But Weber State (2-4, 0-2 Big Sky) is in that boat, and will be for the next two weeks, aiming to right a ship being steered astray by a struggling defense and unwanted change at quarterback. The opponents in question are Portland State (0-6, 0-2), followed by a home game against Eastern Washington (2-4, 1-1).

The outcomes of the next two games will likely decide who lives at the bottom of the Big Sky Conference, and if Weber State has a fighting chance at a winning record, or even a .500 mark.

First up is Portland State, who hosts the Wildcats at the community Hillsboro Stadium for a 2 p.m. local, 3 p.m. MDT kickoff.

The Vikings are every bit as struggling as “winless” implies but may be improving. PSU was blasted by a top-five Tarleton State team (42-0) and put up zero resistance the next week against FBS-ranked BYU (69-0). A 50-20 loss at North Dakota preceded a not-terrible, 23-3 loss at Hawaii.

Because PSU hosted Tarleton in Week 0, the Vikings are now coming off their second bye of the season. A break before conference play helped PSU put up a fight against ranked Northern Arizona; Jordan Herron’s 57-yard punt return touchdown made it 24-17 midway through the third before NAU put it away early in the fourth for a 31-17 score.

It was a similar story the next week at Eastern Washington, making a deficit 21-20 in the third before Eastern scored two quick touchdowns to create distance in a 35-27 victory.

Now PSU has been home for two weeks with another bye, working up an appetite for getting into the win column after facing what advanced analytics purveyor Kenneth Massey says is the most difficult schedule in the country.

“We’ve got to be ready to play, I don’t care what their record is,” WSU head coach Mickey Mental said. “I know they’re going to be hungry at home to come out and get a win, so we’ve got to be ready for that intensity and ready to go.”

Mental said he sees PSU as a team that gets the ball out quickly in the passing game with a defense that succeeds in getting the ball on the turf (having forced 10 fumbles, recovering five).

INJURY REPORT

A week after being probable but not taking the field, senior punt returner and running back Bird Butler is now likely to see the field (and he may factor in the RB rotation). Starting defensive end Keahnist Thompson is questionable with a foot injury. Starting running back Davion Godley is out with a concussion.

MEET THE VIKINGS

Portland State started a different quarterback in each of its first three games but has now settled on sophomore John-Keawe Sagapolutele (No. 9), who has started four straight. The former Hawaii QB had a career day the last time out against EWU, going 28 of 45 for 302 yards, one touchdown and one interception with a long of 52 yards.

His most dangerous target so far is tight end Kristian Ingman (No. 85); though he catches only two passes per game, Ingman averages 19.7 yards per catch and leads the team with 236 receiving yards. Receiver Zachary Dodson-Greene (No. 17) is the most frequent target, catching 25 passes for 194 yards. At running back, 5-foot-9 Delon Thompson (No. 24) leads with 46 yards per game but only at 2.9 per carry.

Defensive back Isaiah Green (No. 4, 56 tackles) and linebacker Jaxton Helmstetler (No. 6, 38 tackles) are the top tacklers for PSU. Defensive end Spencer Elliott (No. 56) gets after the quarterback, totaling 4.5 of the team’s 10 sacks while tallying two forced fumbles and two QB hurries.

TEAM VS. TEAM METRICS

Against four FCS opponents, Weber State has averaged 29.8 points on 375.8 yards per game, including a 5.55 yards-per-play average. Defensively, the Wildcats give up 38.5 points on 428.5 yards per game and 6.59 yards per play.

Overall, Weber State’s turnover margin remains at minus-four. Weber State has lost 10 turnovers (nine interceptions, one fumble) while taking away six (four interceptions, two fumbles). WSU has not turned the ball over in the last two games (with a bad punt for negative yards against Sacramento State not counted in the turnover margin).

WSU averages 4.7 penalties for 45.8 yards per game.

For Portland State, against four FCS opponents, the Vikings average 16 points on 324.8 yards per game and 5 yards per play. Defensively, PSU allows 39.5 points on 468.8 yards per game, with a per-play average against of 7.16 yards.

Overall, PSU is an identical minus-four in the turnover margin with WSU. The Vikings have given the ball away 10 times (seven interceptions, three fumbles) while taking away six turnovers (one interception, five fumbles).

The Vikings are penalized an average of 4.7 times for 38.3 yards per game.

ODDS & PREDICTIONS

Jeff Sagarin ranks Weber State at No. 199 in all of Division I (FBS and FCS, 265 total teams). Portland State is No. 223. Including home-field advantage, his formula favors Portland State by one point (0.94, to be precise).

ESPN’s Bill Connelly ranks Weber State at No. 76 in FCS (129 teams) and Portland State at 113. His formula predicts a Weber State victory of 35-28.

D Ratings predicts a Weber State victory of 32-30 at 56% probability.

WEATHER

Though rain may trail into the area Saturday night, for now it appears Weber State might avoid an encore from last week’s water blast in Utah. The forecast in Hillsboro, Oregon, calls for temperatures of 58 degrees at the 2 p.m. local (3 p.m. MDT) kickoff, warming slightly to 60 by game’s end with cloud cover expected throughout.

TV & RADIO

The game broadcast streams on the ESPN+ subscription service, available on the ESPN app or WatchESPN.com. Matt Richert and Scott Hermo are on the call for PSU’s production. Weber State’s radio call, with Carl Arky and Jerry Graybeal, airs in Utah on 103.1 FM and online at 1031thewave.com.

ALL-TIME SERIES

Weber State leads the all-time series 24-15 and has won the last two meetings. In 2024, Weber won 43-16 in Ogden. WSU’s last trip to Hillsboro Stadium was 2022, a 42-7 victory. WSU is 10-9 in road games against PSU.

WSU is 9-3 in the last 12 meetings and is 4-1 against 11th-year PSU head coach Bruce Barnum.