BYU Football Opponent Preview: Portland State Has Ongoing QB Battle
May 7, 2025, 2:53 PM | Updated: 2:55 pm
BYU football will face Portland State head coach Bruce Barnum for the second time. (Photo by Tom Hauck/Getty Images)
(Photo by Tom Hauck/Getty Images)
PROVO, Utah – BYU football will open the 2025 season against the Portland State Vikings on Saturday, August 30.
The Vikings play in the Big Sky Conference, part of the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).
Last year, Portland State finished with a 3-8 record. It was the Vikings’ ninth consecutive losing season.
Here are three things to know about the Portland State Vikings.
BYU football will face “Barny Ball” for the second time in the Kalani Sitake era
BYU and Portland State are meeting for the second time ever on the gridiron. Like the first meeting in 2017, the head coaches for both programs remain intact.
For BYU, Kalani Sitake gears up for his 10th season leading his alma mater after landing a “long-term contract extension.”
Portland State continues to be led by Bruce Barnum, who is entering his 11th season as head coach of the Vikings.
When Barnum began his tenure at PSU in 2015, he led the Vikings to a Top-10 finish in the FCS and earned National Coach of the Year. Former BYU quarterback/receiver and current Woodngrail CEO Alex Kuresa was his signal-caller.
Throughout his tenure, Barnum’s program has a style of play called “Barny Ball” that Portland State refers to as “tough, hard-nosed fundamental football sprinkled with remarkable team chemistry and unity.”
BYU’s first experience with “Barny Ball” was much more challenging than anyone expected. The Cougars opened the 2017 season in week zero against the Vikings with an underwhelming 20-6 victory.
BYU finished that year 4-9, while Portland State was winless at 0-11.
The two programs meet again this fall after BYU shuffled around some games to move up its 2031 game against Stanford into the 2025 schedule on September 6. BYU moved its previously scheduled FCS opponent, Southern Utah, to 2031.
Who will start at quarterback for Portland State in 2025?
Portland State is looking to replace last year’s starting quarterback, Dante Chachere. The dual-threat signal-caller was also the Vikings’ leading rusher last season. He earned Second-Team All-Big Sky honors as an “All-Purpose” selection.
Coming out of Portland State’s spring practices, Barnum noted that he doesn’t know who the starting quarterback will be yet. They have six candidates in the running.
“I’ve got six to evaluate and I don’t need any more. If we are playing tomorrow, I don’t know who it will be (starting at QB). They all do great things. It will be a tough choice to make in the fall,” said Barnum at the end of Portland State’s spring practices in April.
A trio of former transfers are the most intriguing quarterback candidates for Portland State. In the 2025 portal cycle, Portland State added former Hawaii signal-caller John-Keawe Sagapolutele.
Let’s work! Blessed to be out here! #GoViks‼️ https://t.co/KhPLLZ2wJR
— John-Keawe Sagapolutele (@jkSagapolutele) April 26, 2025
Sagapolutele passed for a game-high 110 yards in PSU’s spring game last month.
They also have former Washington and San Diego State quarterback William Haskell and CJ Jordan from Idaho and Northern Illinois. Both Haskell and Jordan were on the Vikings roster last season.
Whoever emerges as the quarterback will have former San Jose State transfer Branden Alvarez as a target at receiver. He led the Vikings in receptions with 36 grabs last year.
Portland State ranked last in the FCS in total defense last season
It was a tough year defensively for Portland State last year. The Vikings finished dead last in the FCS (123rd) in total defense, allowing 527.2 yards per game to their opponents. They were 119th in scoring defense, giving up 40.1 points per game.
⛏️#GoViks | #DefendTheShip pic.twitter.com/yiI2fobtCE
— Portland State Football (@psuviksFB) May 7, 2025
The Vikings made an in-season change at defensive coordinator, giving the reins to an assistant coach in Bryant Thomas. He’s entering his first full season as the PSU defensive coordinator.
Portland State lost its top four tacklers from last season, one due to eligibility expiring and three finding new spots in the transfer portal, including linebacker Michael Montgomery, who landed at Southern Miss.
The Vikings return sophomore defensive back Isaiah Green, who had 46 tackles and an interception last season.
Portland State also returns its leader in sacks, Spencer Elliott, along the defensive line.
They also bring back former San Jose State linebacker Jordan Allen, who redshirted last year after suffering an injury. On Portland State’s roster, it’s noted that Allen “could step into a prominent role” in 2025 if healthy.
BYU vs. Portland State
Date: Saturday, August 30, 2025
Venue: LaVell Edwards Stadium
Location: Provo, Utah
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X: @Mitch_Harper.
