NEWBERG, Ore. -- Though the George Fox football team has gotten close over the years, they haven't been able to accomplish one thing since the program returned in 2014 — defeating their rival, the Linfield Wildcats. And what better time to make history than on Homecoming Weekend?

Fox has played Linfield every year since the program's return (except for the 2020 COVID-shortened season), coming close but never securing a win. However, it goes back even further than the past 11 seasons; prior to the football team's discontinuation in 1968, the Bruins had lost the past seven games to the Wildcats. In fact, GFU's last win over Linfield came on November 5, 1898, when they took down the Wildcats, 6-0.

That's something that Spencer Crace and quarterback JJ Leman are looking to change on Saturday. Leman's first NWC game at QB will be at home against the Wildcats, where he looks to build off of a solid nonconference slate. The Bruin signal caller is third in the conference with 171 yards rushing to go alongside his 475 yards passing. In his previous outing against CMS, the freshman hardly looked like a newcomer, rushing for two touchdowns and throwing for another.

It was a Bruin rushing attack that utilized starting tailback Taylor Saben much more against the Stags than in the previous two games; after just nine carries through the first two outings, the senior rushed 13 times for 51 yards against CMS. He will look to do the same as the starting back against Linfield.

At receiver, Dreylen Tolentino has been utilized as a rusher as well. The junior had four designed running plays to go alongside a pop pass to get him involved in the game. Tolentino will start along with senior Kaelan Frey, who leads the team in catches, and freshman standout Karsen Denault, who averages a staggering 22.8 yards per reception.

On the line, Miky Amare, Rylan McGraw, Kyle Martin, Lawa Ah Yat, and Sean Brewster will all earn the start for the third consecutive game. The group as a whole helped the Bruins rush for 152 yards and two scores. At tight end, Sheyden Iokia will pick up his fourth start of the season.

Defensively, the Bruins will run out the same 11 players that they have all season. Leading the way will be defensive end Jacob Erickson, who compiled one of the best games in George Fox history against the Stags. Erickson led the team with a career-high 11 tackles — six of which were for a loss — and was a force to be reckoned with all day, finishing with one forced fumble and three QB hurries to go along with his program-record five sacks. The senior, who was named to the D3football.com National Team of the Week for his efforts, will be joined by Silas Kincaid, Kuyper Assink, and Kaden Raever. 

At linebacker will be Caleb McElfish and Kaikoa Iokia, while Zak Holsey will play the nickel. Iokia looks to bounce back after an unsportsmanlike foul resulted in his ejection from the CMS game. In his stead, Duke Alderete-Labuguen recorded one TFL. Rounding out the defensive starters are Ben Ness and Austin Harrison at cornerback alongside safeties Ty Borde and Reyn Asato. Nuss is second on the team in tackles, while Asato is third.

Special teams will be more of the same as well, with Ben Rembisz serving as starting kicker with Riley Rutledge at punter. The one change for the Bruins comes at long snapper, where Noah Bjornstedt is listed as the starter for the first time this season. Bjornstedt has played in several games as a blocking tight end.

On Linfield's side, it's a season of change for the team in McMinnville. Offensive coordinator Brett Elliott left the program to become the head coach at Lewis & Clark, while many fifth-year seniors graduated. Head coach Joseph Smith is listed as the playcaller for the Wildcats, who graduated all four of their All-American players from 2025. The Wildcats' enter with a 1-1 record after a tough 31-14 loss to UW-Oshkosh (who is currently ranked No. 15 in the D3football.com Top 25 poll) and a 28-13 win over Chapman, and are the first team outside of the top 25 in national polls.

After splitting time with senior QB Blake Eaton in the 2024 season, Luke McNabb has served as the starting quarterback for the Wildcats in 2025. The junior has thrown for 298 yards, five touchdowns, and one interception in his two games played, and rushed for 63 yards and a score in a win over Chapman. Behind a young offensive line composed of four underclassmen, McNabb has been sacked just twice on the season, something Erickson hopes to change quickly.

With many of their former stars graduating, Linfield is looking for new faces on the offensive side. Starting running back Jackson Pfeifer has rushed 25 times for just 43 yards in two games, while senior Calev Woodcock is the Wildcats top receiver with eight catches for 126 yards — 100 of which came against Chapman.

Defensively, eight players for the Wildcats have recorded at least half of a sack. Jaydon Kaio is fresh off a two-sack performance against Chapman. As a team, Linfield has recorded three interceptions in two games, with two fumble recoveries as well; Fox will need to keep the ball tight in order to secure the upset.

Perhaps one of the most underrated pieces of the Linfield attack is punter Cade Johannsen, who picked up the NWC Special Teams Athlete of the Week honor two weeks prior. The sophomore leads the nation among Division III punters in average yardage with 47.5 yards per punt and routinely flips the field for the Wildcats. Johannsen already has four punts exceeding 50 yards, including six ending inside the opponent's 20-yard line, and could pin the Bruins deep.

With fans frenzied for Fox homecoming, it could make for one of the most entertaining games of the season as the Bruins hope to party like it's 1898 on Saturday afternoon.

The game is scheduled for a 1:00 pm kickoff and will be live streamed on FloSports. Live stats and ticketing information are available on the George Fox Athletics website.