Portland State’s defense has, at times, been one of the best in the Big Sky.
Last weekend, the Viks held Idaho to 13 total yards in the third quarter and just 138 in the second half. The defense features All-Americans, All-Big Sky talent and a ton of speed.
It also disappeared for most of the first half and put the team in a deep hole that it ultimately couldn’t climb out of, a continuation of a theme that has plagued the Viks all season.
“Bottom line is our guys, part of our team is still getting into the game from the tailgate,” Vikings coach Bruce Barnum said during his weekly radio interview. “We’re not starting right away in one phase and it’s putting us behind the eight ball and we’re playing catch up.”
In each of the Vikings four losses it had a defensive stretch that forced the offense into shootout mode. It happened in the first quarter in Hawaii and the second quarter in Pullman. Against Montana State it didn’t happen until just after halftime.
In each of those cases, the defense solved what was going wrong, adjusting to fix the problem and limit its opponent for the rest of the game. The solutions, unfortunately, haven’t come until after a run of touchdowns dug the Viks into a hole.
“We’re doing everything we can to fix that,” Barnum said.
The Viks opponent this week presents an intriguing challenge.
Idaho State was winless entering last week and had been outscored 155-62. Players and coaches were openly discussing scheme changes on offense. The defense forced just three sacks and two turnovers in four games and had surrendered an average of 340 passing yards.
Then, against the No. 7 team in the nation, the Bengals dominated. ISU scored the first 17 points of the game and held then-undefeated UC Davis to three points through three quarters, hauling in three interceptions and rolling to a 27-17 victory.
Cornerback Jayden Dawson was named Big Sky defensive player of the week and punter Kevin Ryan earned conference special team honors.
The Bengals talent spreads beyond those accolades, though their depth has wavered this season.
Entering the season, wide receiver Tanner Conner was listed No. 12 on The Athletic’s “freaks list” of the most athletic players in college football, regardless of division. The 6-foot-3, 233-pound target doubles as one of the top hurdlers in the conference, finishing fourth in the 110 hurdles at last year’s outdoor championships. He currently leads the Bengals with 339 receiving yards and three touchdowns.
ISU’s top two running backs sat out the UCD win, with freshman backup Tyevin Ford, still listed as a linebacker in the program, running for a season-best 108 yards on 21 carries in their stead. Freshman quarterback Hunter Hays, who had thrown two touchdowns and five interceptions in his two previous games, was flawless against the Aggies, throwing for 281 yards and two scores.
“Each week in the Big Sky you better be ready to go,” Barnum said. “I think anybody can beat anybody.”
The Vikings kick off against Idaho State at 2 p.m. in Hillsboro on Saturday.
AROUND THE BIG SKY
Montana State and Weber State both have something to prove as they face off this weekend in a clash of Big Sky powers.
The No. 9 Bobcats head to Ogden looking to confirm their status among the nation’s elite by beating a ranked team for the first time this season. MSU nearly knocked off FBS squad Wyoming and has won handily each week since but hasn’t moved up the rankings like their Big Sky brethren, with voters still hesitant to promote a team without a marquee win on the ledger.
Conversely, Weber is hanging on to its last hopes of a playoff bid. The No. 19 Wildcats have played a brutal schedule, falling in narrow home losses to No. 8 James Madison and No. 13 UC Davis, and get a third chance against a ranked team at home this weekend. With a trip to No. 2 Eastern Washington looming next weekend, WSU needs to start stacking wins on its card if it wants a ticket to the big dance.
The game will be played on Friday night to accommodate the time slot on ESPNU.
In other games, Eastern Washington looks to remain unbeaten this season when it hosts a border rivalry against Idaho.
The last Big Sky edition of the Grand Canyon rivalry will also take place this weekend, with Northern Arizona hosting Southern Utah.
No. 5 Montana will host a dangerous Sacramento State team and No. 13 UC Davis looks to rebound from last week’s shocking loss with a home game against Northern Colorado.
Friday, Oct. 15
No. 9 Montana State (5-1 overall, 3-0 Big Sky) at No. 19 Weber State (2-3, 1-1), 7 p.m. PT (ESPNU)
Saturday, Oct. 16
Idaho (2-3, 1-1) at No. 2 Eastern Washington (6-0, 3-0), 11:30 a.m. (ESPN+)
Sacramento State (3-2, 2-0) at No. 5 Montana (4-1, 1-1), Noon (ESPN+)
Southern Utah (1-5, 0-3) at Northern Arizona (2-3, 1-1), 1 p.m. (ESPN+)
Idaho State (1-4, 1-2) at Portland State (2-4, 1-2), 2 p.m. (ESPN+)
Northern Colorado (2-4, 1-2) at No. 13 UC Davis (5-1, 2-1), 5 p.m. (ESPN+)
Idle: Cal Poly (1-5, 0-3)
NEW RESTRICTIONS SET FOR HOME GAMES
With basketball season approaching fast, the administration at Portland State has put new restrictions in place for games at the Viking Pavilion.
In addition to the statewide mask mandate, Portland State will require nearly all fans to show proof of vaccination or a recent negative COVID test to watch home basketball games and volleyball matches.
The policy aligns with a similar one enacted by the Portland Trail Blazers earlier this year.
AROUND THE BLOCKS
The Portland State volleyball team just keeps winning.
The Viks have won five matches in a row and 10 of their last 12, dating back to Sept. 9. In that stretch, they’ve won four of the last five Big Sky defensive player of the week nods, with libero Ellie Snook taking the honors for the third time this week.
The Viks go on a three-match road swing this week, playing at the Montana schools and Sac State.
Vikings soccer is also headed on the road, making a trip to the mountains to play at Weber State and Idaho State.
After going the distance in a scoreless draw with Montana last week, the Viks finally broke through. PSU dropped a 1-0 decision to Eastern Washington but scored two goals in nine minutes against Idaho, erasing a 2-0 deficit for the first time in history and winning in overtime, 3-2.
The women’s golf team finished 16th at the Pat Lesser-Harbottle Invitational in Tacoma. Windy Huang posted a 1-over-par 73 in the final round to lead the Viks with a fourth-place finish.
Maddie Egan picked up three singles victories in a weekend sweep for the Viks women’s tennis team at the Husky Invite in Seattle. Jacinta Milenkoski, Nika Beukers, Mariajose Hernandez Coronado and Emily Rees also won singles matches at the three-day event. Two doubles teams also picked up wins.
The men’s team is currently playing at the University of Oregon Invitational.
THIS WEEK IN HISTORY
For the first time since joining the Big Sky three years prior, Portland State made its presence felt in 1999, thumping Montana State 49-28 in front of 11,213 fans at Portland Civic Stadium.
The win came two weeks after the Viks beat Montana 51-48 in overtime, a victory that vaulted PSU into the Division I-AA media poll for the first time since 1980. It was the first time in Big Sky play and only the second time in school history the Viks swept the Treasure State.
The Viks would reach as high as No. 13 in the country but fell out of the playoff race after a loss to No. 20 Northern Arizona in the final week of the regular season.
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