Achievement unlocked: Wildcats make history with 42-7 win over Portland State

SALT LAKE CITY — For the first time in Weber State football history, the Wildcats have started a season 6-0 and did so in dominating fashion in a 42-7 win over the Portland State Vikings.

Portland State's biggest mistake in the contest against Weber State was winning the coin toss and letting the Wildcats receive the ball first. All Jay Hill's team did was drive down the field in 10 plays and take a lead they would not relinquish. On the opening drive, quarterback Bronson Barron went 6-for-6 passing and the offense drove 63 yards in about three minutes of game time.

Weber State's offense, once again, proved why the Wildcats are ranked No. 6 in the nation. Coordinator Mickey Mental was able to do just about whatever he wanted in the game. It was just the second game this season that Mental's offense has gained over 500 yards — the team finished with 555.

Barron and backup quarterback Kylan Weisser combined to throw for 311 yards, while four different running backs, in addition to the two quarterbacks, ran the ball for 244 yards.

The Wildcats scored fast and often in the game for most of the contest, even with Portland State owning the time of possession battle. The biggest difference was the Vikings had next to nothing to show for their efforts while Weber State racked up points in quick fashion.

On the first possession of the second half, the Wildcats scored on one play when Barron connected with receiver Josh Sharp on an easy slant route over the middle that he took 55 yards to the house.

The offense also excelled at spreading the ball around, with a different player scoring each of Weber State's six touchdowns. Six players carried the ball at least once, while nine different receivers caught a pass. The Wildcats had such a big lead heading into the fourth quarter that coaches were able to get plenty of backups into the game on both sides of the ball.

"Extremely happy about the output of the offense," Hill said after his 100th game as head coach of Weber State. "I thought the defense did a phenomenal job. The starters pitched a shutout and then the backups got some very valuable reps."

Barron continues to grow as a quarterback in his third year as the starter for this Weber State team. His chemistry with his receivers has gotten stronger every game to go along with improved decision-making and better reads. He finished the game throwing for 274 yards, three touchdowns and had one interception on 21-of-31 passing.

Dontae McMillan led all rushers with 81 yards on nine carries and a touchdown. He's been a back that the offense has relied on all year and continues to deliver time and time again.

But he's not alone in that backfield; Kris Jackson, generally saved for short yardage situations, earned 77 yards on six carries, with his longest run going for 37 yards. It doesn't matter who's carrying the ball for the Wildcats because they've been able to produce.

With the offense doing what it's done all season, the defense played loose and effective. Portland State's offense gained 236 yards on the day but only converted that into one score late in the fourth quarter against Weber State's second-string defense. Coming into the game, the Wildcats defense hadn't given up any points in the fourth quarter this season.

The Wildcats did their job in making Vikings quarterback Dante Chachere uncomfortable all game in the backfield and recorded four sacks and nine total tackles for loss. The defense put pressure on Chachere, who was forced into errant throws and poor decisions.

Redshirt freshman Jack Kelly, a name not too many may have been familiar with before Saturday, created havoc for the Vikings offense all game. He recorded four tackles and was credited with 1.5 sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss.

"You probably could have picked 10 players of the game there were so many great performances," Hill said.

The biggest blemish on Weber State's performance was penalties. In the past, Hill's teams have been known for their disciplined play and lack of errors; the Wildcats committed 11 penalties, which totaled 90 yards of negative play. It's something the team has dealt with all year, but it hasn't been detrimental to games.

Regardless of the penalties, the Wildcats won again and have started out 6-0 for the first time in school history. The 1998 team that was the last to start 5-0 couldn't overcome the pressure and went on to lose their next five games. But this 2022 team is doing something special, and Hill said he looks forward to the challenges coming his team's way.

"Super, super happy about where we're at right now, and we set up a big time game this week versus Montana State," Hill said. "So excited about that one coming up."

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