IT'S GAME DAY! Portland State (1-3) @ #21 Eastern Washington (3-0)

You can hear the game live in Portland and Salem on 910 KTRO AM.

Photo courtesy: Portland State Athletics

CHENEY, Wash. - With its non-conference schedule behind it, the Portland State football team can now concentrate on going after a Big Sky Conference title.

The Vikings, who are currently 1-0 in the Big Sky, meet another 1-0 team in 21st-ranked Eastern Washington this Saturday. PSU travels to Cheney for a 6:05 p.m. game at Woodward Stadium.

You can hear the game live in Portland and Salem on 910 KTRO AM.

The Vikings come off a 52-17 loss at San Diego State last Saturday and are now 1-3 on the season.

It is the first time since 1998 that PSU has managed only one win in its first four games.

However, the Vikings also know they have played a very strong preseason schedule, and are getting better with their new offense and defense.

PSU has also won its last five games against Big Sky opponents.

Eastern Washington, winners of just three games a year ago, are already 3-0, including a Big Sky Conference opening win over Idaho State (34-7) on the road.

The Vikings routed the Eagles, 34-0, last year at PGE Park, but have lost the last two times they have played in Cheney.

Portland State and Eastern Washington have had one common opponent this year, UC-Davis.

The Vikings lost to the Aggies, 26-17, at PGE Park on Sept. 8. The Eagles defeated the Aggies, 41-31, on Sept. 15 in Cheney.

LAST YEAR

The Vikings defeated the Eagles, 34-0, last season at PGE Park.

It was the fourth time in history that PSU had shut out the Eagles, but the first time in Big Sky Conference play.

The Vikings held the Eagles to just 164 yards of total offense, including 14 rushing yards.

Mu’Ammar Ali rushed for 160 yards and two TDs to lead Portland State.

Tremayne Kirkland have five receptions for 120 yards.

LBs DJ Robinson (10 tackles, three sacks) and Adam Hayward (7 tackles, 2.5 sacks) both had big games.

BIG SKY STREAK

Portland State won its fifth straight Big Sky Conference game in the victory over Sacramento State on Sept. 15.

Four of the wins came last season and they include Idaho State, Eastern Washington, Northern Arizona and now Sacramento State twice.

The five straight wins are the most by PSU since joining the Big Sky in 1996. PSU is 43-41 all-time in Big Sky games.

STANDINGS AND RANKINGS

Portland State and Eastern Washington are each tied for first place at 1-0 in the Big Sky Conference in the early stages of the league season.

Also at 1-0 are Montana State and Northern Arizona.

Eastern Washington was picked to place fifth in the preseason Big Sky coaches and media polls. The Vikings were selected to place second in those polls.

Eastern Washington will be Portland State’s second nationally-ranked opponent of the season.

PSU lost previously at 10th-ranked McNeese State (now ranked 6th). PSU has lost five straight to nationally-ranked teams (#5 Montana, #21 1-A California, #4 Montana, #25 I-A Oregon, #10 McNeese State).

PSU’s last win over a nationally-ranked team was a 44-41 victory over then-#9 Montana State on Oct. 15, 2005. The Vikings were unranked at the time.

SCOUTING THE EAGLES

Eastern Washington has experienced a big turnaround in 2007 after going just 3-8 in 2006.

The Eagles are 3-0 this year and won their first Big Sky Conference game on the road at Idaho State, 34-7, last Saturday.

The Eagles offense has been explosive as last year’s inexperienced freshmen are this year’s talented sophomores.

Quarterback Matt Nichols has completd 63% of his passes for 766 yards and nine touchdowns through three games.

Sophomore wideouts Aaron Boyce, Tony Davis and Brynsen Brown have combined to catch 46 passes for 616 yards and six scores.

The offense has shown great balance as well. The Eagles have rushed for 222 yards per game and seven scores while averaging 5.3 yards per carry.

Junior running back Dale Morris has 47 carries for 242 yards and three scores. Fullback Alexis Alexander has 176 yards and four touchdowns.

Overall, the Eagles average a Big Sky Conference best 42.3 points per game and 487.7 yards per game. They are fourth in the nation in total offense, fifth in scoring.

Eastern also leads the nation in turnover margin, having forced 11 while committing just two. The Eagles have allowed just one sack through three games.

One area of weakness has been pass defense, as the Eagles allow 292 yards of passing per game.

Lonnie Hosley and Kevin Hatch each have three interceptions for Eastern Washington to lead both the league and the nation.

Hatch, a sophomore free safety, also has 16 tackles on the year.

Middle linebacker Jared Kuhl is the team’s leading tackler with 18 on the season. Defensive end Greg Peach has a team-leading 2.5 sacks.

Punter Fritz Brayton is the best in the Big Sky Conference at 43.7 yards per punt. He ranks fifth in the nation.

COACH GLANVILLE SAYS

ON THE LOSS TO SAN DIEGO STATE: “Offensively, that’s probably the most growth we’ve ever made. I thought it was a whole lot better. We’ve never improved that much in one game. Hopefully, we are heading in the right direction.”

“I think the staph infections (to safeties Benny Schenk and Jake Fetzer) were a lot bigger than we ever thought they would be. We couldn’t get the safety to be where we wanted him to be and we had to go back to the two kids with the staph infections... we knew we’d have problems, but we never thought we’d have that many problems.”

“Our goal is to win the Big Sky and this doesn’t change that goal. We got a butt-kicking and those things happen. Our goal for next week will be to be undefeated next week.”

ON EASTERN WASHINGTON: “They run a lot of Mouse’s (Davis) stuff out of the shotgun with four wides and the quarterback - this is his second year at it. He has made massive improvements from a year ago.”

ON THE MATURITY OF EWU’S YOUNG OFFENSE FROM LAST YEAR: “They have never changed a play. They just keep doing it and doing it and now they are really good at it. (They are) very impressive.”

ON FIXING THE DEFENSE THIS WEEK: “We have to correct the mental errors on the back end (defensive backfield). The back end has to play smarter. The good news is we never quit trying to play. We never quit hustling, chasing and trying. As long as that happens, we have a chance to get better. There is always a little light at the end of the tunnel when that happens. You just hope it’s not the train coming.”

WINS AND LOSSES

Portland State’s loss to San Diego State puts it at 1-3 on the season, its worst four-game record since beginning 1998 at 1-3.

PSU is now 2-23 against Bowl Subdivision teams, 1-3 against current members of the Mountain West Conference.

At 1-0 in the Big Sky Conference, the Vikings have a conference winning streak of five games - its longest in 11 years as a member of the Big Sky. PSU is 43-41 all-time in Big Sky games.

INJURIES CONTINUE TO TAKE THE VIKINGS DOWN

JR LB Andy Schantz suffered what appears to be a season-ending injury with a possible torn MCL in his right knee.

That injury came in the loss to San Diego State and Schantz wasn’t the only one.

JR LS Scott Stone also suffered a knee injury - the extent of which hasn’t been determined. Both players will have MRIs on Tuesday.

SR WR Tremayne Kirkland came out of the game with the Aztecs at halftime with a groin injury.

The loss of Schantz is a big blow to the Vikings who have already lost their top fullback (Bobby McClintock) and season-opening starting quarterback (Tygue Howland).

After not losing a single player start due to injury on the Viking defense in 2006, PSU already lost one game (SR OLB Branden Brooks with a shoulder injury), and now may lose Schantz for the year.

Ironically, PSU lost a quarterback (three starts by Sawyer Smith) and a running back (five starts by Mu’Ammar Ali) to injury as well in 2006, but both returned to play well late in the year.

NO SURPRISE HERE

The Portland State passing game continued putting up big numbers against San Diego State.

SR QB Brian White completed 36 of 53 passes for 408 yards. He also had three interceptions.

FR QB Drew Hubel came on late to complete six of eight passes for 37 yards, giving the Viking passing game a total of 445 yards.

White’s 36 completions ranks fourth-most all-time at Portland State. Neil Lomax holds the record with 44.

White’s 408 yards passing were the most by a Viking since Juston Wood threw for 486 yards on Sept. 29, 2001 in a 33-30 win over Northern Arizona.

Amazingly, White’s 408 yards ranks only 25th-best for a game all-time in PSU history.

With 1,200 yards passing through four games, White is averaging 300 yards per game.

As a team, PSU is averaging 340.8 yards per game.

The Vikings rank second in the nation in passing offense and lead the Big Sky. White ranks 13th in the nation in total offense (274.5) and leads the Big Sky.

SHARING THE WEALTH

Eleven different Vikings made receptions in the loss to San Diego State.

Among them were SO WR Mario D’Ambrosio (3-22), JR WR Akeem Anthony (2-17) and SO WR Steve Cooper (1-4) making their first career receptions.

JR WR Reggie Joseph went for season-highs with seven catches for 85 yards.

SR WR Tremayne Kirkland came out of the game at halftime with a groin injury, but had seven catches for 67 yards.

SR WR Kenneth Mackins caught a career-high six passes for 137 yards.

Source: Portland State Athletics

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