Fresh off a 58-24 win over Bowling Green in their season opener this past Saturday, the Ducks are 1-0 as they turn the page to the second game of their three-game non-conference tune-up schedule which summons FCS and Big Sky Conference opponent Portland State to Eugene this upcoming weekend.

Similar to Bowling Green, the Vikings figure to provide little resistance between Oregon and their advancement to a 2-0 record, but that won’t prevent us at WFOD from taking an in-depth look at Portland State and providing some context for what the Ducks and the rest of us can expect come Saturday’s contest.

Below is your Portland State primer…

Portland State Vikings

2018 record: 0-1 overall
Last game: 72-19 loss at Nevada
Ranking: N/A
All-time record vs. Oregon: 0-4
When and where to watch: Saturday, Sept. 8 at 11:00 a.m. (Pacific), Pac-12 Network

Items of note:

• Portland State is young, with a total of 57 true freshmen, redshirt freshmen, and sophomores on their 93-man roster. Against Nevada, 29 of the 55 players who saw the field were from this youthful group.
• The Vikings have lost 14 games in a row dating back to 2016, and are 3-21 overall since appearing in the FCS Playoffs in 2015
• Portland State’s last matchup vs. Oregon (Sept. 18, 2010) resulted in their worst loss in program history. In that game, the fifth-ranked Ducks rushed for 528 yards (including 227 from LaMichael James) en route to a 69-0 victory.

Five Portland State names you should know:

5. Darian Green (RB)

Star power is scarce for this Vikings ball club, but in senior running back Darian Green, they at least have a player who has posted respectable numbers against FBS competition. After spending the previous three seasons at Ball State, the 5-foot-9, 190-pound Green comes to Portland looking to provide life to a rushing attack that’s in search of a reliable playmaker. During his three-year career with the Cardinals, Green appeared in 32 games, rushing for 1,089 yards and five touchdowns. In fact, Green led Ball State in rushing as a sophomore in 2015, when he rushed for 730 yards and scored all five of his career rushing touchdowns. Though his first outing of the 2018 season versus Nevada failed to provide much in terms of fireworks (10 carries for 37 yards), Green is the best, most proven ground-gaining option the Vikings have at their disposal.

4. Artuz Manning (DB)

Having appeared as a starter in his previous three seasons with the Vikings, senior safety Artuz Manning is about as a experienced a defender as the Vikings have in 2018. In 30 career games as a Vik, Manning has collected 119 tackles and 13 passes broken up, which is the most among all returning Vikings defenders. Though not particularly physically imposing at 5-foot-11 and 185 pounds, Manning is a savvy player who excels as an open-field tackler and has emerged as a difference maker for a defense with very few.

3. Kasun Jackett (LB)

Hailing from the same high school that produced Oregon’s Troy and Travis Dye, Jackett (pronounced juh-KETT) went the junior college route for two seasons before making his way to Portland State. As a junior last season, the 6-foot-2, 225-pound Jackett was one of Portland State’s most productive players on defense. His 91 tackles over 11 games were a team high, to go along with five tackles for loss, one sack, two pass breakups, and a fumble recovery. After notching nine tackles last week versus Nevada, Jackett appears well-suited once again to be the ringleader and top playmaker for the Portland State defense.

2. Bruce Barnum (HC)

The proverbial pendulum has swung radically for Vikings head coach Bruce Barnum since taking over on a full-time basis in 2015. After being elevated from the interim title he held towards the end of the 2014 season, Barnum wasted no time in making a positive impact on the Portland State program. In 2015, he guided the Vikings to a 9-3 record – their best ever at the FCS level – which included wins over FBS programs Washington State and North Texas, a berth in the FCS Playoffs (PSU’s first in 15 years), and recognition as the FCS National Coach of the Year. Since then, however, the Vikings have reverted back to their losing ways in dramatic fashion. After their playoff appearance in 2015, the Vikings have posted a 3-21 record, which included a winless 2017 season and includes (note the present tense) a 14-game losing streak. Having served as the Vikings offensive coordinator in the five seasons prior to taking over as the head coach, Barnum’s teams have typically featured strong passing attacks out of the Pistol formation.

1. Charlie Taumoepeau (TE)

Junior tight end Charlie Taumoepeau is the most dynamic player featured in the Portland State offense. At 6-foot-3 and 240 pounds, Taumoepeau is an undersized, yet multi-dimensional athlete. His terrific hands and route-running ability are his two greatest skills, but his ability to detach from the line of scrimmage and impact the game with his speed and athleticism when split out wide is what makes him the alpha dog in this offense. After earning second team All-Big Sky Conference recognition a season ago, Taumoepeau enters 2018 as a Preseason All-Big Sky Conference selection after posting 45 catches for 673 yards and three touchdowns as a sophomore.