Controlling The Clock
Portland State's methodical attack leads to 30-18 win over No. 24 Weber State
Tick. Tick. Tick.
Three minutes. Four minutes. Six minutes.
Even as Portland State slogged through the first half β trading blows with a Weber State defense that entered the game 15th in the nation in total defense β the Viks chewed up clock.
It came in a variety of ways. Quarterback Davis Alexander started off using his legs to pick up chunks of yards and keep drives alive. As the first half wore on those chunks came through the air. Eight yards. Five yards. Seven yards. Bit by bit wearing down the Wildcats defense.
On the last drive of the second quarter those chunks got bigger: 19 yards, 14 yards, 16 yards on third-and-long, 14 yards to get to the goal line.
Running back Malik Walker, who averaged more than five yards a carry the last three games, averaged six yards a pop in this game and punched in the go-ahead touchdown with less than a minute remaining in the half, giving PSU a 10-7 lead it would never relinquish.
That ability to control the pace of the game slowly squeezed the hopes out of the four-time defending Big Sky champs, with the Viks ripping off another five-minute, 11-play drive to open the second half, scoring yet another touchdown.
The Viks did it again two drives later, using up another five minutes of clock to take a 14-point lead on the catch of the day.
Weber State showed life, benefitting from a phantom pass interference call to score a quick touchdown and two-point conversion, briefly getting within six points to hold on to hope of a comeback.
But, the Wildcats offense isnβt built to score fast and fast is all the time they were given.
Portland State sacked WSU quarterback Bronson Barron four times and had 10 tackles for loss in the win, making the freshman signal-caller make quick decisions and short throws. The strategy worked, with PSU holding the Wildcats to 256 total yards, including just 69 on the ground.
Most of that came with the Viks top two tacklers ejected from the game, Parker McKenna leaving in the second quarter on a targeting penalty and Justice Pagan in the third after picking up two unsportsmanlike calls in successive plays.
No matter, All-American Anthony Adams answered the call with a career-best 11 tackles, two for loss, and a pass breakup that moved the junior to third all-time in school history.
When Portland State got the ball back with 3:30 to play, it had the opportunity to end the game with two first downs, needing only to waste a minute of game time and force Weber State to burn its two remaining timeouts to kneel out the clock.
The Viks took more than a minute off the clock before getting their first 10 yards. Weber used one timeout with the hopes that a stop could get the ball back with enough time to spark a miracle comeback.
The Wildcats never got to use their final timeout.
Alexander finished with 299 yards passing and a touchdown each passing and rushing and is now second all-time in PSU history in passing yards behind only Neil Lomax. Walker finished with 90 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries.
VJ Malo had a sack to take the Big Sky lead in the category and is second in the conference in tackles for loss and forced fumbles. Nate Bennett had a season-high nine catches to move into the top five in the conference.
Portland State won the final time of possession by nearly 10 minutes (35:15-24:45) and the final score 30-18.
It was the Viks first win over a ranked program since beating No. 14 Montana, 22-20, in 2018 and the first multi-score win over a ranked program since beating No. 17 Montana, 35-16, during the playoff run in 2015.
The win keeps this teamβs playoff hopes alive and adds a statement win to the Viks resume. PSU (5-4 overall, 4-2 Big Sky) will still need a sweep in the final two games of the season, against Big Sky-leading Sacramento State (7-2, 6-0) and Eastern Washington (7-2, 4-2).
βWe told our football team they had 15 days of football left. We said βfor the last 15 days, for all the work you have put in, do everything you can to try to earn another one,ββ Bruce Barnum said to GoViks.com following the game.
AROUND THE BIG SKY
Montana State running back Isaiah Ifanse ran for 217 yards, including a 43-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter to seal a 23-20 victory at Eastern Washington.
The No. 4 Bobcats (8-1 overall, 6-0 Big Sky) also got 253 yards passing from Matthew McKay, including 150 yards to Lance McCutcheon, who overtook Portland Stateβs Beau Kelly for the conference lead in receiving yards in the win.
The MSU defense held the No. 5 Eagles, the nationβs top offense entering the game, to just 100 yards rushing and 214 yards passing. EWU entered the game averaging more than 600 yards per game. (406 MT Sports) (The Spokesman-Review)
No. 16 Sacramento State had a much easier time staying atop the standings, running away with a 41-9 victory over Cal Poly (1-8, 0-6). True freshman Cameron Skattebo ran for 96 yards and two scores on 13 carries to lead the Hornets. (The State Hornet) (San Luis Obispo Tribune)
No. 8 UC Davis (8-1, 5-1) had to come from behind against NAU (4-5, 3-3), scoring 27 unanswered points to pull away to a 40-24 victory. The Aggies had 494 yards of offense, including 279 yards passing and two touchdowns from Miles Hastings. (Davis Enterprise) (Arizona Daily Sun)
No. 11 Montana (7-2, 4-2) blanked Northern Colorado, 35-0, as Griz quarterback Cam Humphrey returned to the lineup for the first time in a month after injuring his leg in a loss to EWU earlier in the season. Humphrey threw for 233 yards and three touchdowns, nearly more yards than UNC (3-7, 2-5) had as a team (245 total yards). (Missoulian) (Greeley Tribune)
Idaho running back Roshaun Johnson scored a school-record six touchdowns to lead the Vandals (3-6, 2-4) to a 42-24 victory over Southern Utah (1-9, 0-7). (Moscow-Pullman Daily News)
Idaho State (1-8, 1-5) couldnβt do much against FBS No. 15 BYU, managing a pair of scores amid an offensive clinic from the Cougars. Jared Scott and Tyevin Ford each scored touchdowns and Tanner Conner had 81 yards receiving for the Bengals. BYU quarterback finished 20-for-25 for 298 yards passing and four touchdowns, all in the first half. (Idaho State Journal)
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