Portland State coach Chris Fisk confirmed his team had zero interest in cutting short their game against Oregon, even as the Ducks delivered an 84-0 absolute beatdown on Friday night. Oregon, who set a school record for points in a single game, offered twice to play 10-minute quarters in the second half after leading 49-0 at halftime, but the FCS-level Vikings said no way.
Why Portland State Kept the Foot on Their Own Throat
Oregon coach Dan Lanning made the offers, trying to ease up, but Fisk wasn’t having it. In a statement to the Oregonian, Fisk, who took over after a rough 1-11 season in 2025, laid out his reasoning. He had nothing but respect for Oregon and Lanning, but he made it clear: “We chose that for the development of our program. We came to play 60 minutes, regardless of the outcome.” That’s a tough pill to swallow when you’re getting absolutely shelled, but Fisk’s message to his team was crucial: “Teaching the kids that we don’t get to run away from hard things was our intent.” He knows the deal, too, adding, “They didn’t pay us to come down there and take it easy on us.” And yeah, according to John Canzano, Oregon dropped nearly $600,000 for that game, which is huge revenue for FCS programs, making the expected loss a necessary evil for the money.
Every Snap Matters: The Aftermath for Oregon and PSU
Even with the score being what it was, and the NCAA allowing shortened games if both teams agree, Portland State stuck to their guns. That meant Oregon got to play a full 30 minutes in the second half, and they used every single second of it. Four different quarterbacks threw passes for the Ducks, including backup Dylan Raiola, a former Nebraska starter, and Akili Smith Jr., whose dad was a No. 3 overall NFL Draft pick back in the day. Plus, eight players got at least one carry and 14 players hauled in at least one catch. That’s a ton of reps for a lot of guys. For Portland State, it was a brutal test of resolve. Now, they’re looking ahead to Weber State this week. As for the Ducks, they wish them well against USC.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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