Portland State Drops A I-AA Game To Play Cal

Portland State will again play 2 I-A games next year. Walsh is quoted as saying they have played well against IA and are excited to see what they can do with this years squad. Do they not even care about making the playoffs? It sounds to me like Walsh would rather get beat up by IA schools than play good I-AA schools (they had McNeese State on the schedule before this change). I don't understand the logic behind this, unless PSU is really that far in debt. Here is a blurb:

Portland State continues in its desire to play as challenging a schedule as possible with the addition of Cal. The 1-AA Vikings already are scheduled to play at New Mexico in the season-opener on Sept. 2, giving PSU games against both Pac-10 and Mountain West Conference teams.

“I think we have been competitive against the Division I programs we played against in recent years,” said Viking Coach Tim Walsh, who will enter his 14th season in 2006. “We are good, getting better, and are excited to play a program with the tradition and academic excellence that Cal has.

“We are always fighting the battle of who we are and what we are at PSU. I think this says we are a good Division I football program. This game would not have happened when we were playing at Division II.”