By: Riley Bushnell & Sarah Reid
NEWBERG, Ore. -- It was more than 100 years ago that George Fox University (then Pacific College) and Linfield College first faced off in a Yamhill County showdown. The Bruins won that game 54-0 and continued to be the dominant team through the late 1800s. Since then, Linfield has surged to become a national powerhouse that's currently ranked No. 2 in the nation and recently celebrated its 60th consecutive winning season. With only 16 miles separating the two schools, the rivalry between them will step to center stage as the Bruins host the Wildcats this
Saturday during Family Weekend.
Linfield leads the conference in multiple categories statistically, and has yet to lose this season. The sun shines brightest for the Wildcats when their defense steps on the field. Their defense has only yielded one passing touchdown all year, tied for the best in all of DIII. They are fourth in the nation for rushing yards allowed at 55 per game.
Ironically, George Fox has its best opportunity to score via a former Wildcat. John Shaffer, who attended Linfield his freshman and sophomore years before transferring to George Fox, has the most yards per game of any running back in the conference and is slowly separating himself from the rest of the field. Not since Linfield's season opener against Chapman have the Wildcats seen a running back who carries the ball as often as Shaffer.
Shaffer isn't the only member of the football team to have a connection to Linfield. Head Coach Chris Casey, an alumnus of Linfield, played for the Wildcats from the 1978 to 1981 seasons. He was hired as their strength and conditioning coach and held that position from 1985 until 1994.
After giving up a season-best 164 passing yards last Saturday against Pacific Lutheran, the Bruin defense seems poised to face this potent Wildcat offensive unit. Linfield quarterback Sam Riddle will certainly be gunning it downfield. His touchdown-to-interception ratio (16:2), and yards per pass (9.3) mark the best in the conference for anyone with at least 100 attempts.
Saturday's game begins at 1:30 p.m. at Stoffer Family Stadium.
Additional Information
Tickets
General admission tickets in the uncovered bleachers are $10 for adults, $5 for seniors (65+) and kids age 10-18, and free for kids under 10 with an adult. Group prices are available to fans who purchase 10 or more general admission tickets to a game. George Fox staff and students are eligible to receive one complimentary ticket per home game with a valid student/staff ID. To purchase tickets online, click here.
Tailgating
Tailgating will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and will be located in the Bauman parking lot (behind Stoffer Family Stadium). Come join other George Fox alumni and Bruin fans at a fun tailgate party. Bring your own tailgate treats or purchase from our on-site vendors.
Live Stream/Stats
George Fox offers a live stream that comes with stats at no cost. To watch the game, click on the following link: Video - Live Stats
Map
To view the map of Stoffer Family Stadium, click here.
