NEWBERG, Ore. -- It's déjà vu all over again for the George Fox football team.

For the second time in 2025, the Bruins will play the Pios. The Pioneers took the first game, a nonconference Oregon Cup game in Portland, running away from the Bruins in a 38-10 win for Lewis & Clark. 

In that game, the Pioneers jumped out to a quick 14-0 lead in the first 80 seconds, leading 21-0 at the end of the first quarter. The Bruins will aim for a better start in front of the home crowd at Stoffer Family Stadium, where they will play their third home game of the season.

JJ Leman will earn his sixth start of the season for the Bruins and second against the Pios; the freshman QB has thrown for more yards in every game he's played but one, moving from 121 yards in his debut to 271 against Whitworth. In his prior matchup with the Pios, Leman threw for 187 yards and a TD. The freshman also ran for 29 yards — a number he will try to surpass on Saturday; since rushing for 171 yards and two scores in his first three games, Leman has run for just 10 yards on 17 attempts in the past two.

Backing up Leman will be Kameron Spencer, who is listed as the number two on the depth chart for the first time this season. Spencer has played in six games during his GFU career, completing 27 passes for 108 yards.

Two other major changes are listed along the offense: Tucker Land is listed as the starting tight end for the Bruins, while Toby Esqueda is slated to start at left tackle. Land, a versatile freshman from Chehalis, Wash., has rushed seven times for 29 yards and caught 10 passes for 85 yards, including his lone career TD against the Pios. Esqueda, meanwhile, has seen time in two games this season. Joining Esqueda on the line will be Rylan McGraw, Kyle Martin, Lawa Ah Yat, and Sean Brewster.

At the wide receiver position, freshman Karsen Denault is fresh off his best game in blue and gold. The receiver pulled in four catches for 156 yards, the fourth-most in program history, and caught two touchdowns. Kaelan Frey and Dreylen Tolentino are the other listed starters for the game. Taylor Saben, who had 81 all-purpose yards against Whitworth, will start at running back.

While there were a few changes on the offensive side for the Bruins, the defense will remain the same, with all 11 starters returning for Fox. Jacob Erickson, Silas Kincaid, Kaden Raever, and Kuyper Assink start along the line, with Caleb McElfish and Kaikoa Iokia at linebacker. McElfish led the team in tackles in the Bruins' last game against the Pios, while Iokia, Assink, and Erickson each recorded a sack.

Two other tackle leaders from that September 13 game will also start: safeties Reyn Asato and Ty Borde. Ben Nuss, who had seven tackles at Whitworth, and Austin Harrison are at corner, while Zak Holsey will be the nickel. 

Ben Rembisz leads the way at kicker after back-to-back weeks setting a career mark. The junior had a 40-yard field goal on October 4 against Linfield before nailing a 42-yarder against Whitworth. The kicker's other make, a 31-yarder, came against the Pios in the fourth quarter. Riley Rutledge, the team's starting punter, also handles the holding duties for Rembisz.

For the Pioneers, the 2025 season has been a revelation under first-year head coach Brett Elliott. Lewis & Clark is 5-0 for just the seventh time in program history and only the second time (2011) since 1963, and are receiving votes in the national polls. The Pios post the top statistical offense (40.2 points per game) and defense (14.8 points per game) in the Northwest Conference.

Quarterback Dashiell Weaver, a transfer from Division I Fresno State, has thrown for over 1,200 yards and 18 TDs on the season — a mark that's sixth in the NCAA. Weaver tossed four touchdowns in his previous game against the Bruins and has scored at least three touchdowns in each game this season.

Starting at running back for the potent Pio offense is Jordan Lahusky. The senior started the game against GFU with a bang, taking a pitch 80 yards to the house on the first play from scrimmage. Thus far into 2025, he has run for 252 yards, though his 80-yard score is his lone touchdown of the season.

Three Lewis & Clark receivers head an impressive air attack: Garrett Lee, Dez Holton, and Sytyn Lasconia. In five games played (four for Holton), Lee has recorded 337 receiving yards and four scores, Holton has 284 yards and three TDs, and Lasconia has 231 yards and four TDs. Lasconia, however, is not listed on the Pios' two-deep; Junior Mateo Maehara, who has seven catches for 52 yards, is slated to start.

Defensively, linebacker Daryl Scott leads the team with 33 tackles and is eighth in the NWC in total tackles for the season. However, Defensive lineman JT Chavez, who has recorded a sack in four of the five games for Lewis & Clark, is not listed in the Pios' two-deep. 

On paper, the Bruins will have a tough road ahead of them to pick up their first win of the season. The Pioneers are on track for their best season since the 1960s, look all the part of a conference contender, and have already handed the Bruins a loss. But games aren't played on paper, and come Saturday, Fox will be ready to show out in front of the Bruin faithful.

The game is scheduled for a 1:30 pm kickoff and will be live streamed on FloSports. Live stats and ticketing information are available on the George Fox Athletics website.