NEWBERG, Ore. -- Northwest Conference play opens up this Saturday and the George Fox football program will host Pacific Lutheran on Saturday, Oct. 1 for its Homecoming and Hall of Fame weekend.

Fox was inactive last week and took advantage of the bye to rest and recover, while Pacific Lutheran is just days removed from a 17-14 loss to California Lutheran in which they turned the ball over four times.

The Bruins enter the matchup with a perfect record, a wave of momentum, and an offense that should be well-equipped to build a lead early against the Lutes. Fox is 10-11 on red zone trips so far this season and is top two in the NWC on offense in points per game (2nd - 39.3), touchdowns (1st - 16), total offense (2nd - 448.7 yards/game), and passing offense (322.3 yards/game).

Haiden Schaan and Leon Johnson III have combined to lead the conference in total offense and all-purpose yards this season; Johnson III is also the conference leader in scoring with seven touchdowns. On the ground, the Bruins have the third-best rushing attack at 126.5 yards/game, whether Schaan is doing his own work or handing the ball to Logan Candanoza and Taylor Saben.

PLU averages 21.3 points per game with nine touchdowns and a safety to their credit through three games. The Lutes' offense is third in the conference with 5.5 yards per play and has run the second-most plays this season with 205. PLU has preferred to do its work through the air with two thirds of its total yardage coming on pass plays (764 pass, 363 rush).

In their most recent game, the Lutes rotated three quarterbacks and combined for 14-24 through the air for two scores, a pick, and 158 yards. The Lutes' previous starter in their first three games does not appear to be projected to play this weekend.

Darius Chaffin, the last QB to take snaps against Cal Lutheran, is projected to start and was 3-4 with an interception last week. Chaffin is a dual-sport athlete for the Lutes as a sprinter and football player and put up 525 yards last season as a kick returner and rusher, so the Bruins' defenders will need to account for his legs in addition to his arm.

Defensively, Fox should be tough to score on this weekend — the Bruins lead the conference in interceptions (5), interception return yards (103), and are second in sacks (10). Justin Montijo leads the conference in tackles, Chris McCoy is tied for fourth in passes defended with a pick and three deflections, and Kobe Andrews is tied for first in the NWC with two interceptions of his own.

On their side of the field, the Lutes have put together the fourth-best scoring defense this year, averaging 19.3 points allowed per game, and are third in yards allowed per game with 277.7 surrendered so far. PLU does have a strong presence in the front seven and leads the conference with 11 sacks this season. Ten of their 11 projected starters on defense are also veteran leaders with at least three years of college play under their belts, and many of the second-string defenders are also upperclassmen.

This game will likely be decided by who wins the battle at the line of scrimmage — the Bruins allow the fewest sacks per game in the NWC and both defensive fronts are evenly matched on paper with 10 or more sacks created this season. Through three games, neither team in this week's matchup has allowed more than four sacks for the entire season and both teams average over 120 yards per game on the ground.

Tickets are available for purchase at the gate on game day. With this weekend likely to be a standing-room-only event, those that want to guarantee a seat should plan to purchase tickets online.

Homecoming festivities will begin at 2:30 pm in the quad as part of Bruinpalooza. For a full schedule of those events, click here.