2023-10-23 17:12:53
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PORTLAND STATE VS. EASTERN WASHINGTON GAME NOTES
Game 8
PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (3-4, 2-2) vs.
EASTERN WASHINGTON EAGLES (3-4, 2-2)
Dam Cup Game presented by Les Schwab
Saturday, October 28, 1 p.m., Hillsboro Stadium (7,600), Hillsboro, OR
TELEVISION: None
LIVE STREAMING: ESPN+ • Play-by-play: Matt Richert • Analyst: Scott Hermo
LIVE STATS: www.ViksLive.com
VIKINGS DEFEND DAM CUP TROPHY THIS WEEK AGAINST EAGLES
Portland State will need to bounce back from a disappointing home loss and continue what has the makings of a promising season when the Vikings host another home game against Eastern Washington this Saturday. Perhaps all they need as inspiration for a better performance is the defense of the Dam Cup Rivalry Trophy that they won last season in Cheney. PSU hosts the Eagles in a 1 p.m. game at Hillsboro Stadium presented by Les Schwab Tires. The game can be seen on ESPN+.
PSU comes off a 38-24 loss to a surging Idaho State team. It was a downer for the Vikings after a convincing road win at Northern Arizona the prior week had them contending to get to the top of the Big Sky Conference. A lot can still be accomplished for Portland State though. The Vikings come into the game on a five-way tie for fourth at 2-2, 3-4 overall.
One of the teams tied at 2-2 happens to be the Eagles, who earned a 31-23 home win last Saturday over Weber State. EWU is also 3-4 on the season.
Portland State is now 2-1 at home while Eastern Washington is 1-3 on the road.
What was a bruising running attack for the Vikings was somewhat stymied against Idaho State. PSU went into the game averaging nearly 250 yards on the ground each Saturday, but was limited to a mere 100 yards by the Bengals. Meanwhile, an efficient ISU offense was able to put up 38 points on the Vikings.
The Eagles also have an efficient offense, averaging over 400 yards per game and committing a mere four turnovers all season. Eastern features one of the top quarterbacks in the league in Kekoa Visperas who leads the Big Sky in both pass yards and total offense per game.
Portland State won last season’s matchup, 38-35, in Cheney. The Vikings benefited from a big offensive day, with a season-high 628 yards, including 427 on the ground (which ranks as sixth-most in school history). Quarterback Dante Chachere rushed for a career-high 141 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries, while sophomore running back Jobi Malary went for 148 yards on 19 carries. Chachere also completed 17-22 passes for 201 yards and one touchdown.
This week’s game is an all-new matchup though. Both teams need a win in pursuit of a winning season with four games remaining. And both entertain an outside shot at reaching the FCS post-season. But a win is essential to the team going forward on that mission.
ABOUT THAT DAM CUP
The Eastern Washington Eagles and Portland State Vikings began a five-sport rivalry cup called The Dam Cup in 2010-11. The Dam Cup celebrates the friendly rivalry between the states of Oregon and Washington within the Big Sky Conference. The Dam Cup became a football-only competition in 2015.
The so-named rivalry refers to the four dams linking Oregon and Washington that one passes on the 339-mile drive from the Portland State campus to the Eastern Washington campus. Located along the Columbia River, they are Bonneville Dam, The Dalles Dam, The John Day Dam and the McNary Dam.
The purpose of the Dam Cup is to enhance the rivalry between Portland State and Eastern Washington and provide a sense of pride between alumni in the Portland and Spokane areas. Other goals include increasing attendance at events between both schools and building school spirit among each institutions’ student body.
The winner of the Dam Cup will possess The Dam Trophy acknowledging the achievement for the following year. Eastern Washington has been Dam Cup Champion seven times and Portland State has held the Trophy five times during its history.
Dam Cup Champions
2010-11 PSU (all sport)
2011-12 PSU
2012-13 GOAT
2013-14 PSU
2014-15 GOAT
2015 PSU (football only)
2016 GOAT
2017 GOAT
2018 GOAT
2019 EWE
2020 no game, COVID season
2021 SHEEP
2022 PSU
STORYLINES
Portland State captured the Dam Cup last season in Cheney, WA, 38-35. That ended a five-game Eastern Washington winning streak in the series… PSU actually holds an all-time series advantage of 11-10-1 with Eastern as the home team. That said, Eastern Washington leads the all-time series in Portland at 12-10, including 9-4 in Big Sky Conference games.
Viking Football Head Coach Bruce Barnum is an alum of Eastern Washington.
Eastern Washington is the closest Big Sky Conference school – in proximity – to Portland State. PSU also maintains its longest continuous series with the Eagles. This will be the 33rd consecutive season the teams have met (PSU opted out of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic).
TEAM LEADERS
PORTLAND STATE: JR QB Dante Chachere has completed 94 of 154 passes for 876 yards, 12 touchdowns and four interceptions this season. He has also run for 382 yards on 64 carries, scoring seven TDs… FR RB Quincy Craig leads the team in rushing with 66 carries for 410 yards and three scores. Craig also has 19 receptions for 207 yards and three touchdowns. He averages 124.8 all-purpose yards per game… JR RB Jobi Malary has 45 carries for 272 yards and five rushing TDs… SR WR Jermaine Braddock leads the Vikings with 31 receptions for 265 yards and four touchdowns… despite making just his first start last week, FR LB Michael Mongomery leads the Vikings with 39 tackles…SO LB Parker McKenna has 33 tackles, four tackles for loss and an interception. JR LB Jaymason Willingham has 29 tackles and 5.5 tackles for loss…. SO DE Slade Shufelt leads the Vikings with 3.5 sacks… PSU is averaging 380.0 yards and 37.9 points per game… the Vikings have given up 366.6 yards and 32.9 points per game… SR P George Triplett has been solid with a 44.6 yard punting average… JR K Gianni Smith has been strong on kickoffs with 31 touchbacks on 40 kicks. He is 4-5 on field goals and 31-31 on extra points… JR RB Christian Grubb has 337 combined return yards and two return touchdowns.
EASTERN WASHINGTON: The Eagles average 30.9 points and total more than 410 yards of offense per game. They have committed only four turnovers this season… Eastern allows 33.0 points and 434.0 yards per game on defense, forcing eight turnovers… quarterback Kekoa Visperas leads the Big Sky Conference in passing yards (281.3) and total offense (296.5) per game… top receiver is All-Conference performer Efton Chism, who has 53 receptions for 543 yards and four touchdowns… four Eagles backs have 200+ rushing yards this season. Justice Jackson leads the team with 258 yards and three touchdowns, however Jared Taylor rushed for 79 yards and a touchdown last week… linebacker Ben Allen has a team-high 53 tackles and six tackles for loss. Jaren Banks, also a linebacker, has 38 tackles and 2.5 sacks.
OFFENSIVE NOTES
THE FACTS OF THE MATTER: Portland State is averaging 380.0 yards and 37.9 points per game (2nd in the Big Sky, sixth in the nation)… PSU’s 225.3 yards per game on the ground ranks second in the Big Sky and ninth in the nation… the Vikings have committed eight turnovers this season… PSU is converting third downs at a rate of 50.5%, ranking second in the Big Sky and seventh in the nation.
HERE’S THE SCORE: Although Portland State scored only 24 points against Idaho State, it is averaging 48.2 points per game in its last five contests, three of which are wins. The Vikings average 37.5 points per game in conference play… the Vikings scored 150 points in consecutive games (Sept. 16-23) including a stunning 115 points in the two first halves of those wins. PSU had 63 at halftime against North American, and 52 points at halftime against Cal Poly… the Vikings’ 91-0 score over North American ranks as the third-highest scoring game in PSU history… the 150 points were the most in back-to-back games since Nov. 8-15, 1980 when a Mouse Davis/Neil Lomax-led program scored 153 points (105-0 over Delaware State and 48-17 over South Dakota State). The Vikings then proceeded to beat Weber State 75-0 in the final game of the season on Nov. 23, 1980.
DANTE’S DATA: JR QB Dante Chachere has completed 94-154 passes for 876 yards, 12 touchdowns and four interceptions this season. He ranks second in the Big Sky in TD passes… Chachere has also rushed 64 times for 382 yards and seven scores to rank second on the team in rushing and third in the league in rushing TDs… Chachere LOVES playing against Northern Arizona. On Oct. 14, he completed 14-19 passes for 159 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions, and rushed 12 times for 83 yards and a score. He was responsible for all six Viking touchdowns. That earned him Big Sky Conference Offensive Player of the Week honors… last season, Chachere had 402 yards of total offense against the ‘Jacks in a 35-27 win, passing for three touchdowns and rushing for two touchdowns. He was also Big Sky POTW after that game… that makes 644 total yards, 11 total touchdowns, two wins, two POTWs…. Chachere’s five-TD passing game matched his career-high of five last year against Lincoln… Chachere has 2,844 career passing yards and 31 touchdowns passing in 18 starts… Chachere passed 1,000 career rushing yards at Montana State (9/30) and now has 1,131 career rushing yards and 16 rushing touchdowns.
WHO HAS THE BALL?: Portland State has a dynamic running game that features a number of players. Eleven different players have carried the ball and six different players have scored touchdowns… Portland State was held to 100 yards rushing against Idaho State – its second-lowest total of the season. The Vikings missed FR RB Quincy Craig and JR RB Jobi Malary, who were unable to play. Still, the Vikings average over 225 yards rushing, ranking second in the Big Sky and the most since 2016… the Vikings average 263.5 rushing yards in four Big Sky games… Craig is the team rushing leader (66-410-3) followed by Chachere (64-382-7), Malary (45-272-5), Van Buren (42-201-3) and Grubb (33-166-1)… PSU has rushing games of 404 yards (Cal Poly), 366 yards (Idaho State) and 285 yards (North American) this season… PSU had 340 first-half rushing yards against Cal Poly (9/23) on the way to a season-high 404 for the game (10th most in school history). Among the 404 rushing yards, PSU had five(!) runs of 50 yards or longer (Chachere, 51td and 50td; Malary, 56td; Van Buren, 70; Craig, 53).
Q RATING: RS FR RB Quincy Craig has become the key offensive component for the Vikings… Craig had the third 100-yard game of his career (in 10 total games) and leads the Vikings with 410 rushing yards… he had 141 all-purpose yards at NAU… will 749 all-purpose yards this season (124.8) he leads the Big Sky Conference… Craig has 19 receptions for a team-high 207 yards and three touchdowns… Craig is second in the Big Sky in punt returns (12.5)… Craig was named one of 22 freshmen across the nation to the Jerry Rice Award Watch List for the National Freshman of the Year.
NATE THE GREAT: JR WR Nate Bennett has 107 career receptions in 30 career games. He is approaching PSU’s all-time top 20 for receptions.
AND IN OTHER WIDE RECEIVER NEWS…: PSU has 13 total receiving TDs by seven different receivers this season… SR WR Jermaine Braddock leads the receiving group with 31 receptions for 265 yards and four touchdowns this season. He had a career-high nine receptions last week against Idaho State… Braddock passed 1,000 career receiving yards in the game at Montana State (9/30). He now has 1,134 total yards (869 at San Jose State, 265 at Portland State)… SR WR Marquis Spiker had career-highs of six receptions for 112 yards and a touchdown against the Bengals… SR WR Maclaine Griffin also had career-highs of six receptions and 82 yards against ISU.
I AM IRON MAN: SR OL Shiloh Ta’ase played in his 43rd career game at Montana State, while starting his 36th game. He leads the Viking roster in both categories. Unfortunately, Ta’ase went down with injury in the first half at Northern Arizona and his streak came to an end.
NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK: JR OL Billy Lutui has started at right guard the last five games for the Vikings. That came after starting the first two games at defensive tackle. Lutui, a transfer from Sacramento State, was deemed more valuable on the offensive side of the ball, and it took only three practices to get him into the starting lineup on offense… when the Vikings were short-handed on the line at Montana State, they went with true FR OL Isaac Perez as a starter at left guard. He came in to replace an injured Shiloh Ta’ase at Northern Arizona and has taken over at left guard.
DEFENSIVE NOTES
DEFENDING THE SHIP: The Viking defense has allowed 366.6 yards (6th in the Big Sky) and 32.9 points per game (6th in the Big Sky) this season… PSU has forced eight turnovers in seven games… against Cal Poly (9/23), PSU allowed only 263 yards of offense – the fewest by a Big Sky opponent in the last 11 games. The Vikings also had 10 tackles for loss, two sacks, forced two turnovers and five three-and-outs… the Vikings gave up just 318 yards to Northern Arizona (10/14), including four three-and-outs, two turnovers on downs, two interceptions and five pass breakups… in the 91-0 win over North American (9/16), the Vikings pitched their first shutout since a 24-0 win over Idaho on Oct. 12, 2019. PSU had 15 tackles for loss and two interceptions. The Viking D held North American to -23 yards of total offense. That is a new PSU record. The previous mark was 24 total yards by Western Washington in 1981.
STOP THE RUN: In PSU’s three wins, the defense has allowed only 113 total rushing yards on 84 carries (1.3 ypg) and forced six turnovers.
HIT MAN: FR LB Michael Montgomery got significant playing time in the second half against Oregon and he made the most of it. The true freshman from Seattle had 14 tackles – the most by a Viking since Romeo Gunt had 15 in the 2019 season-opener at Arkansas… Montgomery’s 14 tackles were the most by any player in the Big Sky Conference on the opening weekend of games… Montgomery made his first start of the season against Idaho State (10/21) and responded with another 10-tackle game. Montgomery leads the Vikings with 39 tackles this season.
BACK WHERE HE BELONGS: SO LB Parker McKenna is Portland State’s career tackles leader among active players with 155. He led the team in tackles in 2021, then a knee injury limited him to four games and a redshirt season last year. This season he has 33 tackles, four tackles for loss, an interception and a pass breakup.
SHARE THE WEALTH: Six different Vikings have interceptions this season… JR CB Michael Jackson got his first of the season at Northern Arizona and the third of his career… JR LB Jaymason Willingham leads the Vikings with 5.5 tackles for loss this season (29 total)… SO DE Slade Shufelt had two sacks against Idaho State and leads the team with 3.5 on the season… FR S Michael Hurst leads the team with four pass breakups.
MAKING THE MOST OF HIS OPPORTUNITY: FR CB Duhron Goodman earned his first start of the season at nickelback at Northern Arizona and he responded. Goodman made a team-high six tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, had an interception and a pass breakup. The six tackles were a career-high. Goodman missed the game with Idaho State but should return this week.
SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES
FOOTNOTES: SR P George Triplett is averaging 44.6 yards per punt, a four-yard improvement over his average last season (40.6)…. while playing mostly near sea-level, Triplett ranks fifth in the nation… nine of his 28 punts have traveled over 50 yards, and he had a career-long of 61 yards.
NO RETURN FOR YOU: Of JR K Gianni Smith’s 40 kickoffs this season, 31 have been touchbacks… Smith is 31-31 on extra points and 4-5 on field goals and his only miss from 57 yards… Smith is 97-98 on extra points and 14-19 on field goals in his career.
GRUBB HUB: JR RB Christian Grubb returned the opening kickoff against Cal Poly (9/23) 99 yards for a touchdown. It was the first KOR for a TD by a Viking in six seasons… against North American (9/16), Grubb had a 60-yard punt return. That was the first PR for a TD by a Viking in 18 seasons… Grubb ranks fourth in the Big Sky in kick return average at 25.2.
RIGHT BACK ATCHA’: PSU is averaging 17.4 yards punt returns and 25.3 yards on kickoff returns. The Vikings rank second in Big Sky Conference in kick returns and third in punt returns… they rank 10th in the nation in both categories.
I AM IRON MAN, PART TWO: JR LS Ryan Alvidrez made his 30th consecutive start and has not missed a snap in his career.
YOUTH SHALL SERVE
Portland State started four true freshmen in the game against Idaho State: OL Isaac Perez, LB Michael Montgomery, NICK Jaden DaCosta and DE Elijah Eason.
PSU has played 47 freshmen, including 24 redshirt freshmen and 23 true freshmen, this season. Twenty-four of those freshmen appeared in their first game against North American.
The Vikings have had 95 different players participate in at least one game.
The Vikings well-documented true freshman class has had an impact, particularly on defense where 15 true freshmen have played in at least one game, with five getting starts (OL Isaac Perez, S Zach Wusstig, LB Michael Montgomery, NICK Jaden DaCosta and DE Elijah Eason). The true freshman group was rated the best National Letter of Intent class in the Big Sky Conference and third-best at the FCS level after the Feb. 1 signing date by 247Sports.com (18 freshmen, three JCs).
PARTICIPATION AWARD: Portland State played 91 different players against North American, including numerous true freshmen. Although such records are not kept, it is likely the most Vikings ever to appear in a single game… nine different players scored touchdowns, 10 different players rushed the ball and 34 different players had tackles during the game.
QUINCY CRAIG NAMED TO JERRY RICE AWARD WATCH LIST
Portland State running back Quincy Craig has been named to the Jerry Rice Award Watch List which tracks the top freshmen around the nation for the post-season honor of National Freshman of the Year.
Craig, a redshirt freshman from Garden Grove, CA, has emerged as the Vikings’ top back so far this season. He leads the team in rushing with 66 carries for 410 yards and three touchdowns. Craig averages 6.2 yards per carry.
The 5-foot-9, 185-pounder also has 19 receptions for a team-high tying 207 yards and three more receiving touchdowns. As the Vikings’ punt returner, he averages 12.5 yards per attempt.
In all, Craig has 749 all-purpose yards and currently leads the Big Sky Conference with 124.8 total yards per game.
Craig comes off a 10-carry, 103-yard rushing game in last Saturday’s win at Northern Arizona. He added four receptions for 35 yards and TD catches of 14 and six yards.
The Mater Dei High School product gave an indication of his talents at the end of last season when he produced back-to-back 100-yard rushing games against Sacramento State and Cal Poly. His limited play allowed Craig to maintain redshirt status.
Craig is one of 22 freshmen on the Jerry Rice Award Watch List. The Rice Award, now in its 13th season, is named after legendary Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice. Past recipients include Cooper Kupp, Chase Edmonds, Trey Lance and Shedeur Sanders.
The Jerry Rice Award Watch List, which includes both true and redshirt freshmen:
Marqui Adams, Delaware State, QB; Camden Coleman, Richmond, QB; Quincy Craig, Portland State, RB; Champ Dozier, Houston Christian, RB; MJ Flowers, Eastern Illinois, RB; Syeed Gibbs, Rhode Island, DB; Eli Gillman, Montana, RB; Carter Glassmyer, Saint Francis, LB; Malachi Hosley, Penn, RB; Brendan Jenkins, Samford, WR; Jaylon Joseph, Lafayette, DE; Alex McLaughlin, Northern Arizona, DB; Mack Mikko, Presbyterian, PK; Zach Mitchell, Southern Utah, WR; Connor Moore, Montana State, LT; Tye Niekamp, Illinois State, LB; Marco Patierno, Elon; Aaron Sears, Stephen F. Austin, CB; Beau Sparks, Utah Tech, WR; Tak Tateoka, St. Thomas, QB; VJ Wilkins, Campbell, WR; Ty’Jarian Williams, Mississippi Valley State, QB
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