Portland State Vikings vs Washington State Cougars Match Player Stats On Sep 05, 2015

The Sports Xchange
Sep 5, 2015

Sophomore running back Steven Long scored on a 1-yard run with 2:19 remaining and senior Aaron Sibley recorded the clinching interception as Portland State defeated a Pac-12 program for the first time by claiming a 24-17 victory over Washington State in the season opener for both in Pullman, Wash.

Long's score capped a 14-play, 69-yard drive as the Vikings were victorious in the coaching debut of Bruce Barnum. Junior quarterback Alex Kuresa rushed for 92 yards as Portland State improved to 1-14 all-time versus Pac-12 schools.

Sophomore quarterback Luke Falk passed for 289 yards and two touchdowns for Washington State but had to leave the game with 1:18 remaining due to a possible shoulder injury. Redshirt freshman quarterback Peyton Bender replaced him and was intercepted by Sibley with 42 seconds remaining as Washington State lost to a Big Sky school for the first time since suffering a 13-12 defeat at Montana in 1947.

The Vikings punted to start the fourth quarter and Cougars sophomore returner Kyrin Priester fumbled the ball and it was recovered by Portland State senior Kameron Canaday at the Washington State 11-yard line. Three plays later, junior running back Nate Tago scampered in from 8 yards out to give the Vikings a 17-10 lead with 13:06 to play before Washington State tied it on Falk's 5-yard scoring pass to junior receiver Gabe Marks with 9:11 remaining.

Portland State trailed 10-0 at halftime but rebounded in the third quarter. Junior running back Paris Penn scored on a 4-yard run to cap a 10-play, 75-yard excursion with 10:54 left in the quarter and junior kicker Jonathan Gonzales knotted the score with a 42-yard field goal with 4:37 remaining in the period.

Washington State struck first on sophomore Erik Powell's 21-yard field goal with 10:51 left in the first quarter. The Cougars moved 77 yards on seven plays in the second quarter with Falk tossing a 24-yard scoring pass to redshirt freshman running back Keith Harrington with 7:51 left in the half.