First look
Time: 4 p.m. Saturday. TV: FSN
The records: WSU (0-3, 0-1 in Pac-10); PSU (1-1; 0-0 in Big Sky)
Last week: PSU lost to UC Davis, 38-24;
WSU lost to Baylor, 45-17.
Last time: First meeting.
The line: none.
What it means for WSU
If there is such a thing as a must-win game, this is it for the Cougars. After three losses to three better teams, WSU needs a win for a variety of reasons, not the least of which it is playing a Big Sky school – a team that defeated first-year coach Paul Wulff’s Eastern Washington team a year ago. A loss against a Football Championship Subdivision school could be devastating. After the defeat at Baylor, Wulff announced numerous personnel changes this week, most notably in the secondary and on the offensive line. A win, especially a decisive one, would put the Cougars on a positive track heading into the Oregon game in two weeks.
What it means for Portland State
This is the second year of the Jerry Glanville era in Portland and this far it’s been a reign without much promise. The Vikings posted a 3-8 record last season, which included a five-game losing streak. It also included the highest-scoring regulation game in NCAA history, when PSU lost to Weber State 83-78. This year it opened with a win over Division II Western Oregon, but was handled last week by UC Davis. But now the Vikings have the opportunity for a program-defining win, despite WSU’s 0-3 mark. If Glanville’s team can leave Pullman with a win, it would be a building block for future success, not only on the field but also in Pacific Northwest homes during recruiting.
Key matchup
PSU quarterback Drew Hubel vs. WSU’s secondary.
Hubel, a 6-foot-5 sophomore, made his first career start against UC Davis and ended up throwing 51 passes in the Vikings’ wild run-and-shoot offense. How wild? Other than the two times Hubel was sacked, PSU ran the ball just six times (all but one by fullback Bobby McClintock). Portland State is second in the FBS, averaging 397 yards passing in its first two games, and second-to-last in rushing (30.5). The Cougars have given up so many yards on the ground (330.3 per game, last in the Football Bowl Subdivision) teams have rarely needed to pass against them (yielding 145.3 yards a game, 14th in the FBS). But this week will be different, and WSU will be playing with a revamped secondary. Alfonso Jackson returns to safety from cornerback, safety Xavier Hicks returns from suspension and Myron Beck heads to linebacker.
Vince Grippi, Staff writer