TODAY ON THE RADIO: Viking play-by-play man Tom Hewitt is a guest host on 750 AM The Game from 10 a.m. to Noon. His guests include former Viking and current Denver Bronco Julius Thomas (10 a.m.) and Viking Offensive Coordinator Bruce Barnum (11:30 a.m.).

TONIGHT: Head Coach Nigel Burton will be on Comcast SportsNet's Talkin' Ball at 6 p.m.

Portland State begins what it expects to be a bounce-back season this Saturday at the newly-remodeled JELD-WEN Field when the Vikings host Southern Oregon in a non-conference game. The Vikings and Raiders meet in a 1:07 p.m. kickoff that can be seen locally on Comcast SportsNet (channel 37/HD 737) and heard on Freedom 970 AM radio.

Second-year Head Coach Nigel Burton has plans to lead the Vikings back to the winning side of the ledger in 2011 as Portland State seeks its first winning record since 2006 (7-4 under Tim Walsh). PSU has had 2-9 records each of the last two years and won just 11 games over the past four seasons (9-24 under Jerry Glanville, 2-9 under Burton).
   
Also of great concern for the Vikings in 2011 is reestablishing home field dominance. PSU was 1-3 at home last year (playing a single season at Hillsboro Stadium while JELD-WEN Field was being remodeled), and had losing home records in two of three seasons under Glanville (1-4, 4-1, 1-5). Prior to that first losing home record in 2007, PSU had not had a non-winning home mark since 1982 (2-3).

Getting that home field advantage back has already started with the pride PSU has in its new digs at JELD-WEN Field.

"We consider it the premier venue in FCS football," said Burton. "There are some places with great atmospheres and fan bases. But, in terms of being downtown, with skyscrapers around, 32 luxury boxes, a club level, a (great field), a 50-foot Jumbotron… it is a pretty over-the-top facility. Eighty-five percent of the field is covered. It is unreal. It will be a great experience for our fans. Our players get excited just having a walk-through there."

Burton certainly feels the Vikings have the tools to make a big turnaround in 2011. Forty-nine letterwinners return to the program, including nine starters on offense, nine on defense, and all three on special teams. PSU has the Big Sky Conference's top returning rusher in senior Cory McCaffrey (1,287 yards, 10 TDs), a talented quarterback duo in seniors Connor Kavanaugh (1,615 yards total offense in eight games in 2010) and Drew Hubel (6,358 yards, 42 TDs in his career), a veteran offensive line that led PSU to a league-high 203.3 rushing yards per game last year, and a deeper, more athletic receiving corps. Defensively, the Vikings are led by veteran safety DeShawn Shead (preseason All-Big Sky Conference), linebacker Ryan Rau (top tackler the past two years), and six returners on the defensive line. PSU also has two of the nation's top special teams performers in kicker Zach Brown (18 field goals in 2010 to rank third in the nation) and punter Thomas Duyndam (42.6 ypp to rank 11th in the nation).
   
Key newcomers include transfer defensive tackle Myles Wade (Texas Tech), linebacker Khalil Bass (College of the Canyons) and cornerback Aaron Kincy (Butte JC) on defense, and wide receivers Roston Tatum and Alex Toureen on offense.

"I'm very excited for this football team," said Burton. "As long as we stay healthy, nothing but good things are going to happen this season. We have definitely brought in depth that was not here last year. I think our execution and energy throughout camp has been great."

Southern Oregon comes to Portland with an 0-1 record, having lost 50-47 in double overtime last week at Montana Tech. SOU trailed by 10 with less than four minutes to play, but sent the game to overtime with a pair of late scores.

Southern Oregon University, located in Ashland, is a member of the NAIA and plays an independent schedule. The Raiders come off a 3-7 season in 2010. In the off-season, SOU hired a new head coach, Craig Howard.

"Our team understands (that for Southern Oregon) it is no different than us going out to play to win against TCU. Southern is coming out here to play to win," said Burton. "I don't think we have any kids who feel we are just going to walk out on the field and win. The (Raiders) are very talented. They have a quarterback I wish we had on our team. They have a receiving corps that made a lot of plays for them last week. They have some talented linemen. We know we have our hands full."

The Vikings and Raiders met in 2009 at then-PGE Park, with PSU winning 34-10. Prior to that the schools had not met since 1975. PSU and SOU were members of the old Oregon Collegiate Conference and played every year between 1952 and 1964 in league play. The series continued every year through 1970.
   
SOU leads the all-time series 11-9-1, but PSU has won the last eight meetings dating back to 1965.

A RETURN TO DOWNTOWN
Oregon's only major urban campus has proudly called the city's only major football stadium its own for more than four decades. After one year away - while the newly-named JELD-WEN Field was being refurbished - Portland State will play once again in downtown Portland.
   
The Vikings' home field for nearly 45 years and formerly known as PGE Park (and Civic Stadium and Multnomah Stadium), JELD-WEN had a facelift in preparation for the arrival of Major League Soccer and the new Portland Timbers franchise in 2011.
   
The “new” JELD-WEN Field now has a completely enclosed horseshoe seating, greater amenities, a fresh pressbox, and a much more intimate feel.
   
The Portland Timbers, who are the main tenants of the venue, renamed the stadium JELD-WEN Field after a sponsorship from Jeld-Wen Inc., a manufacturer of doors and windows based in Klamath Falls, OR.

Portland State first played football in old Multnomah Stadium in 1949, then returned in 1966 and became a regular tenant in 1967 of what became Civic Stadium. Following a renovation in 2001, the stadium was renamed PGE Park.

GAME WEEK ACTIVITIES
VIKINGS ON THE RADIO: All Portland State football games can be heard on Freedom 970 AM and www.970.am. The Viking Pregame Show begins one hour prior to kickoff each week... Tom Hewitt (play-by-play) and Mike Lund (analyst) call the action.
VIKINGS ON TELEVISION: Portland State and Comcast SportsNet have teamed up to present a minimum of four Viking football games during the 2011 season. The Vikings can be seen on CSN on Sept. 3 vs. Southern Oregon, Sept. 17 vs. Northern Arizona, Oct. 8 vs. Montana State, and Oct. 15 at Montana. There is a possibility that additional Viking games will be televised on CSN and will be determined later in the season... veteran broadcasters Bob Akamian and Rashad Floyd will be on the call for the first two games. Games against Montana State (Max Media) and Montana (KPAX) will be shared feeds produced by the opponents' television partners... Comcast SportsNet is available in the Portland area on Comcast cable systems, channel 37/HD 737. Other metro-area affiliates aside from Comcast are: Beavercreek Cooperative Telephone SD 38/HD 638; Canby Telcom SD 33/HD 733; Oregon Cable Group SD 53/HD 753; Frontier Communications SD 77/HD 577; Wave Broadband SD 37or 45(depending upon location)/HD 737.
VIKINGS ON THE INTERNET: Live streaming video of all Portland State home and Big Sky Conference games can be seen free at www.b2tv.com... 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 $15 to $50, with youth prices as low as $8. 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.
SPECIAL EVENTS FOR SEPT. 3: The Coors Light Viking Tailgate will open three hours before every game and will be located outside the Kingston.  The tailgate area will feature beer, live television, inflatables for the kids, Voodoo Donuts, and Ben and Jerry's ice cream. The Last Regiment Drum Line will be performing outside the stadium on the corner of 18th and Morrison before the game and at halftime. DJ O.G. ONE, also the official DJ of the Portland Trailblazers, will be the DJ at all home games.