Hillsboro, Oregon – The Idaho State Bengals and Portland State Vikings battled it out in Hillsboro Stadium in Hillsboro, Oregon Saturday afternoon with the Bengals leaving the stadium victorious 38-24. The win is the second straight for the Orange and Black and moves the Bengals to 3-1 in Big Sky Play.
Coming into the game, the Bengals were the No. 2 passing offense in all of FCS football and they showed it on the first two drives.
Jordan Cooke started the day with a 41 yard bomb to Alfred Jordan Jr. to cross midfield and set up a 1st and 10 Bengals at the PSU 30 yard line. The Bengals drove to the goal line and Cooke rushed three yards in for the opening touchdown.
The Bengal defense stepped up, forcing a punt out of the Vikings and once again the Bengal offense took the field.
Cooke again led the Bengals on a drive. Aiden Taylor caught and fought for a 17-yard gain. The next play Chedon James took a pass to the right side of the field and, turning on the jets, sped into the endzone to make the game 14-0 Bengals.
The Vikings were able to score at the end of the quarter and the two teams entered the 2nd quarter with the Bengals up 14-7.
The Bengals, not content to take it slow, saw an opportunity in the middle of the 2nd quarter. The Bengals drove the field with Hunter Hays at QB. Inside the 20, the Bengals smelled blood and on two consecutive rushes, Hays chopped up the field, then powered in the run for the touchdown.
With around three minutes left in the half, the Bengal Defense stood strong and facing a furious Portland Offense, didn't blink, forcing a PSU punt and giving the Bengal offense the ball once again.
Jordan Cooke led the Bengals on a three-minute drive, capped with Aiden Taylor powering over the PSU run defense to get into the endzone.
Coming out of the locker room, the two teams traded possessions before PSU was able to drive the field and score to cut the lead to 28-24 with 6:09 to play in the 3rd.
Both teams continued battling in the third.
Near the end of the quarter, with the Vikings driving, Bengal Captain Calvin Pitcher stepped up and broke up a huge 3rd down pass that would have given the Vikings a first down just outside the redzone. The officials originally ruled it a catch but after further review, they credited the Bengal with a breakup and the Bengals took back control of the ball into the fourth quarter.
That turnover would prove to be pivotal. The next possession the Bengals drove the field and then, 37 yards out, Hunter Hays powered past the front line and then turned on the jets, sprinting to the endzone and putting the Bengals up 35-24.
The Idaho State defense, after battling all game long, came up clutch when it was required. With one of the best Big Sky scrambling quarterbacks ready to run, the Idaho State defensive line put up a wall.
After holding the Vikings back, Bengal defensive lineman David Rowe showed up, sacking the Viking quarterback two times in a row and forced the PSU team to punt.
ISU then took 6:35 off the clock and Thomas Kopcho nailed a 22 yard fieldgoal to put the Bengals up 38-24.
Idaho State officially ended the Vikings hopes when Tyler Bohannon picked off the Viking Quarterback in the endzone and the Bengals kneeled it out.
Idaho State won the game 38-24 and are now sitting at 3-1 in the Big Sky Conference standings.
Postgame Comments by David Rowe, Mike Davis and Cody Hawkins
Bengal Bites
· This ends a 17 game road losing streak by the Bengals.
· These are the first back-to-back wins for the Bengals since ISU won three straight in 2018
· Idaho State had 462 yards of total offense, including 306 yards in the first half.
· Jordan Cooke finished going 16-for-25 with 259 yards and a touchdown, including a 55 yard completion.
· Hunter Hays led the Bengals rushing with 94 yards and two touchdowns.
· The Bengals broke the century mark for the second time on the ground this game with 165 rushing yards.
· Alfred Jordan Jr. had 133 receiving yards with a perfect five-for-five targets and catches.
· Kris Sanchez led the game with eight tackles
· David Rowe had two sacks for 13 yards loss. The Bengals as a team made six tackles for loss with 23 PSU yards loss.
· The Bengals held the Vikings to 100 rushing yards, a season best for the Orange and Black.
Next UP
The Bengals are back on the west coast next week for a Big Sky matchup with Sacramento State. Kick is set for 6:00 PM PT.
