Considered a playoff-caliber team coming into the season, the Vikings of Jerry Glanville and Mouse Davis are out of the Big Sky Conference championship race heading into Saturday's contest with No. 4-ranked Montana.
Yet the game remains big for both sides. The unbeaten Grizzlies, 5-0 in conference play, can sew up at least a share of their 10th straight Big Sky title with a win on senior day. The 2-6 Vikings can hang their horned helmets on an upset.
“It's just another chance to do something.”
Given that Portland State scored 68 points and lost last week at Weber State, Saturday's game could be spectacular. Of course, fifth-year Montana coach Bobby Hauck would prefer the Vikings' run-and-shoot offense didn't find its stride.
“We know what it is,” said Hauck, whose own club incorporates part of the offense Davis created at Portland State in the late '70s. “Do we know whether we can stop it? No.”
Freshman quarterback Drew Hubel seems likely to start his second straight game in place of banged-up senior Brian White. All Hubel did in his first start was toss nine touchdown passes.
The targets, as you might expect from the top passing team in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision, are many: Tremayne Kirkland, Kenneth Mackins, David Lewis, Reggie Joseph and 6-foot-5 sophomore Matt Smith, to name a few.
Add in the shovel pass that often finds its way to running back Olaniyi Sobomehin, and you have your hands full. It's a weapon that keeps a defense honest - sort of like a good off-tackle run.
“The shovel's a concern,” Hauck said. “It's recorded as a pass in the statistics sheet, but it's a run. They killed Weber with it last week.”
“It's tough,” added Montana linebacker Tyler Joyce. “You want to get out and help with coverage, but if you get out too much, too far or too quick, they're going to hit the shovel and get 10, 15 yards on you.”
On the other side of the ball, Portland State's defense has allowed 445 yards a game. The Vikings will have to deal with 230-pound Lex Hilliard, who has 716 yards and 11 touchdowns running behind a rugged line.
“Lex, he'll come after you, he'll pile-run you, and then he'll cut on you,” Glanville said. “I think he's got a future in football to go past college because he's a back that doesn't rely on any one thing. The only chance to slow him down is to gang-tackle him. We'll have to bring all the people we can.”
That's not to mention a passing game triggered by Cole Bergquist. He hasn't put up Hubel numbers - it took Bergquist seven games to get his ninth TD pass - but he has been effective both throwing and running. Two TD passes in the Grizzlies' 21-16 win at Northern Arizona last week gave the junior 13 on the season.
Senior Ryan Bagley and junior Mike Ferriter have nearly identical receiving stats. Each has 35 catches and Bagley has a team-high six TDs. Senior Eric Allen has caught another four touchdowns for the Griz.
They're cogs in a team that has done enough on offense to complement a sturdy, opportunistic defense and excellent special teams.
“The kicker (Dan Carpenter) can kick,” Glanville said. “I hope we're good enough that we'll make him kick - that they're not scoring nothing but touchdowns.
“I can't wait to play them because they're good everywhere. Who else would you rather play? Where else would you rather be?”
Saturday, the Vikings will be in sold-out Washington-Grizzly Stadium.
“There are a limited number of games I have left to play,” said Senn, who has 91 tackles. “It doesn't have much of an impact on how our season ends, but it means a lot to be a senior to get up there and play one more time.”
Portland State at No. 4 Montana
Kickoff: 12:05 p.m., MDT
Venue: Washington-Grizzly Stadium (23,183 SprintTurf).
Forecast: 51 degrees, partly sunny
TV: Live on KPAX (Phil Buck, Grady Bennett).
Radio: KGVO 1290 AM (Mick Holien, Scott Gurnsey).
On the net: www.bigskytv.org and www.montanagrizzlies.com
Records: Montana is 8-0, 5-0 in the Big Sky Conference. Portland State is 2-6, 2-3 in the Big Sky.
Series history: Montana leads 23-11.
Coaches: Bobby Hauck is 49-13 in his fifth season at UM. Jerry Glanville is 2-6 in his first season at Portland State.
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