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PROVO — It wasn’t the start to the season that BYU had hoped to see, especially on offense.
But there will be no FCS upset in Provo, either.
Tanner Mangum completed 16-of-27 passes for 194 yards and a touchdown, and Squally Canada ran for 98 yards and a score to help BYU open the 2017 college football season with a 20-6 win over Portland State in front of 55,427 fans Saturday afternoon at LaVell Edwards Stadium.
Portland State freshman Jalani Eason completed 16-of-36 passes for 134 yards, one touchdown and one interception, and Za’Quan Summers ran the ball 20 times for 55 yards to lead the Vikings (0-1).
The Cougars outgained the Vikings 367 yards to 220, but the host team posted just 173 yards on the ground, including 63 yards on seven carries from Kavika Fonua.
Defensively, the Cougars held Portland State off the scoreboard in three quarters, allowing the Vikings past midfield just twice.
After a slow start, Mangum found tight end Matt Bushman over the middle for a 36-yard gain with 3 1/2 minutes left in the first quarter. That drive ended with freshman Neil Pau’u hauling in a 28-yard touchdown from Mangum, and the Cougars took a 7-0 lead after the first quarter.
After a 33-yard strike to Talon Shumway, Canada doubled the advantage with a 1-yard scoring plunge with 7:57 left in the first half. But Eason pulled one back with a 4-yard TD strike to Darnell Adams to cut the Vikings’ deficit to 14-6 at halftime.
BYU (1-0) extended its lead with a pair of Rhett Almond field goals in the fourth quarter, including a 35-yarder to go up 20-6 with 2:09 remaining.
Fred Warner had a team-high 10 tackles to lead BYU’s defense, and Sione Takitaki added seven tackles, including three tackles for loss and two sacks, in his first game at BYU since Oct. 16, 2015.
Zayne Anderson recorded his first career interception for BYU, which plays Louisiana State in Houston next Saturday.
Charlie Taumoepeau had six receptions for 73 yards to lead Portland State.
