CSUN Defense Again Fails to Hold Up in 38-13 Loss

Until two weeks ago, Cal State Northridge had the best defense in the Western Football Conference. Saturday night it was shredded again in a 38-13 loss to Portland State.

It was the third consecutive loss for Northridge (3-6, 1-3 in WFC play), which has allowed 122 points in that span. And for the first time in Bob Burt’s six years as their coach, the Matadors will finish with a losing record.

With one game remaining, Portland State (8-2, 4-0), ranked 10th nationally, clinched at least a tie for the WFC title with its seventh consecutive win before 10,751 in a drizzle at Portland Civic Stadium.

Left-handed quarterback John Charles completed 22 of 32 passes for 312 yards and three touchdowns. The Vikings also gained 158 yards on the ground despite losing running back Rod Clemente to a sprained knee in the second quarter.

With backup quarterback Damone Scott starting in place of the injured Marty Fisher and CSUN having been knocked out of the WFC race last weekend in last week’s loss to Southern Utah, the Matadors had little to lose, so Burt added several wrinkles to the game plan.

With CSUN trailing, 14-0, early in the second quarter, Burt went to a no-huddle offense with an odd formation, in which four offensive linemen and wide receiver Cornell Ward lined up side by side just inside the sideline. That left center Skip Allum alone in the middle of the field with quarterback Scott and tailback Bill Harris behind him. Three other wide receivers lined up as well, one on the side with the linemen and the other two on the other side of Allum.

The first series of the “Daffy Duck” alignment produced a 15-yard reception by Adam McKinney, an 11-yard run by Scott and a 24-yard touchdown pass in which Scott lateraled to Ward who found McKinney open in the end zone. It was Ward’s fifth touchdown pass of the season on six attempts and it made the score 14-7 with 9:57 left in the first half.

Northridge could not stop Portland State on its ensuing possession. Desmond Clayton returned the kickoff 36 yards and the Vikings used 13 plays to score on a one-yard run by Clemente.

The Matadors returned to the Daffy Duck on their next drive. Paul Peters caught a 15-yard pass, Scott ran for nine yards and three plays later completed a 15-yard pass to Billy Nealy, positioning the ball on the Portland State seven.

Then Allum, who is not accustomed to the long snap of the shotgun formation and wasn’t able to practice part of the week because of an injury, snapped the ball too low and Scott fell on it for an 11-yard loss. On the ensuing play, Portland State inside linebacker Rick Cruz intercepted a Scott pass.

Cruz returned it 20 yards, giving Portland State the ball on its 25 with 53 seconds left.

Unfortunately for Northridge, it was enough time. Charles completed three consecutive passes at the end of the drive for 16, 24 and seven yards, the latter a touchdown catch by 236-pound tight end Ed Yoder.

Northridge mustered its only points in the second half on a 95-yard kickoff return by Peters that made it 38-13 with 7:13 left in the third quarter. It was the longest kickoff return of the season in the WFC.