NEWBERG, Ore. -- The George Fox football team will look to change its fortunes against a juggernaut Linfield squad as the Bruins look to spoil the Wildcats homecoming.

Fox comes into the game aiming to snap their three-game losing streak — all three games coming down to the final seconds. The Bruins last played Puget Sound, falling to a last-second field goal in their 27-29 loss.

DeMontre Thomas II and Max Richey both saw the field at quarterback against the Loggers, with Richey throwing for 62 yards and a touchdown and Thomas II totaling 80 yards and a score. The two have split time for four of the five games this season and look to do so for a fifth time against Linfield — the George Fox depth chart does not list a clear starter for the game.

Starter Taylor Saben and backup Logan Candanoza will both get carries against the Wildcats; against UPS, the Bruins turned to a heavy run game, with each player scoring one touchdown on the ground and Saben scoring on a 52-yard screen pass. William Moffit, who led the team with 83 yards rushing, will also see time.

At receiver, Dillan Dobbins, Elias Polanski, and River Osen will command the way for the Bruins, with Logan Klopfenstein splitting time with Osen. Though the Bruins completed just four passes in the previous weekend, Dobbins hauled in a 62-yard touchdown on the first play of the game. At the line, Fox will start the same five linemen that they have employed all season, including All-NWC players Zach Luworo, Daniel Jefferies, and Kyle Osowski.

Defensively, cornerback Zak Holsey will officially miss the Bruins' game against Linfield — the standout sophomore suffered a leg injury against Lewis & Clark. In his place, freshman Austin Harrison will get his second career start for a slightly battered Bruin secondary. Regular starters Holsey and Matthew Phillips are out, with Harrison and Hunter Williams to fill in.

Jacob Erickson, who was named NWC Freshman of the Year in 2022, has been the standout for the Bruin defense thus far. The sophomore is currently eighth in the nation with 6.5 sacks in five games, most in the conference by two full sacks. Erickson will be joined by fellow All-NWC linebackers Noah Tack, Kobe Andrews, and Nash Wylie.

Ben Rembisz enters his second weekend as the starting kicker for the Bruins following a 3-4 performance on extra points against Puget Sound. For the season, Rembisz is 1-2 on field goals with his lone make from 23 yards out. Punter Mikey Goforth has forced the most fair catches in the conference with six, and showed his skill with a perfect punt downed at the two against Puget Sound.

For the Bruins, it will be an uphill battle against a stacked Wildcats squad. Linfield has not lost a conference game since 2018 — they head into Saturday's contest ranked No. 5 in the AFCA Coachs; Poll and outscoring their opponents by an average score of 43-13.

The Wildcat offense is commanded by junior quarterback Blake Eaton: thus far into 2023, the All-NWC First Team QB has thrown for 882 yards, nine touchdowns, and no interceptions in four games, rushing for three scores as well. Eaton has a large host of targets at his disposal — the Wildcats employ four receivers with over 100 receiving yards on the season and seven receivers who have caught a touchdown.

The leading pass-catcher for Linfield is Devon Murray, who was named First-Team All-NWC alongside 10 other offensive players. Murray has scored five TDs in four games for the Wildcats. In the backfield, Connor McNabb is the bell-cow back, rushing for 385 yards and three TDs. the most in the conference. 

Defensively, the Wildcats are led by all-conference returners Caiden Biege-Wetherbee, Blake Rybar, and Grady Kentch. A testament to the team's dominance, Ryber leads the team with just 20 tackles through four games — many of the Wildcats' regular starters have not had to play all four quarters. Gavin Dalziel, fresh off of an NWC Student-Athlete of the Week award, will perform the kicking duties for the Wildcats.

Though the odds may seem stacked against them, Fox has been painstakingly close in their last three games, and has been close in some of the recent matchups to the Wildcats. Looking for their first win over the team from McMinnville, there would be no better way to break through than on Linfield's homecoming night.

Tickets for the game are $20 for covered seating, $10 for adult general seating, and $5 for students with ID, seniors, and children aged 6-13. Live streaming is available via the Bruin athletics website, with the game also available for cable viewing on the CW (Channel 32 for Dish and DirecTV users and Channel 3 for Xfinity users).