NEWBERG, Ore. -- It's a chance for history for George Fox football.

They'll just need to beat their rivals to do it.

In the 12 years since the Bruins brought back football, they have started the season 3-0 just twice. One was in 2022. The other is 2026.

In the 2022 campaign, Fox dropped a heartbreaker to Pacific Lutheran on homecoming, 12-7, to drop to 3-1. Now, the Bruins will be on the road to McMinnville to face the Linfield Wildcats with a chance to move to 4-0 for the first time ever.

The last time the Bruins took down the Wildcats was in 1898, when Pacific College (now GFU) downed McMinnville College, 6-0. However, in the two teams' last meeting, the Bruins put together their best effort since returning to the gridiron in 2014, jumping out to a 14-0 lead before dropping the game, 35-17.

In the game, QB JJ Leman had 209 yards passing, one TD, and one INT in the Bruins' last time out against the Wildcats — and the Bruin signal caller has shown massive improvement since the two teams' last meeting. Through nonconference play, Leman has thrown for 745 yards and seven touchdowns, with just one interception.

Leman will be leading the same 11 starters as the prior two weeks. At running back will be Brody Snyder, who has recorded 56 yards rushing in each of Fox's past two games. The junior leads the team in rushing with 187 yards and two TDs, and averaged 5.8 yards per carry. Damien Ehlers, who averaged 8.6 yards per carry on 14 runs in 2026, is listed as the backup.

Wide receivers were the story for the Bruins in their 42-25 victory over CMS, with sophomore Karsen Denault shattering the GFU record book with a seven-reception, 214-yard game. Denault broke the program record for receiving yards in a game by 29 yards, and now sits 13th in the nation with 407 receiving yards through three games. Bupe Chisanga Jr., who had two TDs (one receiving and one rushing) in Fox's win, and Kaelen Frey will join Denault as starting wideouts, with Raiden Gonzales serving as the tight end.

On the line, Toby Esqueda, Rylan McGraw, Kyle Martin, Miky Amare, and Sean Brewster are listed as starters for the fourth straight game. So far in 2026, the Bruins have kept their quarterback comfortable in the pocket, allowing just two sacks and seven QB hurries.

On the defensive side, the two-headed monster of Jacob Erickson and Kuyper Assink will be the defensive ends for the Bruins. Thus far into 2026, the pair have combined for 8.0 sacks and 11.5 TFLs, and have been a menace for QBs everywhere. The duo is joined by listed starters Kaden Raever and Makana Paikuli.

Like the offensive side of the ball, it's the same starters as two weeks prior, joining Erickson and Assink, with Mika Petaia and Duke Alderete-Labuguen listed as linebackers. Alderete-Labuguen has stepped into his starting role nicely — the sophomore currently leads the team with 19 tackles. The player he's tied with? Petaia, who has made an immediate impact in his freshman campaign.

Zak Holsey leads the team in another category: interceptions. Holsey has already put himself on the all-time lists with two picks in the Bruins' last game, and has three on the season — second in the country. Ty Borde, meanwhile, is on his heels with two. The two DBs are slated to be joined by Ben Nuss and Austin Harrison.

Rounding out the Bruin lineup is special teams, where Ben Rembisz will again handle field goal kicking duties for GFU. Jacob Hundven will manage the kickoffs, while Riley Rutledge punts and Noah Bjornstedt handles long snaps.

As for the Wildcats, Linfield enters the game with a 1-1 record thanks to an upset loss at Chapman. Not only did the 24-21 defeat knock the 'Cats out of the Top 25 polls, but it also puts them at risk of their first 1-2 start since 2018. A loss to the Bruins would also be the Wildcats' second in a row — that hasn't happened to Linfield since 2001.

Senior Luke McNabb has started both games for the Wildcats in 2026 after splitting time under center in 2025. McNabb threw for 169 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions in his last game in Newberg, and has thrown five TDs thus far in 2026.

Kenyon Johnson has been McNabb's most reliable target through the air; the converted cornerback, who was selected as a preseason All-American, has made an impact in his first season as a receiver, pulling in 11 catches for 242 yards and two scores in just two games. Senior Dane Meddaugh has experience scoring against the Bruins, pulling in a 14-yard score last October.

Running back Jackson Pfeifer, who carried the ball 10 times in Fox's last meeting with the 'Cats, is not listed as the starter for Saturday's game. Instead, Matthew Spurlock, a junior who has 74 yards on the season, is listed as the number one tailback. McNabb has been the most dangerous Linfield runner in the opening games, as he leads the team with 116 yards rushing and the lone two rushing TDs.

On the defensive side, the Wildcats allow just 18.5 points per game thanks in part to senior Brady Crenshaw. The senior, who was an All-NWC defensive back in 2025, is second on the team in tackles behind rover Iloa Kaio. Linebacker Kellen Wiggins has been effective on blitz packages thus far, as he leads the team with three sacks.

The Wildcat player who can sway the games the most is punter Cade Johannsen. One of the best punters in the country, the Eugene, Oregon native, booted 30 total punts with just three touchbacks in 2025, earning himself First Team All-Northwest Conference, First Team All-Region 6, and First Team All-America. Though he has punted just three times in 2026, he averages 49.6 yards per punt, completely flipping the field each time.

Johannsen is listed as the backup kicker, which will be a position to watch. Starter Andrew O'Dell is just 2-for-5 on field goals on the season (though one miss came from 55 yards out), including a miss on a 25-yarder as time expired against Chapman — a kick that would have forced overtime against the Panthers.

Both teams are surely hungrier than normal heading into Saturday's game. For Linfield, a chance to avenge a close loss and get back on track. For George Fox, a chance at history.

And the Bruins will be sure to give it their all in one of the biggest games in Bruin football history come Saturday at 1:00 p.m.

Tickets, live stream, and live stats are all available on the GFU Athletics website.