Game 7 Information

Opponent: Portland State

Date/Time: Saturday, Oct. 18, 2014 • 4:05 p.m.

Location: Portland, Ore. (Providence Park)

Radio: HITS 106.1 FM

           Money Radio 1510 AM & 99.3 FM

           KNOT 100.9 FM & 1450 AM

           Northern AZ Healthcare Lumberjack

           Radio Network

           Play-by-play - Mitch Strohman

           Analyst - Kevin Stephens

           Sideline - Matt Howdeshell

Audio Stream: http://gcmaz.com/nau-lumberjacks-football/ 

Video Stream: www.WatchBigSky.com 

Television: ROOT SPORTS

                  Play-by-play - Tom Glasgow

                  Analyst - Jason Stiles

                 Sideline - Jen Mueller

On The Web: Live in-game statistics and other coverage can be found                                                                                               

                     at www.PSUvikings.com

Head Coaches: NAU: Jerome Souers (Career: 96-91 in 17 seasons; At NAU: same)

                        PSU: Nigel Burton (Career: 20-31 in five seasons; At PSU: same)

Against PSU: 21st Meeting; NAU leads the all-time series, 15-5

Game Notes 

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – Northern Arizona (3-3, 1-1 Big Sky) looks to capture its first Big Sky road win this Saturday, when it heads to Portland State (2-4, 1-1 Big Sky) for the ROOT SPORTS Game of the Week. Kickoff at Providence Park is set for 4:05 p.m.

Saturday's game will be broadcast live on HITS 106.1 FM, KNOT 100.9 FM & 1450 AM, and www.gcmaz.com. Fans in the Phoenix area can tune into Money Radio 1510 AM & 99.3 FM. Mitch Strohman will be providing play-by-play and Kevin Stephens will be doing color commentary. Matt Howdeshell will be reporting from the sidelines. Live stats are available at www.goviks.com. The game will be televised on ROOT SPORTS.

NAU dropped from the national polls after a 24-17 loss at Northern Colorado. The Lumberjacks had a bye last week, as they get ready to face Portland State for the first time since 2012. NAU has won five of the last six meetings versus the Vikings.

Quarterbacking NAU versus PSU will be Chase Cartwright. In NAU's Big Sky opener, Cartwright led the Lumberjacks to a thrilling 38-35 win over Cal Poly at home. Cartwright has completed 31-of-48 passes with one interception. His 64.6 completion percentage has led to six thrown touchdowns. NAU is averaging 28.7 points per game, and is 1-3 on the road so far this season. Junior running back Casey Jahn has a team-best 478 rushing yards, including a pair of 100-plus yard rushing games. Jahn ranks fourth in the Big Sky in all-purpose yards with an average of 113.0. Senior Ify Umodu leads the receiving unit with 314 yards, and is making his way up the NAU career records chart in yards and receptions. For the defense, senior linebacker Austin Hasquet has a team-high 53 tackles and ranks 11^th in the league in the category. While NAU is in the middle of the pack in scoring offense, total offense, and pass defense, it ranks third in scoring defense, total defense, and pass defense.

Head Coach Nigel Burton is 20-31 in five seasons at Portland State. The Vikings won their Big Sky opener against UC Davis, 23-14, but fell to North Dakota on the road last weekend, 24-16. PSU has scored 21 points or less in all four of its losses. The biggest loss of the season for the Vikings was a 59-21 defeat at Washington State. The Vikings have had a balanced attack so far this season (1,080 rushing yards and 1,098 passing yards). Quarterback Kieran McDonagh (8th in passing avg/game) has thrown for 994 yards, with six interceptions and five touchdowns. Shaquille Richard (10th in the league) leads the Vikings in rushing yards with 425 at 5.7 yards per carry, while Paris Penn has a trio of rushing touchdowns. The Viking offense has been intercepted seven times this season, while they've only been able to grab two picks of their own. Patrick Onwuasor leads the defense with 40 tackles, and is one of two Vikings to record an interception this season.

The History of NAU vs. Portland State

# of Meetings                 20

Series History                NAU, 15-5

Streak                           W1

• NAU defeated Portland State in 2012, 24-10 at home on Family Weekend.

• Head Coach Jerome Souers is 10-5 all-time versus the Vikings.

Storylines

• Saturday marks the third game of Big Sky play for both teams.

• Saturday will be the 21st time overall NAU and Portland State will play each other.

• NAU is on a one-game win streak versus the Vikings.

• The last time NAU lost to PSU was on Sept. 17, 2011 (31-29) at Portland State.

• The last time NAU won at Portland State was on Oct. 17, 2009 (44-23).

• NAU was picked to finish fifth in the Big Sky Preseason Poll.

• Five Lumberjacks earned All-Big Sky Preseason honors.

Did you know?

• You can download the new NAU Athletics mobile app on Google Play and the Apple Store. Search: "Lumberjack Front Row." Receive breaking news, scores and alerts by signing up for notifications.

• NAU's 62 points versus New Mexico Highlands is the third most points scored by a Big Sky team this season.

• Junior Ryan Hawkins is tied for first in the league in PAT kicking percentage with a perfect 100 percent (22-for-22).

• Three running backs (Casey Jahn, Corbin Jountti, and Marquice Paige) have all recorded a 100-yard plus game.