Montana downs Portland State in Vikings’ lone spring football game

MISSOULA, Mont. — Cam Humphrey threw for 239 yards and two touchdowns and Xavier Harris ran for two scores and Montana beat Portland State 48-7 on Saturday.

It was Portland State’s first game since since a 53-46 loss at Eastern Washington on Nov. 23, 2019; a span of 511 days.

Both Portland State and Montana opted out of the Big Sky Conference’s six-game spring season. It was the Vikings’ only game of the spring. Montana (2-0) beat Division II-member Central Washington 59-3 on April 10.

“I wanted to play a playoff team or an FBS team this spring,” PSU head coach Bruce Barnum said. “I wanted tough competition. This had to be preparation for the fall.”

Harris, who finished with 109 yards rushing on 13 carries, got the Grizzlies going with touchdown runs of 28 and 4 yards for a 14-0 lead. Then, to close the first half, Humphrey threw touchdowns of 54 and 15 yards to Gabe Sulser and Samuel Akem respectively for a 27-0 advantage.

Portland State got on the board when Davis Alexander found Mataio Talalemotu for a 73-yard score to start the third quarter. Alexander finished with 193 yards passing.

Also for the Vikings, freshman Jalynnee McGee, a Skyview High grad, rushed three times for 6 yards, and freshman Darien Chase, a Union High grad, caught one pass for 8 yards.