Despite an 0-4 start and plenty of bumps in the road, Idaho (3-5, 3-2) is 3-1 in October, and clinging to life in the Big Sky Conference. As the Vandals head to Oregon for a Halloween matchup with Portland State, head coach Thomas Ford Jr. wants to see his team take the next step.
The Vandals visit the Vikings (2-6, 2-2) Saturday at Hillsboro Stadium. Idaho is coming off a 31-28 Homecoming win over Southern Utah on Owen Forsman’s game-winning 53-yard field goal.
Despite Portland State’s record, Ford said the Vikings present a difficult challenge under first-year coach Chris Fisk, who took over after a successful six-year run at Central Washington.
“Portland State, I think, is a much-improved group,” Ford said. “Chris Fisk is a phenomenal football coach.”
Portland State has shown they can compete with strong opponents. They opened the season with a 21-0 halftime lead against then-No. 6 UC Davis before the Aggies rallied for a win. The Vikings also defeated Weber State, which beat Idaho 38-27 earlier this month.
Ford said Portland State’s effort and resilience stand out on film, regardless of its overall record or statistics.
“When you watch them play, the tape tells a different story,” Ford said. “Those guys play with great effort. Those guys are really well-coached and they play together.”
That toughness makes the opening quarter especially important for Idaho. Portland State has built early leads in several games, and Ford believes the Vikings are most dangerous when the score remains close.
“Having a fast start is going to be critical,” Ford said. “If we can find a way to really get points on the board early, get them into some long-yardage third-down situations, that’s going to be critical.”
Idaho’s offense enters the matchup averaging 407.1 yards per game, and they will be facing off against a Portland State defense that has allowed 518.9 yards per game. Joshua Wood has produced 2,189 passing yards through eight games and ranks third nationally in total offense. He also has been a significant red zone rushing threat for Idaho, coming into this game with eight rushing touchdowns.
The Vandals offense was as balanced as ever against Southern Utah, racking up 227 rush yards. Damonte Bias led the way with a career-high 89 yards on 11 carries, while Hayden Kincheloe and true freshman Kenny Golston each added 46 yards. Idaho’s offensive line helped create space for the three running backs, a development Ford hopes will continue.
“I thought that O-line group was locked in and dialed in in terms of the scheme, but even more so with just the physicality,” Ford said.
Bias, who averaged eight yards per carry against Southern Utah, has become an increasingly important part of the rotation. Ford said the junior is beginning to settle into his role and suggested Idaho could give him more opportunities.
Portland State’s defense has a disruptive playmaker in freshman defensive end Avery Duscik. The 6-foot-5 pass rusher has six sacks and two forced fumbles, making him a significant challenge for Idaho’s offensive line.
On the other side of the ball, Idaho will have to account for running back Delon Thompson, who leads Portland State with 643 rushing yards and five touchdowns.
Idaho’s defense is coming off one of its best performances of the season, holding Southern Utah running back Floyd Chalk to 58 yards on 17 carries. Ford praised the defense’s ability to limit the Thunderbirds’ efficiency on handoffs, but acknowledged that quarterback Will Burns still hurt the Vandals with explosive runs. Against Portland State, containing Thompson while limiting big plays will be central to keeping the Vikings behind the chains.
“There were a lot of plays left out there,” Ford said of the Southern Utah win. “There’s a lot of improvement that we’ve got to make.”
Idaho leads the all-time series 16-2 and won last year’s meeting 45-6 in Moscow. The game will kick off at 1 p.m. on ESPN+.