This weekend means one last night away from the comforts of home for the Portland State football team. After traveling through Texas, Washington and everywhere in between, the Vikings will be playing their last away game of the season against the Idaho State Bengals in Pocatello, Idaho.
The Viking men are in a hurry to get back on home turf after playing five of their last six games on the road. This week, the Vikings will be rivaling the No. 24 nationally ranked team. Idaho State leads the all-time series against PSU with 19-8-1 and have 10 straight wins on its home field. Furthermore, the Bengals are holding strong with a record of 5-3 for the season and 3-2 in the Big Sky Conference. After losing to Weber State last week, Idaho State is still in the running for the Big Sky title and is hoping for a shot in the NCAA post-season playoffs.
However, the Vikings have beaten the Bengals in three of their last four meetings. If the Viks win this weekend, it will decrease Idaho State’s chance at the Big Sky Title. Last year, Portland State won in Portland 27-24. Running back Ryan Fuqua was the strong hand in that win with 107 yards rushing and a touchdown. The Viks will be looking for a win to protect the post-season, but also to recover their winning season record. The Vikings are currently 4-4 on the season and 1-3 in the Big Sky.
Portland State will be walking into Saturday’s game ready for a win. When things kick off at 5:30 p.m., the Vikings will be out there to put up a tough fight. With any luck, Portland State will be coming home with one more win in the Big Sky, and the Bengals will be one game further away from the title.