The 2015 Portland State Vikings football team represented Portland State University during the 2015 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by first-year head coach Bruce Barnum and played their home games at Providence Park, with one home game at Hillsboro Stadium. They were a member of the Big Sky Conference. They finished the season 9–3, 6–2 in Big Sky play to finish in a tie for second place; this was the program's first winning season since 2011. They received an at-large bid to the FCS Playoffs, the Vikings first appearance in the FCS playoffs since 2000, where they lost in the second round to Northern Iowa.

On October 10, 2015, the Vikings defeated North Texas, 66–7. The 59 point margin was the largest margin of victory by an FCS team over an FBS team since the split of NCAA Division I football in 1978 into the groupings now known as FBS and FCS. Portland State also became the first FCS team to defeat two FBS teams in the same season since North Dakota State in 2007.

Preseason Big Sky polls On July 17, 2015, the Big Sky Conference released its preseason coaches' and media polls. The Vikings were predicted to finish tied for ninth in the coaches' poll and twelfth in the media poll.

Schedule

Personnel

Game summaries

At Washington State

Statistics PRSTWSU First downs 19 21 Total yards 294 411 Rushing yards 233 104 Passing yards 61 307 Turnovers 0 2 Time of possession 29:48 30:12

Team Category Player StatisticsPortland State Passing Alex Kuresa 7/12, 61 yards Rushing Alex Kuresa 16 rushes, 92 yards Receiving Thomas Carter III 4 receptions, 34 yardsWashington State Passing Luke Falk 27/41, 289 yards, 2 TD Rushing Gerard Wicks 14 rushes, 63 yards Receiving Dom Williams 5 receptions, 86 yards

At No. 23 Idaho State

Statistics PRSTIDST First downs 17 15 Total yards 342 242 Rushing yards 236 61 Passing yards 106 181 Turnovers 1 4 Time of possession 34:24 25:36

Team Category Player StatisticsPortland State Passing Alex Kuresa 7/16, 106 yards, TD, INT Rushing David Jones 18 rushes, 113 yards Receiving Trent Riley 1 reception, 50 yards, TDIdaho State Passing Michael Sanders 20/39, 177 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT Rushing Xavier Finney 23 rushes, 87 yards Receiving Josh Cook 4 receptions, 75 yards, TD

Western Oregon

Statistics WESPRST First downs 0 18 Total yards 224 383 Rushing yards 27 256 Passing yards 197 127 Turnovers 3 1 Time of possession 26:18 33:42

Team Category Player StatisticsWestern Oregon Passing Trey Shimabukuro 18/35, 182 yards, 2 INT Rushing Joe Harris 10 rushes, 31 yards Receiving Maurice McSwain 2 receptions, 52 yardsPortland State Passing Alex Kuresa 8/18, 127 yards Rushing Nate Tago 15 rushes, 69 yards, TD Receiving Darnell Adams 1 reception, 46 yards

North Dakota

Statistics UNDPRST First downs 20 10 Total yards 396 247 Rushing yards 260 97 Passing yards 136 150 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 35:36 24:24

Team Category Player StatisticsNorth Dakota Passing Keaton Studsrud 9/17, 136 yards, INT Rushing John Santiago 22 rushes, 111 yards Receiving Luke Mathewson 3 receptions, 51 yardsPortland State Passing Alex Kuresa 9/13, 142 yards, TD Rushing Alex Kuresa 15 rushes, 55 yards Receiving Paris Penn 4 receptions, 94 yards, TD

At North Texas

Statistics PRSTUNT First downs 27 13 Total yards 670 198 Rushing yards 368 76 Passing yards 302 122 Turnovers 0 1 Time of possession 33:37 26:23

Team Category Player StatisticsPortland State Passing Alex Kuresa 11/19, 269 yards, 3 TD Rushing David Jones 9 rushes, 134 yards, 2 TD Receiving Darnell Adams 4 receptions, 100 yards, TDNorth Texas Passing Andrew McNulty 10/25, 57 yards Rushing Jeff Wilson 9 rushes, 49 yards Receiving Carlos Harris 9 receptions, 57 yards, TD

No. 16 Montana State

Statistics MTSTPRST First downs 21 32 Total yards 440 682 Rushing yards 229 465 Passing yards 211 217 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 21:49 38:11

Team Category Player StatisticsMontana State Passing Dakota Prukop 14/25, 211 yards, TD, INT Rushing Dakota Prukop 14 rushes, 102 yards, 3 TD Receiving Chad Newell 4 receptions, 70 yardsPortland State Passing Alex Kuresa 10/14, 217 yards, TD Rushing David Jones 23 rushes, 285 yards, 3 TD Receiving Trent Riley 1 reception, 44 yards

At Cal Poly

Statistics PRSTCP First downs 20 27 Total yards 386 536 Rushing yards 154 420 Passing yards 232 116 Turnovers 1 4 Time of possession 25:03 34:57

Team Category Player StatisticsPortland State Passing Alex Kuresa 16/25, 232 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Alex Kuresa 18 rushes, 101 yards, 2 TD Receiving Trent Riley 5 receptions, 88 yards, TDCal Poly Passing Khaleel Jenkins 3/14, 59 yards Rushing Kori Garcia 18 rushes, 131 yards Receiving Kyle Lewis 1 reception, 57 yards, TD

No. 17 Montana

Statistics MONTPRST First downs 19 19 Total yards 294 460 Rushing yards 160 339 Passing yards 134 121 Turnovers 3 2 Time of possession 26:03 33:57

Team Category Player StatisticsMontana Passing Makena Simis 15/36, 134 yards, 3 INT Rushing Makena Simis 22 rushes, 62 yards, TD Receiving Ben Romain Roberts 7 receptions, 37 yardsPortland State Passing Alex Kuresa 4/12, 121 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing David Jones 29 rushes, 165 yards, TD Receiving Darnell Adams 1 reception, 46 yards, TD

At Northern Colorado

Statistics PRSTUNCO First downs 26 20 Total yards 493 483 Rushing yards 243 213 Passing yards 250 270 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 31:15 28:45

Team Category Player StatisticsPortland State Passing Alex Kuresa 18/27, 250 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing David Jones 25 rushes, 110 yards Receiving Darnell Adams 3 receptions, 94 yards, 2 TDNorthern Colorado Passing Jacob Knipp 18/30, 270 yards, TD, INT Rushing Trae Riek 25 rushes, 145 yards, TD Receiving Alex Wesley 3 receptions, 89 yards, TD

No. 18 Southern Utah

Statistics SUUPRST First downs 30 15 Total yards 562 389 Rushing yards 178 186 Passing yards 384 203 Turnovers 3 0 Time of possession 27:27 32:33

Team Category Player StatisticsSouthern Utah Passing Ammon Olsen 28/47, 384 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT Rushing Malik Brown 21 rushes, 93 yards Receiving Mike Sharp 10 receptions, 197 yards, 2 TDPortland State Passing Alex Kuresa 12/20, 196 yards, 2 TD Rushing Nate Tago 15 rushes, 69 yards Receiving Thomas Carter III 4 receptions, 88 yards, TD

At No. 18 Eastern Washington

Statistics PRSTEWU First downs 25 18 Total yards 397 390 Rushing yards 250 175 Passing yards 147 215 Turnovers 3 4 Time of possession 34:35 25:25

Team Category Player StatisticsPortland State Passing Alex Kuresa 11/24, 142 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing David Jones 27 rushes, 152 yards, 2 TD Receiving Chase Loftin 2 receptions, 41 yardsEastern Washington Passing Reilly Hennessey 17/27, 215 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Jabari Wilson 14 rushes, 85 yards, TD Receiving Cooper Kupp 8 receptions, 136 yards, TD

FCS Playoffs No. 15 Northern Iowa (Second Round)

Statistics UNIPRST First downs 20 17 Total yards 432 285 Rushing yards 401 180 Passing yards 31 105 Turnovers 0 3 Time of possession 30:06 29:54

Team Category Player StatisticsWestern Oregon Passing Aaron Bailey 7/14, 34 yards Rushing Tyvis Smith 21 rushes, 207 yards, 2 TD Receiving Logan Cunningham 1 reception, 8 yardsPortland State Passing Alex Kuresa 8/22, 105 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Nate Tago 15 rushes, 60 yards Receiving Darnell Adams 3 receptions, 34 yards

Ranking movements

Statistics

Scoring Scores against non-conference opponents

Scores against the Big Sky Conference

Scores against all opponents

References