on Sept. 12. Jaxton Helmstetler led the Vikings with 11 tackles against Oregon on Sept. 18.
• 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 ranks third in the Big Sky and 18th in the FCS with 0.50 interceptions per game. He also ranks fourth in the conference and 50th in the FCS with 1.00 pass breakups per game.
• SONG OF SOLOMON: Freshman safety Lono Solomon has recorded a tackle for loss in three straight games. He leads the Vikings 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 now ranks tied for 20th in the Big Sky with 6.80 tackles per game.
• SO GOD MADE A FARMER: Freshman safety Deryk Farmer recorded a career-high 10 tackles while making his second-career start against Oregon last Friday. Farmer leads the Vikings with 7.70 tackles per game this season, an average that ranks him 12th in the Big Sky and 77th in the FCS. Farmer also ranks third in the Big Sky and 21st in the FCS with 5.33 solo tackles per game.
• JAXTON AT THE HELM: Senior linebacker Jaxton Helmstetler recorded a career-high 11 tackles to lead the Vikings against Oregon last Friday. Helmstetler ranks 14th in the Big Sky and 84th in the FCS with 7.50 tackles per game.
• DUCSIK IS A DUDE: Freshman defensive end Avery Ducsik ranks tied for second on the team with 2.0 tackles for loss through the first four games of the season. He had a sack against UC Davis on Aug. 29, while he recovered a fumble against San Diego State.
• 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 last Friday.
• 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.
• 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 NOTES

• EMILIANO IS EAGER TO PROVE HIMSELF: The most resilient kid on the team through the first four games of the season may be 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 last Friday. Rodriguez now ranks fifth in the Big Sky and 34th in the FCS with an average of 42.4 yards per punt.
• A MAN WITH THREE NAMES GETTING US THREE POINTS: Junior kicker Joshua Hossmann missed field goals from 42 and 36 yards against North Dakota on Sept. 12. He had been 3-for-3 before that with a long of 35 yards against San Diego State. Hossmann Lees still ranks seventh in the Big Sky in both field goal percentage (0.600) and makes per game (0.75).
• 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 sixth in the FCS with a punt return average of 22.2 yards per attempt. He also ranks second in the conference and fifth in the FCS with one return touchdown this season.
• NOT SO NICE: The Vikings' two blocked punts at San Diego State mean they rank 11th in the Big Sky for blocked kicks allowed.