Author: Stephen Lisle

Two crushing losses in two weeks have left the Vikings football program reeling and in need of a major confidence boost. Fortunately, the Vikings will get their chance when they take on the Division III Willamette University Bearcats this Saturday at Jeld-Wen Field. Portland State (3-3 overall, 2-2 conference) is coming off a tough 24-30 loss at the University of Montana, and the team also lost All Big Sky Conference running back Cory McCaffrey after a left leg injury early in the fourth quarter.

For the second consecutive week, a strong first-half showing for the Portland State football team ended with the Vikings leaving empty handed. On Saturday, Portland State (3-3 overall, 2-2 conference) charged out early against the Montana Grizzlies (5-2 overall, 4-1 conference), taking a 21-10 halftime lead, but in the end, the Vikings came up short in a tough 30-24 road loss. The defeat at Washington-Grizzly Stadium was the eighth straight at Montana for the Vikings, but the loss of All Big-Sky running back Cory McCaffrey to injury over the weekend may be the most painful wound.

The Portland State Vikings’ road to a Big Sky football championship saw its first real speed bump after the squad suffered a 38-36 loss to the third-ranked Montana State Bobcats at Jeld-Wen Field this past Saturday. Portland State (3-2 overall, 2-1 Big Sky) must move forward quickly, as they prepare to take on the 14th ranked Montana Grizzlies (4-2 overall, 3-1 Big Sky) in Missoula, Mont., this weekend in a matchup of two of the Big Sky’s top teams in 2011.

In what was hyped by many as one of the biggest games in years for the Portland State football program, the Vikings came up short against the third-ranked Montana State Bobcats in the battle between the last two undefeated teams in the Big Sky conference. In front of an enthusiastic crowd of supporters at Jeld-Wen Field, the reigning Big Sky champion Bobcats showed their defensive prowess by containing the Vikings’ run attack and holding off a late-game comeback by the home team. With the loss, Portland State (3-2 overall, 2-1 conference) drops into a tie for third place with Weber State in the Big Sky standings, while Montana State (5-1 overall, 3-0) takes over sole possession of first.

The Portland State football program has persevered and stayed undefeated after two close conference matchups in early Big Sky play. The team’s 2-0 conference record is a huge boost toward the development of Portland State’s football program, but the greatest test of the season still lies ahead. The Vikings will host the third-ranked Montana State Bobcats, the defending Big Sky champions, this Saturday at Jeld-Wen Field. Both teams have showed a high level of play this season, but only one team will top the standings of the Big Sky after the weekend is over.

Records were broken, streaks ended and the Portland State football program is still undefeated beginning their 2011 Big Sky campaign with a 2-0 record. The Vikings (3-1 overall, 2-0 Big Sky) took down the Idaho State Bengals (2-3 overall, 1-2 Big-Sky) with a 42-35 win on Saturday at Holt Arena, ending a five-game losing streak in Pocatello. An enormous effort was required, but after setting a single-game school record of 436 yards rushing, Portland State accomplished something they struggled with last year and finished out a close game.

Location will be a major factor this weekend for Portland State football. The topic will likely be on the minds of both Portland State and Idaho State this weekend, as neither team has won a game at the other’s home field since 1999. The Viks are set for travel to Pocatello, Idaho, to take on the Idaho State Bengals (2-2 Overall, 1-1 Big-Sky) this Saturday as Big Sky play picks up again.

After starting the season 2-0, the Portland State football team was finally grounded. This past Saturday, the 20th-ranked Texas Christian University Horned Frogs, the defending Rose Bowl champions, beat the Vikings (2-1 overall, 1-0 Big-Sky) in Fort Worth, Texas. The 55-13 loss was the Viks’ second non-conference match-up of the season, serving as a strong test for the Vikings before resuming Big Sky Conference play this weekend at Idaho State. The result was tough for the team to take, but progress was still made despite the score.

Without a doubt, the Portland State football program has opened the season with a point to prove. The Viks’ took down the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks in a 31-29 nail-biter, displaying the potency of the pistol offense and the revival of their defense. Behind senior running back Cory McCaffrey and quarterback Connor Kavanaugh Portland State racked up 361 yards on the ground, good enough to help Viks’ lead the nation in rushing at the NCAA 1 FCS level so far this season.

It has been nearly five months since the Packers were crowned Super Bowl champions and the NFL began the strenuous task of re-negotiating the terms of a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA). While time has now become a major factor in the push towards attaining a new CBA for the National Football League, the same urgency isn’t quite as apparent for the National Basketball Association.

It has been nearly five months since the Packers were crowned Super Bowl champions and the NFL began the strenuous task of re-negotiating the terms of a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA).