The top two records in the Northwest Conference will face off in Forest Grove this weekend as the No. 5/7 Linfield Wildcats (4-0, 2-0) visit the Pacific Boxers (3-1, 2-0), with kickoff scheduled for 1 p.m. at Hanson Stadium.

If Linfield wins on Saturday, they will secure an above .500 record for the 66^th consecutive season, the most consecutive winning seasons at any level of college football.
 
TICKETS
Tickets can be purchased in advance online through Pacific's website and HometownTicketing.com or at the Hanson Stadium gate on gameday.

Reserved seating tickets are $20 apiece while general admission tickets are $15 for adults and $8 for children 15 and under as well as seniors. Children under the age of five can attend for free.
 
LIVE COVERAGE
The Linfield Sports Network will provide live audio coverage for Saturday's game, as they will for all Linfield football road games all season long. Play-by-play announcer Joe Stuart is joined by Gary McGarvie on color commentary and analysis.

The game will also be available to watch through the Pacific Boxers' website.
 
THE LINFIELD OFFENSE
The top offense in the NWC to this point, Linfield is averaging 432.8 yards of total offense and 42.3 points per game, ranking 21^st in Division III under co-offensive coordinators Brett Elliott and Aaron Boehme. A balanced attack has led to the Wildcats sitting second in the conference in both rushing and passing yards per game. They average 122.5 yards per game on the ground and 310.3 yards through the air, ranking 17^th in the nation.

Against Whitworth last Saturday, Linfield racked up 442 yards of total offense, surpassing 400 yards for the third time in four games this season. The 'Cats averaged 6.8 yards per play, totaling 286 passing and a season-high 156 rushing on 26 attempts for 5.4 yards per carry, also a season high.

Sophomore Blake Eaton continues to lead the Linfield offense from the quarterback position. He's averaged 285.8 yards per game, second in the NWC and 12^th in the country through four games in his debut starting season. His 12 touchdowns are also second in the conference while his 64.9 completion percentage sits third. Against Whitworth, he set new career highs in completions and completion percentage, connecting on 26 of 35 pass attempts (74.3 percent) for 286 yards and three touchdowns. He added his third rushing touchdown of the season.

Eaton's main target on Saturday was junior wide receiver Joel Valadez. Valadez had a career day against the Pirates, pulling in a season-best 11 catches for a career-high 178 yards and two touchdowns, a performance worthy of his first NWC Student-Athlete of the Week award.

Senior Colton Smith also was a key contributor, catching a season-high seven passes for 60 yards and his third touchdown of the year. Valadez is now fifth in the conference in receptions with 23 (5.8 per game, 16^th in Division III), second in receiving yards with 419, fourth in yards per catch at 18.2 and fifth in touchdowns with four. Smith is also in the top 10 in the conference in receiving yards and touchdowns and is a spot behind Valadez in yards per catch at 18.1

Senior Devon Murray is third in the league in touchdowns with five, but was used sparingly against Whitworth due to an injury suffered Oct. 1 against Puget Sound. Should Murray continue to miss time, juniors Connor Wolfe and Maclain Stoneking as well as senior Paul Thie could mix into the receiving corps against Pacific.

A collection of Wildcats have shown ability in the the run game this year, led by senior Connor McNabb. McNabb had his best rushing day of the season against Whitworth, running 16 times for 98 yards, an average of 6.1 yards per carry. He also caught three passes for 15 yards. McNabb leads the NWC in yards per rushing attempt among qualified backs at 4.62. His 77 per game are second in the conference. He also ranks in the top 10 in attempts, total rushing yards, touchdowns and all-purpose yards per game.

Juniors Zach Young and Tyler Larson played well as McNabb's backups with seniors Connor Morton and Bishop Mitchell both missing the Whitworth game. Young recorded six total touches for 31 yards while Larson ran the ball four times for 41 yards and a touchdown. Mitchell is expected to return for Saturday's matchup with Pacific. Morton, who has been battling an injury for the last two games, is considered a game-time decision.

The Linfield offense features an experienced offensive line that has only allowed two sacks and six tackles for loss over the last two games. The right side features a pair of fifth-year seniors in all-american guard Julien Sears and all-conference tackle Taylor Adams. The center is another fifth-year in all-region center Matt Metcalf. The left side features all-conference honorees, sophomore Bailey Lee at left guard with fifth-year senior Tyler Critser at right tackle. Critser missed the last game due to injury, and should he be out against Pacific, junior Diego Rodriguez will likely fill in once again.
 
THE PACIFIC OFFENSE
The Boxers have been one of the more solid offensive teams on the West Coast through four games, averaging 427.8 yards of total offense per game, second in the conference only to Linfield and top 40 in the country. Their 30.3 points per game are fourth in the conference.

Against Puget Sound, the Boxers posted a season-best 42 points and 553 yards of total offense, their best offensive performance since Oct. 12, 2019. They've been the top rushing team in the NWC this season at 162.3 yards per game and 4.2 yards per carry while scoring five touchdowns on the ground. Through the air, Pacific has averaged 265.5 yards per game, fourth in the league, and have scored 12 touchdowns. The Boxers also excelled at taking care of the football, turning the ball over just once this season.

The rushing attack is led by senior running back Kash Taylor, who has totaled 274 yards on 79 attempts this season, both second in the NWC. He's averaged 3.5 yards per carry on the year and has one rushing touchdown. Taylor has also recorded two receptions this season for 15 yards and a touchdown.

Freshman Brody Bantolina has also been a threat on the ground this year, totaling 237 yards on just 24 attempts for an average of 9.9 yards per carry and two touchdowns. Bantolina posted back-to-back breakout performances the past two weeks. On Oct. 1 against Willamette in the NWC opener, Bantolina rushed for 88 yards and two touchdowns while also recording two catches for 21 yards, earning NWC Student-Athlete of the Week along the way. He followed up with a 10-carry, 95-yard performance last week against UPS.

Junior quarterback Ryan Helt runs the Pacific offense in his first year as the starter. Helt has totaled 1,046 yards, fourth in the NWC (261.5 per game, third in the NWC), and 12 touchdowns (tied for second with Eaton) while completing 59.8 percent of his passes and throwing just one interception, the fewest among all starters in the conference this season. Helt was uber-efficient against Puget Sound, completing 12 of 17 attempts for 327 yards and five touchdowns, a new career high.

Helt's top target on the day and throughout the season has been junior Isaiah Pitrie, who posted three catches for 142 yards and two touchdowns against the Loggers, including one for 80 yards that is Pacific's longest play from scrimmage and the longest reception in the NWC this season. Pitre leads the team in nearly every receiving category and is tied for second in the NWC in touchdowns with five while sitting fourth in the league in receiving yards with 379 and sixth in the league with 22 catches and 17.2 yards per catch.

Junior Tyler Vargas is second on the team in catches with 15, which he has turned into 200 yards and two touchdowns. Vargas was an Honorable Mention All-NWC selection last year as a kick returner. Sophomore Kai Bookland has been the third option in the receiver room with 10 catches for 162 yards and two touchdowns.
 
THE LINFIELD DEFENSE
The Wildcats have looked elite on defense the last few weeks, allowing just 22 points over their last three contests under defensive coordinator Jackson Vaughan. Linfield is averaging just 14.0 points of scoring defense and 243.3 yards of total defense per game. Both numbers lead the NWC and sit in the top 40 in Division III. Allowing 62.8 rushing yards per game, 20^th in the nation, the Wildcats have been excellent in stopping the run. How Pacific's impressive run game does against Linfield's elite run defense will be a key storyline on gameday.

Against Whitworth, Linfield allowed just 288 yards of total offense, 196 through the air and 92 on the ground. The strength of the defense has stemmed from an elite pass rush that has racked up 19 sacks on the season. At 4.75 sacks per game, the 'Cats lead the nation. Linfield's defense has also totaled 32 tackles for loss on the year, an average of 8.0 a game, which is 28^th in Division III.

The front four would usually be led by all-american defensive end Travis Swanson, but Swanson is expected to miss Saturday's game after suffering an injury against Whitworth. Junior Caleb Sell, who has seen action in all four games this year, is expected to start in Swanson's space. On the year, he has two tackles and half a tackle for loss. As a sophomore in 2021, Sell saw action in all 11 games, recording nine tackles, 2.5 for loss.

Sell will be joined on the front line by all-region defensive tackles in senior Chase Lydig and junior Nick Severson as well as senior Vinny Niosi at the opposite defensive end. Niosi and Severson lead the groups with 11 tackles apiece. Niosi has recorded four tackles for loss, including three sacks, tied for fifth in the NWC, and a forced fumble. Severson has added two tackles for loss. Lydig rounds out the group with nine tackles, 1.5 sacks and a pass breakup. Senior Grayson Cosier and sophomore Connor Stevens will also rotate into the defensive line rotation.

The linebacker corps for the Wildcats has looked stronger and deeper every week. The group is led by junior Blake Rybar, whose 31 tackles lead the team and are top 10 in the league. His six tackles for loss are second on the team and fifth in the NWC. He's also recorded 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble. Against Whitworth, Rybar was tied for the team lead in tackles with seven, including half a tackle for loss.

Logan Carr, who recorded five tackles against Whitworth, is third on the team in tackles with 20, with two for loss and a sack as well as a forced fumble. Freshman Blaze Holani had a potential breakout game against Whitworth, recording four tackles with three sacks, the most by any player in the NWC this season. He earned his first career NWC Student-Athlete of the Week award for his performance. Senior Chris Collins and sophomore Zack Kanahele-Mone will also likely see action at linebacker against the Boxers.

Junior Caiden Biege-Wetherbee has played as well as any defensive player in the conference the last couple of weeks, leading the Wildcats in tackles during that span. Against Whitworth, he recorded seven tackles, half a sack and his first career interception. He's second on the team in tackles with 22, fourteen of them solo, and now has two takeaways, having also recovered a fumble.

Biege-Wetherbee is joined in the secondary by sophomore Colby Kalaukoa at monster and senior Ben Baxter at safety. Kalaukoa has 14 tackles, six solo, and has an interception and a pass breakup. Baxter has eight tackles, six solo, with two interceptions and a pass breakup.

At the starting cornerback positions, the Wildcats boast great size with junior Evan Fisette and sophomore Chance Sparks, both standing tall at 6'3". Sparks has 11 tackles, 10 solo, with a team-high three pass breakups. Fisette has added eight tackles, five solo, and one pass breakup. The Linfield secondary will also likely feature appearances from seniors Justin Pfau, Jett Searle and Gilbert Pizarro, juniors Cutter Hillock and Des Phillips and freshman Johnny Miller.
 
THE PACIFIC DEFENSE
The Boxer defense has been steady and solid through the first four games of the year, allowing 20.8 points per game, third in the NWC, but 338 yards per game, fifth in the NWC.

On the ground, Pacific has allowed 121.5 yards per game to go with 216.6 yards through the air, both fourth-best in the conference. The Boxers have only allowed opponents into the red zone 10 times this season, but eight of those chances have ended in scores, including seven touchdowns.

The Boxers are led on the year in tackles by senior outside linebacker Deshayne Stevens. Stevens has 27 tackles, 17 solo and 3.5 for loss with 1.5 sacks and a pass breakup. Stevens is joined at linebacker by fellow seniors Matt Kimball and Rustin Williams at the inside linebacker positions. Williams is tied for second on the team in tackles with 24, including 3.5 for loss and 1.5 sacks.

At the safety positions for the Boxers are senior Rob Wood at strong safety and junior Sancho Eskridge at full safety. Eskridge is tied with Williams at 24 tackles with half a tackle for loss, three pass breakups and an interception. Wood has 15 tackles, 10 solo, with one for loss and a half a sack in addition to one pass breakup and two quarterback hurries.

Two sophomores hold down the cornerback spots for Pacific in Zion Booker and Jesse Stroede. Booker has 23 tackles with a team-leading four for loss, one sack, an interception and a NWC-leading seven pass breakups. Stroede has 13 tackles, 12 solo, with one tackle for loss, one pass breakup and an interception.

The defensive line shows a three-man front led by junior Andrew Welch, who leads the group with 10 tackles, including one for loss. He's joined by senior Loudyn Reese, who's been held to two tackles on the year, and freshman Ho'ola'i Winchester, who has four tackles and half a tackle for loss.

THE SERIES
The Wildcats own the all-time series between the two programs, leading 49-23-4 with the first contest played in 1897. Linfield has won the last 16 meetings. Pacific's last win came on Nov. 12, 1988, in Forest Grove. Since 1955, the Boxers have only beaten the Wildcats three times. Linfield has averaged 23.7 points per game in the series, but has scored 50 or more points in the last three meetings. The largest margin of victory in the series was a 77-10 Linfield win in McMinnville on Oct. 10, 2015.
 
HEAD COACH JOSEPH SMITH
Joseph Smith is in his 17th season as Linfield's head coach. He has an overall record of 142-27 (.840), which is the highest winning percentage of any head coach in Wildcat football history … Smith's record includes marks of 112-16 (.875) in the regular season, 91-6 (.939) in Northwest Conference games, 79-7 (.918) at home and 19-11 (.633) in the postseason … In Smith's time as head coach, Linfield has won 11 NWC titles, 10 of those outright … During Smith's tenure, Linfield has put together six unbeaten regular seasons. 
 
THE STREAK
A win on Saturday will clinch a winning season for the Wildcats, which will be their 66^th in a row. The Wildcats' streak, which began in 1956, is the longest in the history of college football at any level … During the streak, Linfield is 530-119-10 for a winning percentage of .804. Linfield's record at home during the streak is 288-42-4 (.862), and at Maxwell Field it is 284-42-4 (.861) … Linfield's Northwest Conference record during the streak is 266-33-5 (.869).