ROBERT CASEY, Weber State Athletics

OGDEN — With the season’s one obvious mismatch out of the way, No. 24 Weber State football now has 11 FCS games ahead, carrying a few lessons from a 35-3 loss at Washington into the games that matter most.

That begins Saturday when Weber State hosts Portland State in its earliest Big Sky opener since 2010 and the Vikings’ earliest ever. That’s due in part to PSU’s helpfulness, moving up the scheduled league opener to facilitate WSU’s completion of its nonconference schedule.

With their usual approach, the Wildcats (0-1) aren’t concerned as much that they’re playing the Vikings (0-1) or in a Big Sky game as much as they are that it’s a home game.

“Yeah, a packed house at Stewart at 6 o’clock at night with everything around here? Nothing better,” WSU head coach Mickey Mental said as he looked around at his surroundings. “They’re excited to get in front of the whole crowd and try to go get a ‘W’ for sure.”

TICKET PROMOTION

While supplies last, fans can use the code “BANKOFUTAH” for up to four free tickets to the game at WeberStateTickets.com thanks to a sponsorship from Bank of Utah. Those tickets are good for general admission sections 110-114 and 211-215 on the east side; additional tickets in those sections start at $11.

MEET THE VIKINGS

Robert Casey, Weber State Athletics

The first player to know for Portland State is sixth-year senior quarterback Dante Chachere (No. 15). The 6-foot-3 signal caller made the 2024 “Freaks List” of longtime college football scribe Bruce Feldman, a 20th-year, annual preseason ritual for the writer now publishing with The Athletic.

One of a handful of FCS players to make the list, which focuses as much on athletic ability as it does on-field production, Chachere earned his place among the 101 players so honored by reportedly running a 4.39 40-yard dash and marking a 40-inch vertical leap in the offseason.

Bruce Barnum (35-57 overall, 25-38 Big Sky), in his 10th year steering the Vikings’ ship, usually finds ways for his team to move the football.

“Barney does a really good job, they’re creative, and offensively that quarterback can run and throw really well,” Mental said. “They’ve got pieces around him, so containing him is a challenge.”

Two years ago, Weber State held Chachere to 18 of 29 for 167 yards through the air and, thanks to five sacks, limited him to 20 rushing yards on 19 carries in a 42-7 win for WSU. Last week at Washington State, Chachere was 14 of 25 for 175 yards, one touchdown and one interception, adding 12 carries for 29 yards and two touchdowns.

In 33 career games, Chachere has 36 passing touchdowns to 16 interceptions, with 21 more touchdowns on the ground.

Portland State found success on the ground at Washington State. In his first major action, redshirt freshman and 5-foot-9 running back Delon Thompson (No. 24) rushed for 96 yards on 15 carries, and sophomore Quincy Craig (No. 17) added 54 yards on 10 carries. Overall, the Vikings rushed for 4.5 yards per carry.

That will be an area of concern for WSU after allowing 204 rushing yards on 5.8 per carry to Washington. Portland State needs to find the same answers, however, against Damon Bankston and the Wildcats.

Bankston had 105 rushing yards on 16 carries and WSU ran for 4.2 per carry as a team at Washington, while Portland State’s defense gave up 224 rushing yards on 8.3 per carry to Washington State.

Chachere’s top passing targets last week were tight end Tanner Beaman (No. 89), who had three catches for 42 yards, and Craig out of the backfield (four catches, 24 yards).

Senior cornerback Tyrese Shakir (No. 5) led PSU in tackles with seven (six solo) at Washington State. Sophomore middle linebacker Michael Montgomery (No. 9), who was PSU’s lone representative on the preseason all-conference team, had three tackles.

“Defensively, they move around fronts, which presents some problems in protection and in the run game,” Mental said. “Whether it’s a three-down or four-down front, getting a beat on what they want to do early will be big.”

TEAM VS. TEAM METRICS

In one game against Big Ten opponent Washington, Weber State allowed 35 points and scored three. The Wildcats allowed 482 yards on 7.2 yards per play while gaining 253 yards on 3.7 per play

Portland State lost its opener 70-30 at the independent/Pac-2/Mountain West program Washington State. The Vikings allowed 637 yards on 12.5 per play while gaining 449 yards on 5.4 per play.

ODDS & PREDICTIONS

Jeff Sagarin ranks Weber State at No. 132 in all of Division I (FBS and FCS). Portland State is No. 195 overall. Accounting for home-field advantage, his formula favors Weber State by 15 points.

ESPN’s Bill Connelly ranks Weber State at No. 24 in FCS and Portland State at 51. His formula predicts a Weber State win 34-21.

D Ratings predicts a narrow Weber State victory of 30-29 at 51% probability.

WEATHER

It’s a hot September Saturday in Ogden with a forecasted high of 93 degrees. Morning winds should die down into a breeze and the temperature at 6 p.m. kickoff will be a hot 89. After sunset at 7:50 p.m., approximately marking the start of the second half, temps should drop to about 80 degrees by game’s end.

TV & RADIO

Video broadcast of the game streams on the ESPN+ subscription service, available on the ESPN app or at WatchESPN.com, with Dave Fox (filling in for Tony Parks) and Riley Jensen calling the action. Carl Arky and Jerry Graybeal have the WSU radio call on 103.1 FM over the air in Utah and online at www.1031thewave.com.

ALL-TIME SERIES

Weber State leads the all-time series with Portland State 23-15 and is 13-6 at home. The Wildcats won the last meeting (42-7, 2022 in Portland) but the Vikings won their last time out in Ogden (30-18 in 2021). The series is 3-3 in the last six, but 3-1 for WSU since the Wildcats got things rolling in 2016.

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