The Portland State Vikings football team is a consensus number-four selection in preseason polling of the newly-expanded Big Sky Conference. The Vikings, who tied for third in 2011 at 7-4/5-3, were picked to place fourth in 2012 in polls of Big Sky Coaches and Big Sky Media.

The preseason polls were released today by the Big Sky Conference at the Big Sky Kickoff Media Event in Park City, UT. Each Big Sky school is represented at the media event by the coach and a player. Joining Viking Head Coach Nigel Burton is senior offensive lineman Kyle Ritt.

PSU's number-four position is the highest it has been in preseason polls since the Vikings were a consensus number-two pick in 2007. Portland State was the most improved team in the Big Sky in 2011, increasing its' win total by five games.

The Vikings have 51 returning letterwinners in 2012 under third-year Head Coach Nigel Burton. PSU has 13 returning starters - seven on offense, four on defense and two on special teams.

Defending Big Sky Conference Champion Montana State was picked first in both the Coaches and Media Polls. MSU received seven of 13 first-place votes from the coaches. The Bobcats had 30 of 40 first-place votes from the media. Eastern Washington was picked second in both polls, getting three first-place votes from the media and four from the coaches. Montana was third in both polls, with five media first-place votes and one coaches first-place vote. The Griz were then followed by the Vikings, who did not receive a first-place vote.

Cal Poly, which received one first place vote from the media, was picked fifth in both polls. After that, the polls were jumbled on down to the 13th position. Weber State, picked seventh in the media poll, had one first-place vote from the media. Southern Utah, picked eighth in both polls, had one first-place vote from a coach.

Picking the preseason poll was particularly challenging this year for the coaches and media as four new schools have joined the league - Cal Poly, North Dakota, UC Davis and Southern Utah. Making it even more difficult is teams play only eight of 12 potential opponents in the Big Sky.

Future Big Sky schedules will rotate so all schools face one another at least every three years. Each school has two "rival" opponents that it is guaranteed to play every season. PSU's rival opponents are Eastern Washington and Idaho State.

Of this year's top three teams, the Vikings play Montana State and Eastern Washington. PSU also plays Southern Utah (8 coaches/8 media), Northern Arizona (9/7), Idaho State (12/11), Cal Poly (5/5), UC Davis (11/12) and Northern Colorado (13/13). The Vikings also play North Dakota (6/10) in a non-conference game.

BIG SKY CONFERENCE PRESEASON POLLS
Media Poll
1. Montana State (30), 502
2. Eastern Washington (3), 453
3. Montana (5), 442
4. Portland State, 334
5. Cal Poly (1), 323
6. North Dakota, 295
7. Weber State (1), 284
8. Southern Utah, 258
9. Northern Arizona, 242
10. Sacramento State, 191
11. UC Davis, 135
12. Idaho State, 115
13. Northern Colorado, 63
 
Coaches' Poll
1. Montana State (7), 136
2. Eastern Washington (4), 131
3. Montana (1), 126
4. Portland State, 90
5. Cal Poly, 86
6. Weber State, 81
7. Northern Arizona, 75
8. Southern Utah (1), 74
9. Sacramento State, 71
10.  North Dakota, 68
11. Idaho State, 31
12. UC Davis, 30
13. Northern Colorado, 14