Griz, PSU tabbed game of the week
It's the I-AA game of the week, according to The Sports Network: No. 4 against No. 14.
The University of Montana football team travels to Portland, Ore., for a Saturday night game against the 14th-ranked Portland State Vikings.
Game time is 7:05 p.m. MST at PGE Park and will be aired live on KPAX-TV.
The Vikings are already 2-0 in the Big Sky Conference with victories over Weber State, 20-10, and Northern Colorado, 45-3. They have also played two of their three games against I-A opponents and beat New Mexico, 17-6, in New Mexico to open the season. They lost at California and play at Oregon on Oct. 28. They have the toughest schedule in the nation, according to The Sports Network, and are off to a 3-1 start.
On top of that, Portland State has won its last nine home games dating back to October of 2004. The Grizzlies suffered one of those losses, 35-32, in 2004. Since the Vikings joined the Big Sky, UM is 3-2 in Portland and unbeaten against the Vikings in Missoula at 5-0. The Griz lead the all-time series 22-11, including a 10-8 record in Portland.
Last year, the fifth-ranked Griz picked up a 37-16 victory over the 20th-ranked Vikings when Lex Hilliard scored two first-half touchdowns, Tuff Harris returned a punt 74 yards for a touchdown and Dan Carpenter added two field goals to give UM a 24-3 halftime lead and 27-3 lead going into the fourth quarter. That was the game that quarterback Cole Bergquist started because starter Jason Washington was hurt. Then Bergquist got hurt late in the game and Washington had to play.
Although the Vikings are 3-1, they are hurting.
Quarterback Sawyer Smith may miss his second straight game with a hip injury. He won the conference offensive player of the week award after the season opener but was injured in the second series against Cal. In his previous six games, Smith had completed 62 percent of 164 passes for 1,323 yards, 14 TDs and just two interceptions.
But PSU is hoping for the return of starting tailback Mu'Ammar Ali. Ali has missed the first four games with a broken scapula, or shoulder blade, but may be cleared to play this week. In 2004, Ali led New Mexico State in rushing with 561 yards and six TDs on 136 carries.
The Vikings are led by their offensive and defensive lines.
Led by senior linebacker Adam Hayward, who won the national defensive player of the week award after beating New Mexico with 11 tackles, four sacks and a forced fumble, the defense has allowed 98.8 rushing yards per game. That's against two I-A opponents. Take out a 71-yard TD by Heisman Trophy candidate Marshawn Lynch, and the Vikings are allowing only 81 rushing yards per game.
"It starts up front for both teams," UM coach Bobby Hauck said. "Portland State is terrifically talented up front on both sides of the ball. They've got a chance to run the ball very well and they've got a chance to stop the run very well. That's what they've done in their first four games and they look like they have a formidable defense."
The Vikings have led the Big Sky in rushing (195.3 yards per game last year) the past two years and fewest sacks allowed (10 last year) for the third straight year. Four of the Vikings' offensive linemen return, as does a right tackle who started two games last year.
On top of all of this, PSU has an absurd plus-9 turnover margin through the first four games and lead the nation in interceptions with six. The Vikings have 15 Division I-A transfers along with 13 players from junior colleges.