2016 Portland State Vikings football team

The 2016 Portland State Vikings football team represented Portland State University during the 2016 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by second-year head coach Bruce Barnum and played their home games at Providence Park. They were a member of the Big Sky Conference. They finished the season 3–8, 2–6 in Big Sky play to finish in a four way tie for ninth place.

Big Sky polls
On July 19, 2016, the Big Sky Conference released its preseason coaches' and media polls. The Vikings were predicted to finish tied for second in the coaches' poll and fifth in the media poll.

At Southern Utah
This matchup quickly became known for the controversial comments made by Coach Barnum leading up to the game when he said, referring to Cedar City, Utah (home of SUU), "I didn’t want to stay in Whoville. We are going to stay up in the Grinch's Castle. We are going to go down, play them Saturday, whoop up on them." SUU fans responded by setting a single-game attendance record, with many students carrying signs mocking Barnum's remarks.