Portland, Ore. – Portland State, ranked No. 21 in Division I-AA, welcomed Northern Colorado to the Big Sky Conference in style, scoring on its first five possessions Saturday night and rolling to a 45-3 rout of the Bears.
Portland State (2-0, 1-0 Big Sky) built a 31-0 halftime lead over Northern Colorado (0-2, 0-1) and never was challenged by the Bears. Northern Colorado joined the Big Sky this summer.
Kelena Ho’okano rushed for three touchdowns and Portland State scored on four consecutive first-half turnovers by Northern Colorado on its first four possessions.
The Vikings scored 38 consecutive points before Northern Colorado picked up a third-quarter, 28-yard field goal from kicker David Dyches, a transfer.
Portland State’s Sawyer Smith completed 13-of-21 passes for 254 yards. UNC quarterback Dominic Breazeale countered with 112 yards on 10-of-25 passing. He threw two interceptions.
COLORADO MINES 31, FORT HAYS STATE 24 at Golden – Junior receiver Michael Curl returned the opening kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown and Colorado Mines never trailed while defeating Fort Hays State in a nonconference game Saturday at Brooks Field.
Colorado Mines (1-1) was led by Garrett Mehl’s 239 yards on 15-of-23 passing. Fort Hays State (0-2), a former Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference team, is playing its first season in the Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletics Association.
The Orediggers’ defense combined for eight sacks, with Marin Richardson, Danny Sorensen and Charles Yarbrou having a big hand in the pass rush.
Fort Hays State cut the Orediggers’ lead to 24-21 early in the third quarter after quarterback John Snyder threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Shane Jackson. But Mines responded with a six-play, 43-yard drive capped by Mehl’s 5-yard scoring run.
SOUTHERN UTAH 55, WESTERN STATE 3 at Cedar City, Utah – Western State got on the scoreboard first with a 34-yard field goal from Lloyd Tucker, then watched Southern Utah (2-0) score the next 55 points for a runaway victory. Wes Marshall threw four touchdown passes for the Thunderbirds.
