Vikings' Second-Half Rally Leads to 28-21 Road Win

PSU QB Brian White completed 29 of 47 for 329 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.

Jerry Glanville's Vikings are 2-0 in the Big Sky Conference. Photo: Portland State Athletics

CHENEY, Wash. - Overcoming a pair of first-half mistakes, the Portland State offense made the big plays in the second half on the way to a 28-21 Big Sky Conference road win at 21st-ranked Eastern Washington.

PSU commited two turnovers after long drives and trailed 14-7 at halftime.

But, a nice mix of run and pass in the second half led to three touchdowns and kept Portland State in first place in the Big Sky Conference.

PSU is now 2-0 in the Big Sky and 2-3 overall.

The win was the first by the Vikings over a ranked team since 2005. The Vikings have now won a school-record six straight Big Sky games, dating to last season.

Eastern Washington lost its first game of the season and dropped to 3-1, 1-1 in Big Sky play.

The Vikings opened the scoring with an impressive 10-play, 83-yard drive.

Brian White completed six of seven on the series, and rushed twice for 20 yards.

White hit Sobomehin for a 10-yard touchdown pass, and the Vikings led 7-0 after one period.

Eastern Washington answered back on a broken play that turned into a big play.

On a third-and-eight play, Nichols found Brynsen Brown on a short pass that turned into an 85-yard gain.

Cornerback Jordan Brown saved the touchdown with a late tackle, but Alexis Alexander scored from a yard out a play later.

The Eagles got a big play from its defense, when Terry Mixon intercepted a White pass and returned it 57 yards to the PSU 25.

Nichols hit Tony Davis for a 10-yard touchdown five plays later and Eastern Washington led 14-7.

On the Vikings’ next drive, they rolled all the way down to the one-yard line.

But, Sobomehin had the ball knocked out as he tried to dive over the line to score. Eastern recovered and ran out the first-half clock.

PSU had 255 first-half yards but just seven points.

The Vikings recovered in the second half, taking the opening kickoff 70 yards in five plays.

White hit Kenneth Mackins on a corner route for 23 yards and the Vikings scored to tie the game 14-14.

That was the only score of the period as the two teams traded punts the rest of the way.

White led another long drive early in the fourth period. PSU went on a 12-play, 87-yard march. White hit Joseph for a 11-yard touchdown.

The defense had another big stop and following a good punt return by Joseph went 38 yards for another score.

Sobomehin, who rushed for a career-high 141 yards, rambled in from 12 yards out with 3:28 to play and PSU was ahead 28-14.

The Eagles tacked on a late touchdown. Nichols took EWU 83 yards on four plays.

He found Aaron Boyce for a 23-yard touchdown pass.

Eastern Washington actually had the ball in the closing seconds, but threw a late interception.

It was an exhilirating win for the offense, which totaled 520 yards - 191 on the ground and 329 through the air.

Joseph had his best game of the year with 10 catches for 120 yards and a score.

White completed 29 of 47 for 329 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.

Defensively, the Vikings made five sacks, including three by Ryan Pederson.

Jordan Senn made 15 more tackles, including two for losses and broke up a pass.

Another linebacker, KJ McCrae had 11 tackles with three for losses.

The Vikings return home for a Big Sky Conference game against Northern Arizona. Kickoff is 1:35 p.m. at PGE Park.

Source: Portland State Atheltics

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