NEWBERG, Ore. -- The George Fox football team will be suiting up for the final time in 2026 on Saturday.

The Bruins (6-3, 3-3 NWC) earned their third straight victory with a 23-14 win over Pacific — and clinched their first winning season since 2022. Now, they'll look for their third season with seven or more wins as they welcome the Pacific Lutheran Lutes (3-6, 2-4 NWC) to Newberg. With a win, Fox will also clinch a fourth-place finish in the conference for the second straight season.

While the team will be honoring the 24 seniors prior to the game, Fox will turn to two underclassmen at the QB position. JJ Leman has started all 10 games for the Bruins, though backup quarterback Austin Ramsey started in the backfield alongside Leman against Pacific. Leman is 152 yards away from becoming the third QB ever to record a 2,000-yard season, while Ramsey is nearing 500 yards on the season himself.

Brody Snyder and Lyal Viers are listed as the running backs for the Bruins in GFU's two-deep, with Snyder the starter. Snyder is 72 yards out from a 600-yard season (which would be the third-most yards in a season in program history), while Viers enters the game on the heels of a 74-yard, two-touchdown performance.

Speaking of records, Karsen Denault is closing in on a few himself. The sophomore WR is just four yards away from breaking Leon Johnson III's program record mark of 1,156 receiving yards in a season and 98 away from Brad Lander's career mark of 2,158. Denault will be joined by the usual starters in Bupe Chisanga Jr. and Kaelan Frey, as well as senior tight end Raiden Gonzales. 

On the line, Fox will employ the same five starters that they have used in the past three games: Toby Esqueda, Rylan McGraw, Matt Bradley, Miky Amare, and Sean Brewster. Kyle Martin, who started the first six games of the season at the center position before being sidelined with an injury, is currently listed as the backup to Bradley.

It's the same 11 starters for the Bruins defensively in what has been an efficient group. The Bruins have allowed just 31 points over the past three weeks, a big part of why Fox has won three in a row. While the defense didn't force a turnover for the first time all season against Pacific, they have still forced 11 fumbles, recovering 10, and picked off 12 passes this year.

Superstar Jacob Erickson will suit up for George Fox one final time. The defensive end has nine sacks on the season and 38.5 for his career — the most in program history by nearly 10 sacks. Erickson is joined by a player with six sacks of his own on the season, Kuyper Assink, and defensive tackles Kaden Raever and Tyven Self-Gomes-Kealakai.

Mike Petaia and Duke Alderete-Labuguen will start at the linebacker position once again, while Zak Holsey (who leads the team in interceptions) is at nickel. Ben Nuss, Ty Borde, Eli Miller, and Austin Harrison round out the defensive starters for Fox.

Special teams-wise, Ben Rembisz will be kicking his final field goals for GFU after an illustrious four-year career. The senior from La Center, Wash., became the all-time leading scorer in program history just weeks prior and is 9-11 on kicks for the season. Riley Rutledge handles the punts, recording three touchbacks and averaging 40.3 yards per punt.

After starting their season with a 37-30 victory over Cal Lutheran, Pacific Lutheran spent much of the season as a defensively-minded squad. After losing NWC Offensive Player of the Year Jacob Schuh, PLU failed to score more than 14 points in five of their first seven games while holding teams below 25 points in five games as well. However, that has changed in the past two weeks; the Lutes have hung with two of the top teams in the NWC, losing 24-33 to Whitworth before a 31-46 loss to Lewis & Clark.

It's been a bit of a guessing game when it comes to the PLU quarterback situation. Three players have thrown for at least 300 yards: Anthony Maheffy, Dallas So'oto, and AJ Tuifua. While Maheffy is listed as the starter on the Lutes' two-deep, he has attempted just one pass in the past three games. Backup So'oto has taken over signal-calling duties in the past three games, and the freshman has been a big part of the offensive renaissance — in those three games, he has thrown for 637 yards and four TDs, rushing for 97 yards and a score as well.

Darius Sum is the top back for the Lutes, rushing for 384 yards, but wide receiver Dayton Savea is the one to watch statistically. No matter who has been throwing him the ball, Savea has pulled down catches. The sophomore has 45 receptions for 705 yards and five touchdowns, and enters off a 116-yard game against the River Otters.

Defensively, Cole Becker has been a presence on the defensive line. The First Team All-NWC athlete has recorded 5.5 sacks this season and forced a fumble against Lewis & Clark. Jackson Hale, himself an All-NWC athlete, currently leads the team in tackles with 78, a number that's third in the conference. After four interceptions in the first two games, the Lutes haven't picked off many passes, but are adept at recovering the fumbles they force; PLU has forced nine fumbles and recovered nine fumbles this season.

It will be more than just a Senior Day game for GFU. It will be a chance at one of the best seasons in program history. It will be a chance for head coach Spencer Crace to defeat the school that employed him as offensive coordinator for nearly a decade. And it will be a chance for Fox to end the season on a four-game win streak and head into 2027 on the right foot.

Be sure to tune in, with Senior Day festivities scheduled for 12:15 pm and kickoff slated for 1:00 pm. Live stats, live video, and ticketing information are available on the GFU Athletics website.