Box Score PORTLAND, Ore. – For one half of Saturday's football game against Portland State, Humboldt State achieved what two previous Vikings' opponent couldn't. The Jacks' defense rose to the occasion, holding the nation's top NCAA Division I FCS offensive team to 13 points, keeping the Jacks within a touchdown of tying the contest.
Time told the tale, however. Portland State exploded in the second half for 388 yards and 30 points on the way to a 43-6 win over Humboldt State. The Vikings, who entered the week leading NCAA DIvision I FCS with an average of 612.5 yards per game, totaled 622 Saturday while improving their record to 2-1 overall. Humboldt State dropped to 0-2.
"It's not easy to sit here and find positives, but I did tell our team that I thought they competed well," HSU head coach
Rob Smith said. "We took a step forward, though the scoreboard may not indicate that."
In the opening period, neither team could muster much offense, with the exception of Portland State's second possession. On that occasion, the Vikings needed only six plays to march the ball 60 yards and into the endzone on a 38-yard pass completion from Kieran McDonagh to Kasey Closs.
Helping stifle the Vikings' offensive prowess were two first half fumbles forced by the HSU defense. Strong safety
Gianni Olivas ripped the ball out of McDonagh's hands to stop a VIkings' drive at the Jacks' 17-yard line, and
Alex Markarian covered a loose ball in the backfield on Portland State's next possession.
Three times the Lumberjacks threatened to put up points during a very active second quarter. On the second occasion, quarterback
Kyle Morris accounted for 30 rushing of 51 yards of a drive that resulted in a 32-yard field goal by
Matt Bruder, cutting the deficit to 7-3 with 4:42 remaining until halftime.
"In his first two games
Kyle Morris has made the statement that he's a competitor," Smith said. "He goes out there and does everything within his powers to get a win for us."
Another chance came when PSU's Davon Dunn fumbled the ensuing kickoff,
Ronnie Hicks' recovery handing Humboldt the ball on the PSU 11-yard line. Unable to add a touchdown, the Jacks settled for Bruder's 28-yard field goal.
Portland State responded on the next possession, opening its drive with a screen pass from McDonagh to DJ Adams for 50 yards. Justin Lilley took the ball around the left end on the next play, racing 15 yards to give his team a 13-6 lead following a missed two-point PAT attempt.
HSU had a chance to cut further into the margin when Bruder set up for a 47-yard field goal with 15 seconds left in the half. For the second time in four first half tries his kick was tipped at the line of scrimmage, leaving the ball well short.
Another quick PSU drive opened the flood gates in the third quarter, the Vikings moving the ball 74 yards in only 1:45 to score on Shaq Richard's 1-year run. After pinning the Jacks deep in their own territory two minutes later, the Vikings added two points when Morris was sacked in the endzone for a safety and a 22-6 Portland State lead.
Back on offense, the Vikings showed more evidence of their national statistical ranking, finishing a 7-play drive that was aided by a pass interference call on HSU with Richard's 7-yard scamper. PSU's final score of the third quarter took only four plays and 52 seconds to cover 70 yards, ending with Alex Toureen's 29-yard pass reception on a pass from McDonagh.
Employing mostly reserves, Portland State added a fourth-quarter touchdown on Lilly's 4-yard run.
Once again, the lack of any consistent running game impaired Humboldt State's offensive efforts, as it did last week when star running back Nick Riccidardulli and backup
Daniel Wyatt were both lost to injury. Missing the pair again, the Lumberjacks finished with only 98 yards gained on the ground, 44 of them by Morris.
Ricciardulli, last year's Great Northwest Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year, suffered a knee injury in the first series of HSU's season-opening 41-27 loss to Simon Fraser. He may be available to play against next week.
Morris finished 24-48 passing for 227 yards with 1 interception. Freshman
Chase Krivashei continued the rapid start to his college career, catching 12 passes for 97 yards.
GNAC action resumes for HSU next week when the Jacks travel to face Azusa Pacific.
"We'll regroup, we'll pick ourselves up," Smith said. "We'll get back to work and get ready for Azusa Pacific."
