Complete Game Notes for Portland State vs. Montana State

GAME 10
MONTANA STATE BOBCATS (5-3, 3-2) vs. PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (2-7, 1-5)
Saturday, November 7, 2009, 1:05 p.m., PGE Park (19,566), Portland, OR
   
TELEVISION: On tape delay, Saturday, 4:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. (CSN, channel 37)
RADIO: 800 AM KPDQ and www.kpdq-am.com
Pregame Show: Noon • Kickoff: 1:05 p.m. • Play-by-play: Tom Hewitt • Analyst: Mike Lund
INTERNET: Live video stream with radio broadcast at www.bigskytv.org. Live stats are available at www.GoViks.com

THE SERIES RECORD
All-Time Series: MSU leads 14-9 • PSU leads in Portland 6-5 • MSU leads in Bozeman 9-2 • PSU leads in Billings 1-0
Big Sky Series: Montana State leads 7-6 • PSU leads in Portland 4-2 • MSU leads in Bozeman 5-2

Big Sky Conference games
Oct. 26, 1996: MSU 24-6 @ Bozeman
Oct. 25, 1997: PSU 44-0 @ Portland
Oct. 17, 1998: PSU 34-31 @ Bozeman
Oct. 16, 1999: PSU 49-28 @ Portland
Nov. 4, 2000: PSU 31-24 @ Bozeman
Nov. 3, 2001: PSU 33-21 @ Portland
Nov. 16, 2002: MSU 28-26 @ Bozeman
Nov. 15, 2003: MSU 25-14 @ Portland
Oct. 16, 2004: MSU 31-24 @ Bozeman (ot)
Oct. 15, 2005: PSU 44-41 @ Portland
Oct. 7, 2006: MSU 14-0 @ Bozeman
Nov. 10, 2007: MSU 50-36 @ Portland
Nov. 15, 2008: MSU 49-32 @ Bozeman

STREAKS
• Montana State has won three in a row in the series.
• The Vikings have lost three in a row, four straight at home and six of seven overall.

STORYLINE
Portland State will try to turn around the series trend, having dropped three in a row and six of the last seven to Montana State... PSU is 4-2 against Montana State in Big Sky games at PGE Park... the other trend the Vikings would like to stop is scoring - despite scoring 66 points in the last two meetings, the Vikings have given up 99 points and 1,067 yards to the Bobcats... PSU has also commited eight turnovers in those games...  MSU won the last meeting in PGE Park, 50-36, in 2007. PSU took a 15-14 lead in the fourth quarter before the game was blown open with 57 points and eight final-period touchdowns. MSU scored 36 points in the fourth quarter to the Vikings’ 21... Montana State leads the Big Sky series 7-6 and the all-time series 14-9.

LAST YEAR: MONTANA STATE 49, PORTLAND STATE 32
Montana State rambled for 369 yards on the ground and 489 overall in winning its third straight in the series, 49-32, last year in Bozeman. Demetrius Crawford had 187 yards rushing and two touchdowns.  Aaron Mason added 77 more on just 10 carries. PSU trailed just 21-17 at halftime, but the Bobcats scored twice early in the third period and the Vikings could not catch up. PSU totaled only 247 yards of offense in the game. There were a total of seven turnovers in a wild game that included an interception return for touchdown, a kickoff return for touchdown and a fumble recovery in the endzone for touchdown.

VIKINGS HOST MONTANA STATE IN FINAL HOME GAME OF 2009
Portland State hopes to end three ugly streaks this week when it hosts Montana State in the final home game of the season at PGE Park. The Vikings have lost four straight at home, three straight overall and three straight to the Bobcats going into this week’s contest. Kickoff is 1:05 p.m. at PGE Park. The game, which airs live on 800 AM KPDQ, can be seen on tape delay on Comcast Sports Net (channel 37) in the Portland area at 4:30 and 11:30 p.m. on Saturday.

PSU has 17 seniors, at least 14 of whom will be playing in their final home game on Saturday. They will be recognized prior to the start of the game.

The Vikings will need to win their final two games of the year if they hope to match last season’s records of 4-7 overall and 3-5 in the Big Sky Conference. PSU is currently 2-7 on the season, 1-5 in the Big Sky, after a 47-10 loss to Eastern Washington last Saturday at Qwest Field in Seattle.

PSU’s four-game home losing streak is its longest since 1981. PSU has not lost five straight at home since 1959. The Vikings are 1-4 at home overall this year.

Montana State comes off a 41-10 win over Idaho State last week. With a 5-3 record (3-2 in the Big Sky) the Bobcats still have a realistic chance at the NCAA I FCS post-season. They will need to win out - which would include a season-ending win over second-ranked Montana - to do so.

Montana State is 2-2 on the road this year.

The Vikings will wrap up the season at Idaho State on Nov. 14.

SCOUTING MONTANA STATE
Montana State is a traditionally  strong program and this year is no different as the Bobcats have a 5-3 record on the season. MSU is 3-2 in the Big Sky with this week’s game against PSU, followed by home games with Sacramento State and Montana. If the Bobcats can sweep those three, they would be a likely candidate for the NCAA I FCS post-season.

Montana State is one of the better defensive clubs in the Big Sky Conference, allowing a league-low 359 yards per game, including a league-low 77.4 rushing yards.  The Bobcats have allowed just one rushing touchdown this season, but given up 21 via the pass. MSU allows 23 points per game while scoring the same number.

The Bobcats have allowed only a 70% conversion rate in the red zone to opponents, and only 47% have been touchdowns (14-30).

Defensive end Dane Fletcher is one of the top players in the Big Sky. He has 39 tackles this year and leads the conference with 12.5 tackles for loss in just six games played. He also has 3.5 sacks. Fletcher missed two games with illness, but should be back this week.

Clay Bignell and Michael Rider each have 52 tackles to lead Montana State this season. They also have three interceptions apiece.

MSU’s offense features a balanced attack with 153 rushing yards and 233 passing yard per game.

CJ Palmer and Aaron Mason have combined for nearly 1,000 rushing yards this season. Palmer has 490 yards and five touchdowns while Mason has 463 yards and four trips to the endzone.

Mark Iddins and Cody Kempt have combined on the quarterbacking duties. Iddins has completed 60% of his passes for 1,169 yards, six interceptions and five touchdowns. Kempt, from Portland’s Westview High School, has completed 58% of his passes for 659 yards, two interceptions and five touchdowns.

Mason and Kempt are projected to start this week at those positions.

Everett Gilbert has 30 receptions for 402 yards and four touchdowns to lead the receiving corps. Julius Lloyd has caught 29 passes for 371 yards. Elvis Akpla has 25 catches for 366 yards and three touchdowns.

MSU has converted a remarkable 13-17 fourth-down attempts this year.

Jason Cunningham is 11-14 on field goals this season with a long of 47. He ranks second in the league behind PSU’s Zach Brown (15). Punter Eric Fisher leads the Big Sky with a 46.1 yard average.

Head Coach Rob Ash is in his third season at Montana State and has an 18-13 record.

SENIORS PLAYING THEIR FINAL HOME GAME AT PORTLAND STATE
Portland State has 17 seniors listed on its roster in 2009. At least 14 of those players will compete in their final home game as a Viking on Saturday.

Two seniors will have the opportunity to petition the NCAA for an additional year of eligibility based on previous injuries. Quarterback Tygue Howland has had three season-ending injuries in his career, two of which came early enough to warrant review by the NCAA. That includes an injury over this past summer which prevented Howland the opportunity from even suiting up for practice in 2009. Fullback Bobby McClintock was a redshirt in 2005, but also suffered a season-ending injury in the 2007 opener. He, too, can petition the NCAA for a sixth year of eligibility. Whether those years would be granted are up to interpretation by the NCAA after the season.

Another senior, wide receiver Mario D'Ambrosio, has missed this entire season while recovering from a knee injury. D’Ambrosio has taken the year as a redshirt and is eligible and planning to return to the Vikings in 2010.

Here are the remaining Vikings playing in their final home games.

7, Tracy Ford, CB, Seattle, WA (Bellevue/Idaho)
    Mainly an offensive player as a junior, Ford has played corner and nickelback for the Vikings in 2009. He has 23 tackles this season after totaling 260 all-purpose yards and a touchdown in 2008.

9, Lavonte Kirven, WR, Oakland, CA (St. Mary’s/Laney JC)
    Kirven has not missed a game in two seasons, making 15 starts prior to today. Kirven has 70 receptions for 1,064 yards and seven touchdowns as a Viking.

14, Tygue Howland, QB, Sedro-Woolley, WA (Sedro-Woolley)
    A fifth-year player in the program, Howland has suffered numerous injuries during his career, playing in 10 games and starting four. He has 1,239 passing yards and five touchdowns. Howland will petition the NCAA for an additional year of eligibility.

26, Mshaka Mitchell, CB, San Diego, CA (S. Eugene/Palomar JC)
    Mitchell has spent the year as a member of the Vikings’ scout team.

31, Jordan Brown, SS, Tigard, OR (Tigard)
    Brown was a starter at cornerback two years ago and a starter at safety this season.  He has 38 tackles, an interception and a fumble recovery this year. For his career, 26 games and 14 starts, Brown has 85 tackles and three interceptions.

37, Bobby McClintock, FB, Coos Bay, OR (Marshfield)
    McClintock has earned All-Big Sky Conference honors and been projected as one of the top fullbacks in the country during his career. Following a knee injury in 2007, McClintock has come back to start every game the last two seasons. In more than 30 career starts, McClintock has rushed 199 times for 919 yards and seven touchdowns. He has caught 68 passes for 603 yards and one touchdown. McClintock will also petition the NCAA for another year of eligibility.

50, David Pedersen, ILB, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA (Peninsula/LA Harbor JC)
    Pedersen has played in 13 games, starting one the last two seasons. He has 15 tackles.

51, Erik Pedersen, ILB, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA (Peninsula/Hawai’i)
    A starter at inside linebacker and an All-Conference performer, Pedersen had his senior season cut short due to injuries. In 16 career games, all starts, he had 126 tackles and 12.5 tackles for loss.

53, Ryan Pedersen, OLB, Beaverton, OR (Southridge/Oregon)
    A starter for the Vikings most of the past three seasons, Pedersen is the most experienced player on the Viking squad. In 31 career games, 28 starts, he has 165 tackles, 26 tackles for loss and 11 sacks.

55, Tyler Staley, C, Agoura Hills, CA (Agoura/College of the Canyons)
    Staley has played two seasons for the Vikings starting every game at center and becoming team leader as a senior. He blocked for the nation’s top passing offense in 2008.

74, Moses Punzal, OL, Kapa’a, HI (Kapa’a)
    Punzal had played in 29 games as a Viking, starting 24 on the offensive line, before being injured in the season’s third game. He was considered the Vikings’ top lineman entering his season year.

78, Matt Leunen, OL, Redmond, OR (Redmond)
    After playing tight end as a freshman, Leunen was converted to an offensive tackle. He has performed well, starting every game the last two seasons and blocking for the nation’s top passing offense in 2008.

81, Daniel Wolverton, WR, Moorpark, CA (Moorpark/Moorpark JC)
    A regular at wide receiver and part-time starter the last two seasons, Wolverton has caught 30 passes for 471 yards and scored two touchdowns.

89, Aaron Woods, WR, Portland, OR (Sunset/Santa Rosa JC)
    In 2008, Aaron Wood became one of just 13 players to have more than 1,000 yards receiving in a season. This year, he has established new Portland State records for kickoff return yards in a season and a career. Woods has 103 receptions for 1,518 yards and nine touchdowns while starting every game the past two years. He has 3,597 all-purpose yards as a Viking.

99, Joe Ma'aseia, DE, Leone, American Samoa (Leone/Butte JC)
    Ma’aseia has been a starter in every game since arriving in 2008. He has 43 tackles and two fumble recoveries as a Viking.

GAME WEEK ACTIVITIES
VIKING MEDIA: All Portland State football games can be heard on 800 AM KPDQ and www.kpdq-am.com.The Viking Pregame Show begins one hour prior to kickoff each week... Live streaming video of all Portland State home and Big Sky Conference games can be seen free at www.BigSkyTV.org. Live stats for Portland State home games are at www.GoViks.com.
TICKETS: Tickets for all home games can be purchased in prices ranging from $14 to $35, with youth prices as low as $5. Groups of 15 or more get special admission prices. To purchase tickets by phone, call 1.888.VIK.TIKS or 503.725.3307. Tickets are on sale at the PSU Ticket Office, located in Smith Memorial Student Union, 1825 SW Broadway. You can also purchase tickets on-line at www.GoViks.com or at all TicketMaster outlets. 
THE COORS LIGHT BLOCK PARTY: For all home games, Portland State’s pregame Coors Light Block Party takes place on SW Morrison Street between 20th and 21st avenues. The Coors Light Block Party begins at 11 a.m.
JERRY GLANVILLE ON THE BFT: Viking football coach Jerry Glanville talks football and a whole lot more weekly on the “The Bald-Faced Truth” radio show with host John Canzano. It marks the second straight year that Glanville will be a regular with the local sports talk host and Oregonian columnist. Canzano’s show runs from 3-6 p.m. on 95.5 FM The Game. Glanville will be on each Tuesday at 3:17 p.m.
VIKING SPORTS LUNCHEONS: The next Viking Coaches Luncheon featuring Jerry Glanville takes place on Nov. 3 at the Old Spaghetti Factory (0715 SW Bancroft St.) from noon to 1 p.m. The public is welcome. Coaches Luncheons cost $10 per person.

FACTS, FIGURES AND CURIOSITIES
THE RECORDS: Head Coach Jerry Glanville is 9-22 in his third season at Portland State, 6-9 at home, 3-14 on the road... Glanville is 2-8 against nationally-ranked opponents, 0-3 against NCAA I FBS opponents... PSU is 7-15 in Big Sky games under Glanville... Portland State is 49-56 all-time in Big Sky Conference games, 74-79 since moving to Division I in 1996.

TOUGH TIMES AT HOME: Portland State had a recent stretch of four out of five games at home and, oddly, lost all four home games and won the road game (at Northern Colorado). That makes PSU 1-4 at home this year with this week’s home game still remaining. The last time PSU lost four straight at home was 1981. The last time PSU lost five straight at home was 1959... losing at home had been common among Big Sky Conference teams prior to last Saturday. Big Sky home teams went 5-0 on Oct. 31, but during the previous four weeks were just 5-14.

SAFETY FIRST: Portland State pulled off the bizarre feat of making two defensive safeties in one game against Eastern Washington last Saturday. SR DT Jermaine Jacobs sacked EWU QB Matt Nichols in the endzone in the first period. He forced a fumble which the Eagles recovered in the endzone, giving the Vikings an early 2-0 lead... SR OLB Ryan Pedersen sacked Nichols in the endzone in the second period at which point PSU trailed 19-4... Jacobs and Pedersen had the best efforts on defense for a Viking team that otherwise gave up 545 yards and 47 points. Jacobs had a career-high nine tackles with two tackles for loss, two forced fumbles (including one when Eastern was at the PSU one-yard line), and a sack. Pedersen made nine tackles for a season-high, including two sacks, three tackles for loss and a quarterback hurry.

10 THE HARD WAY: In what had to be an all-time Viking first, PSU scored a football-conventional 10 points in a very unconventional way against Eastern Washington - two safeties and two field goals.

SHAKY RETURN FOR HUBEL: JR QB Drew Hubel missed two games after suffering a subluxation of his left knee cap late in the win at Northern Colorado (Oct. 10). He returned against Eastern Washington last Staurday, but looked rusty. He completed just 7-23 passes for 98 yards and three interceptions. SO QB Connor Kavanaugh was 7-11 passing for 57 yards and also rushed for 68 yards. JR QB Justin Engstrom was 1-5 for eight yards and two interceptions... the Vikings passing game has encountered its roughest stretch during the Jerry Glanville era, due in large part to Hubel’s injury. The last three weeks PSU has thrown for 168 yards, 135 yards and 163 yards with three touchdowns and eight interceptions. Those are the three lowest passing totals of the last three years... the Vikings were third in the nation in passing prior to Hubel’s injury at 322.9 yards per game. They now rank 14th at 266.9 yards per game... PSU led the nation in passing each of the last two years.

RUN GAME STAYS EFFECTIVE: Portland State ran for more than 100 yards for the fourth week in a row and sixth time this season. That may sound modest, but it is as major improvement over the previous two seasons in a pass-based offense. SO QB Connor Kavanaugh leads the way with 52 carries for 323 yards and three touchdowns. SR FB Bobby McClintock has 65 carries for 281 yards and a touchdown. FR RB Ben Bowen has 52 totes for 189 yards and a score, and FR RB Evans Okotcha has 40 carries for 138 yards.

WOODS RETURNS TO THE RECORD BOOKS: SR WR Aaron Woods set three Portland State kick return records and tied a fourth in one game (Oct. 24 vs. UC Davis), and extended all his records last Saturday against Eastern Washington. Woods broke his own marks for returns in a season (45, previous 35) and yards (1,096, previous 908). Woods also broke Orshawante Bryant’s career record for kick return yards (2,004, Bryant 1,806). With 80 total returns in his career, Woods now owns that record as well. Woods ranks eighth all-time in all-purpose yards at Portland State (3,596).

WHAT BROWN CAN DO FOR YOU: FR K Zach Brown is turning in one of the best kicking seasons in Portland State history. With two more field goals against Eastern Washington last week, Brown has now tied the school record 15 field goals in a season, set by Danny Urrego in 2008. Urrego needed 23 attempts while Brown got it done with 22 attempts. Three of Brown’s seven misses have been from 52 yards or more... Brown’s streak of nine straight field goals made ended last week with first-half misses from 53 and 52 yards (both wide right)... he leads the Big Sky Conference and ranks third in the nation in field goals made per game (1.67)... further, in the 63-year history of Portland State football, there have been seven field goals of 50 yards or longer. Brown has two of those kicks. The school record is a 55-yarder by Pat Moore against Eastern Washington in 1975... this season, Brown is 15-22 on field goals, 16-16 on extra points and averages 65.4 yards on kickoffs... Brown has twice been named Big Sky Conference Special Teams Player of the Week (Sept. 14, Oct. 12)... with 15 field goals, Brown already ranks 10th all-time for a career in Portland State history.

MOST FIELD GOALS MADE IN A SEASON AT PORTLAND STATE
    15/22    Zach Brown, 2009
    15/23    Danny Urrego ,2008
    14/19    Dan Frantz, 1999
    14/21    Eric Azorr, 2006
    14/22    Mike Cajal-Willis, 2002
    13/17    Mike Cajal-Willis, 2001
    11/15    Mike Erickson, 1985
    11/16    John Kincheloe, 1979
    11/20    Mike Erickson, 1987

RAU IN THE MIDDLE: SO ILB Ryan Rau is having a big year for the Vikings as he has a team-leading 57 tackles. He also leads with nine tackles for loss and four sacks... his biggest play of the season came against UC Davis when he scooped up a fumble (forced by SR OLB Ryan Pedersen) and rambled 27 yards for a touchdown that gave Portland State a 28-17 third-period lead.

PEGLEG’S TALLY: SR OLB Ryan Pedersen, affectionately known as Pegleg by his team, leads the Vikings in career numbers with 165 tackles, 26 tackles for loss and 11 sacks. He has also started a team-leading 28 straight games.

GIVE AWAY, TAKE AWAY: Portland State commited five turnovers against Eastern Washington and recovered one.  PSU now has a -14 turnover ratio this season.

THE LITTLE “BIG THREE”: With none of them standing taller than 5’8”, the Vikings’ “big three” receivers are little, but have put up big numbers this year. JR WR Ray Fry has team-highs of 53 receptions for 810 yards and three touchdowns to rank among the Big Sky leaders... SR WR Lavonte Kirven has 34 catches for 595 yards and team-bests of four touchdowns and 17.5 yards per catch... SR WR Aaron Woods has 37 catches for 490 yards and three touchdowns this season... those three receivers have 124 of the Vikings 177 team receptions. They have 1,895 of the 2,402 team receiving yards.

IN THE ZONE: The Vikings need to get better in the redzone. They are 17-23 this year converting scores in the redzone (9 TD, 8 FG). That matches last year’s red zone efficiency (74%), which ranked last in the Big Sky Conference. More significantly, the Vikings must improve the 39% touchdown rate (9-23)... opponents have converted 30-38 (79%) redzone opportunities this year (25 TD, 5 FG), 66% of which have been touchdowns.

NATIONAL STATS: FR K Zach Brown is third in the nation in field goals (1.67 per game)... SR WR Aaron Woods is fourth in the nation in all-purpose yards (181.0 ypg).

HUBEL LIKES IT AT HOME: Although he has not played in the last two home games, it is worth noting the brilliance performed by JR QB Drew Hubel in PGE Park. In 10 career games at PGE Park (eight starts), Hubel has completed 258-425 passes (.605) for 3,717 yards, 30 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. He averages 372 yards per game and has passing games of 623, 484, 474, 370, 370, 353, 343 and 305 yards, as well as games of nine touchdowns and five touchdowns. He has won Big Sky Player of the Week honors three times in eight starts at PGE Park.

CLIMBING THE CHARTS: JR QB Drew Hubel is in fifth place on PSU’s all-time passing list with 6,343 yards... with 42 career touchdown passes he is now sixth all-time after passing Viking legend June Jones (41)... Hubel has four 300-yard passing games this season.

PEACHFUZZ PATROL - UP TO 23: Jerry Glanville loves to talk about how many players on his roster that don’t shave yet. Apparently that has no bearing on football ability. In the season opener, Glanville played 14 true freshmen and five redshirt freshmen. Add in five other new players who saw action, and 24 of the 53 who played at Oregon State were seeing their first playing time as Vikings. The 14 true freshmen: WR Kalua Noa, S Nathan Snow, CB Michael Williams, RB Evans Okotcha, RB Ben Bowen, CB Denzel Davis, P Thomas Duyndam, OLB Joel Sisler, S Dominic David, OLB Ryan Reardon, ILB Jaycob Shoemaker, DE Dereck Jester, WR Keitrell Anderson and DE Saui Matagiese. The five redshirt freshmen: WR/K Zach Brown, OLB Colton Russi, OL Kyle Ritt, DT Nick Gale, OL/DL David Gertson. The four other newcomers: SO K Wade Penner, SO LB Kevin Konrath, SO OL Seth Giandomenico, JR WR Nick Hutter, SO DE Carl Sommer... Williams took over as a starter at cornerback against Southern Oregon, while Brown was given exclusive duties as the Viking kicker... RS FR OL Manuel Rojas played against Southern Oregon, and RS FR Andrew Godinet played at Montana... FR WR Nevin Lewis saw his first action against Weber State and got the start against Northern Colorado...  RS FR DE Kyle Van Arden played for the first time against Sacramento State... Shoemaker made his first start against UC Davis... that gives the Vikings 23 freshmen on the roster that have now seen action, including 15 true freshmen. Both numbers are thought to be the most in the nation at the FCS level... freshmen to start this year include Sisler, Ritt, Williams, Brown, Anderson, Snow, Rojas, Lewis, Okotcha and Shoemaker.
   
LONE STAR LEGACY: Viking Head Coach Jerry Glanville spent some quality time in the state of Texas as an NFL defensive coordinator and head coach for the Houston Oilers (remember them?). That time has translated into some quality recruiting at Portland State. Seven members of the Viking team are from the state of Texas, and at one point in the second half against Oregon State, all four defensive backs in the game were from Texas, including three true freshmen: SO SS Cody Worthen, FR FS Nathan Snow, FR CB Michael Williams, FR CB Denzel Davis.... Williams and Snow joined Worthen in the starting lineup although Snow has not started the past few weeks... Worthen and Snow were high school teammates at Clear Lake in the Houston area... another true freshman, RB Evans Okotcha has 40 rushing plays this season.

GOOD STARTS: SR OLB Ryan Pedersen has made 28 consecutive starts to lead the Vikings. A handful of players started every game last year and returned to start the first eight this year: SR C Tyler Staley (20), SR RT Matt Leunen (20), SR WR Aaron Woods (20), SR FB Bobby McClintock (20), JR DE Travis Beckley (20), SR DE Joe Ma'aseia (20) and SO CB DeShawn Shead (20)... McClintock leads the team in games played (32) and has started every game. He is followed by R. Pedersen (31), Beckley (31) and JR TE Rory Richards (31) in games played.