Portland State’s rally fall short at S. Utah, 45-31

CEDAR CITY, Utah — Jarmaine Doubs’ 98-yard interception return with less than a minute to play lifted Southern Utah to a 45-31 win against Portland State on Saturday night.

Trailing 38-31, Vikings’ quarterback Alex Kuresa led an eight-play, 81-yard drive to Southern Utah’s 4-yard line before the interception, which was Kuresa’s fourth of the game.

Kuresa threw for 264 yards and two touchdowns and added 18 carries for 133 yards and a touchdown.

Southern Utah (2-1, 1-0 Big Sky) built a 31-10 halftime lead before the Vikings’ second-half rally cut the deficit to seven.

For the Thunderbirds, Patrick Tyler threw for 249 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions and Malik Brown had 15 carries for 173 yards and a touchdown. Raysean Pringle added 118 yards on the ground with eight carries and two touchdowns. Mike Sharp had five receptions for 139 yards and two scores.

Portland State fell to 1-3, 0-1.