Portland St. @ Oregon preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 28, 2006 ) Portland State 12, Oregon 55

You’ve got to feel for the Portland State Vikings.

Saturday they’ll be on the wrong end of a name-the-score visit to Oregon’s Autzen Stadium. The last time the Vikings made the in-state trip, in 2006, they were pounded 55-12. This one could be much worse.

No. 6 Oregon has outscored its first two opponents 120-13, including last week’s 48-13 romp at Tennessee. Outside of Alabama, no team boasts a better rushing duo than the Ducks’ LaMichael James and Kenjon Barner.

Barner, a sophomore lightning bolt, already has six touchdowns and is averaging a ridiculous 226.5 all-purpose yards. He returned a punt 80 yards for a score in Knoxville. James, a junior, has surpassed 100 yards rushing in his last eight starts.

The Ducks don’t miss quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, who transferred to Ole Miss after being kicked off the team for off-field incidents. Sophomore Darron Thomas has thrown for an average of 211 yards, with four touchdowns and one interception.

Senior defensive tackle Brandon Bair (3.5 tackles for loss) leads the Ducks’ swarming defense.

Under first-year coach Nate Burton, Portland State evened its record at 1-1 with a 41-33 win over UC Davis. Kicker Zach Brown is the team’s MVP, having already been named Big Sky special teams player of the week twice. In last week’s win, Brown made four field goals and three extra points, and scored a two-point conversion on an option play.

Converted wideout Cory McCaffrey ran 15 times for 116 yards, including a 40-yard touchdown.

This will be the highest-ranked FBS team Portland State has ever faced. The Vikings were routed 54-9 by another Pac-10 opponent, Arizona State, in their opener. They are 2-26 all-time against FBS teams.

Oregon has won its last 11 home games, the second-longest streak in Autzen history, and is 3-0 all-time against the Vikings. This is the defending Pac-10 champs’ final tuneup before they open conference play at Arizona State on Sept. 25.