The Portland State Vikings football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the Portland State University located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The team competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) as a member of the Big Sky Conference. The school's first football team was fielded in 1947. The team plays its home games at the 7,600 seat Hillsboro Stadium. Viking football practice takes place on campus at the Peter W. Stott Field.
Contents
History
Classifications
1958–1972: NCAA College Division
1973–1977: NCAA Division II
1978–1980: NCAA Division I-AA
1981–1995: NCAA Division II
1996–present: NCAA Division I-AA/FCS
Conference affiliations
1947–1949: Independent
1950–1964: Oregon Collegiate Conference
1965–1972: NCAA College Division independent
1973–1977: NCAA Division II independent
1978–1980: NCAA Division I-AA independent
1981: NCAA Division II independent
1982–1992: Western Football Conference
1993–1995: NCAA Division II independent
1996–present: Big Sky Conference
Head coaches
† Read's combined statistics: 9 seasons, with a record of 39–52–1 (.429).
Championships
Conference championships
† Co-champions
Playoff results
Division I-AA/FCS
The Vikings have appeared in the I-AA/FCS playoffs two times. Their overall record is 0–2.
Division II
The Vikings appeared in the Division II playoffs eight times from 1987 through 1995 with an overall record of 12–8.
Rivalries
Eastern Washington
The Vikings have a rivalry with the Eastern Washington Eagles in all sports, starting in 2010 called The Dam Cup. Eastern Washington won the first rivalry match between the two schools in 2010 with a score of 55–17. The purpose of the Dam Cup is to create a rivalry between Portland State University and Eastern Washington University and provide a sense of pride between alumni in the Portland, OR and Spokane, WA areas. Other goals include increasing attendance at events between both schools and building school spirit among each institutions' student body.
‡ The Dam Cup rivalry with Portland State was officially established in 2010, but both teams have played against each other since the date listed above.
Montana
The Vikings and the Montana Grizzlies have played each other 49 times since the 1965 football season. Coach Bruce Barnum and Griz coach Bobby Hauck have a friendly rivalry based in part on Hershey-owned Dot's Homestyle Pretzels. The 49 matchups are the most games Portland State has played anyone. Montana is one of Portland State's two protected Big Sky Conference rivalries (along with Northern Colorado) when the conference shifted to one division in 2022, meaning they will play every year. The University of Montana leads the all-time series 36–13 as of 2025.
Idaho State
Portland State first joined the Big Sky Conference in 1996, and have played Idaho State a total of 47 times. Before Portland State joined the conference, the two teams competed 21 times in non-conference play, the first being in 1965. In 2011, the Big Sky Conference released its football schedules for the 2012-2015 seasons, which assigned each team two protected opponents that they would play on a yearly basis, with Portland State and Idaho State being assigned to each other.
Ahead of the 2022 season, the protected matchups assigned to each team were changed, with Montana and Northern Colorado now being Portland State's annual guaranteed matchups. As a result, Portland State and Idaho State now play each other twice every three years under the current rotation.
Individual awards and honors
Retired numbers
Notes
National award winners
STATS FCS Coach of the Year
Bruce Barnum (2015)
Conference award winners
Big Sky Conference Coach of the Year
Bruce Barnum (2015)
College Football Hall of Fame
The Vikings have one player inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
Notable former players
Notable alumni include:
Future non-conference opponents
Announced schedules as of August 10, 2026.