GREELEY — Scott Downing insists the progress of the Northern Colorado football team eventually will turn into tangible results. That day still appears far away.
Portland State had not won a road game since beating UNC in 2007, but they did it again, spoiling the Bears’ homecoming Saturday with a 23-18 triumph at snowy Nottingham Field.
“Very disappointed,” said Downing, now 4-36 as the Bears’ head coach.
UNC’s last chance expired when it turned the ball over on downs at the PSU 34 with 11 seconds left.
“It’s definitely tough and it’s definitely frustrating,” Bears quarterback Bryan Waggener said. “You can’t turn the ball over as much as we did this game (three times), and we had a terrible third quarter.”
UNC (1-5, 0-4 Big Sky) dropped its sixth consecutive game to Portland State (2-4, 1-3), coached by former NFL coach Jerry Glanville.
The Vikings went ahead for good late in the third quarter on a 22-yard touchdown pass from Drew Hubel to Lavonte Kirven. It gave the Vikings a 20-15 advantage and came one play after UNC receiver Patrick Walker lost a fumble on the slick surface.
The Bears lost their 10th consecutive conference game but gave the few hardy fans who braved the elements some early highlights. Korey Askew returned an interception 88 yards for a touchdown early in the first quarter, and Chris Morris deftly hauled in a 74-yard pass from Waggener to give UNC a 15-10 lead in the second.
Although the Bears couldn’t mount many more sustained possessions, Downing can at least take solace in an endorsement from Glanville.
“I think their coaching staff should have pride, because where they started and where they are now are light years away,” Glanville said.
