PORTLAND, Ore. -- The George Fox football team dropped their first Oregon Cup game of the series' three-year history, falling down early in a 38-10 loss to Lewis & Clark.

How It Happened
The game could not have started worse for Fox. On the first play of the game, the Pios' Jordan Lahusky took the ball 80 yards to the house. The first play for Fox? A fumble recovered by the Pioneers. And after a passing TD, Lewis & Clark had a 14-0 lead with less than two minutes on the clock.

Fox didn't go down without a fight, though, nearly scoring a touchdown on the second drive thanks to a big return from Karsen Denault. And after a Riley Rutledge punt was downed at the 4, the Bruins seemed to be back in business. However, a long drive from the Pios ended with another TD pass from Division I transfer QB Dashiell Weaver, putting GFU in a 21-0 hole.

Brennand Shepherd made the first big play of the day for the GFU defense, sacking Weaver for an eight-yard loss and helping force the Pios' first punt of the day. After another Fox punt, it was Kaikoa Iokia who had the big defensive play, stonewalling Lahusky in the backfield for a TFL. Then, it was the offense's turn for a big play — JJ Leman finding Denault for a 48 yard gain. That play led to the first true drive for Fox, with Leman tossing his first career touchdown pass, a seven yard pass to fellow freshman Tucker Land.

The Pios countered with a big play of their own, with Weaver hitting Desmond Holton for a 46-yard touchdown before a field goal made the score 31-7. Disaster nearly struck the Bruins on the final play of the half; the ball was fumbled on the exchange and recovered by the Pios, who nearly ran the ball to the end zone before Dreylen Tolentino made the saving tackle. At the half, Fox trailed by 24.

The Bruins opened the second half with a drive to attempt to get back into the game. An L&C penalty and an 11-yard pass from Leman to Taylor Saben brought Fox down to the eight-yard line. With a fourth down to get back into the game, Leman tossed the ball to Denault, who wasn't able to come down with the ball. Though the Bruins wouldn't be able to find the end zone for the remainder of the third quarter, the defense held the Pios offense scoreless.

Lewis & Clark started the fourth quarter the same way they started the first: a touchdown on the first play of the period. Fox, meanwhile, continued to work hard; the Bruins drove again to the nine-yard line. Once again, though, Leman's pass fell incomplete, resulting in another turnover on downs. 

Jacob Erickson had one of the biggest plays of the day for Fox, strip-sacking the Pios' quarterback and giving the ball to the Bruins thanks to a Noah Lubisich fumble recovery. DeMontre Thomas II got his first action of the season as well at quarterback, taking advantage of the short field with a quick drive that ended in a Ben Rembisz field goal. Dane Johnson then recovered the ensuing onside kick, giving Fox the ball back, but Fox was unable to get on the board again. When all was said and done, the Bruins dropped their third straight game to the Pioneers, 10-38.

Top Performances
JJ Leman threw his first career touchdown, finishing the day 18-34 for 202 yards and a score. Leman also led the team in rushing with 26 yards. Karsen Denault had a team-high 97 yards receiving, while Tucker Land had three catches for 26 yards and a touchdown. 

Defensively, Caleb McElfish and Ty Borde led the way with six tackles apiece, while Jacob Erickson had five tackles, including two sacks for 22 yards and a forced fumble. The Bruins as a team totaled five sacks, with Noah Lubisich also recovering a fumble.

On special teams, Riley Rutlege had five punts for 188 yards, including one ball that was pinned at the 4 yard line, while Ben Rembisz had a 31-yard field goal. 

Coach's Thoughts
"Hats off to L&C," said Bruin head coach Spencer Crace, "They jumped on us early. Long story short, we didn't show up to play. Another week where we had signs of greatness, but didn't execute. We will continue to get better. Our goals haven't changed, we need to fine tune the process, and play with mental toughness. Can't wait to get back to work."

What It Means
The Bruins fall to 0-2 on the season, while the Pios improve to 2-0 on the season. The next time these two teams play (October 25), Lewis & Clark will have a different mascot; the college announced they would be moving on from the Pioneer nickname at their 2025 homecoming game and taking on a new moniker.

What Happens Next
Fox will host their first game of five home events in 2025 when they welcome the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Stags to Stoffer Family Stadium on September 20. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 pm.