When the Puget Sound Loggers visit Memorial Stadium on Saturday Linfield football plans to accomplish two tasks – improve its record to 6-1 with a fifth consecutive win and clinch a winning record for the 68^th consecutive season, the longest such streak in college football.
 
"The Streak" began in 1956 and the Wildcats haven't looked back since, posting a winning percentage of .816 in the last 68 years. Linfield also looks to add to its streak against Puget Sound, having won the last 33 meetings.
 
Led by 19^th year head coach Joseph Smith, the 'Cats are ranked No. 20 in the D3Football.com Top 25 and No. 17 in the AFCA Coaches Poll. They bring a 3-0 Northwest Conference record into Saturday's game, tied for first place with Whitworth after beating George Fox 47-7 last week.
 
Under 12^th year head coach Jeff Thomas, the Loggers hold a 1-5 record and are winless in league play in a season of statistical extremes for Puget Sound, ranking towards the top of Division-III in several offensive categories but towards the bottom in most defensive stats.
 
But they are coming off one of their better performances this season, a 42-24 loss to Whitworth in which the Loggers led twice in the third quarter.
 
Saturday also serves as the annual Pacific Office Automation Hall of Fame Game. The five individuals and one team making up the Linfield Athletics Hall of Fame class of 2024 will be honored at halftime before their induction that night.
 
The festivities continue with Linfield's annual Family Weekend, beginning Friday afternoon and continuing for Sunday. More details can be found on the Linfield University website.
 
TICKETS
Single game tickets are available online or can be purchased at the Memorial Stadium box office on game day beginning two hours before kickoff.
 
Tickets for covered, reserved seating in the grandstand are $25 apiece while general admission tickets are $15 with discounts available for seniors, students and children. Linfield students with their university ID and children under the age of six can attend for free.
 
LIVE COVERAGE
All Linfield home games feature full video webcast coverage produced by the Linfield Sports Network, which can be found live at GoLinfieldWildcats.com. Coverage begins at 12:30 with the Farnham Electric Pregame Show.
 
Linfield alum Joe Stuart is in his fourth season on play-by-play for Linfield football. He is joined by Linfield Hall of Fame running back Gary McGarvie for color commentary and analysis.
 
In addition live stats can also be found at GoLinfieldWildcats.com.
 
THE LINFIELD OFFENSE
Week over week the Wildcats have improved on offense. Linfield leads the NWC in scoring at 43.8 points per game, 21^st in D-III, and the 'Cats have posted 438.5 yards of total offense per game, second in the league only to the Loggers.
 
In the run game Linfield averages 143.3 and 4.1 yards per attempt, complementary to what's evolving into one of the best passing offenses in the country. The Wildcats average 295.2 yards of passing offense per game, 14^th nationally. They sit third in the NWC in both rushing and passing.
 
The strong numbers through the air have been due largely in part of the play of fifth-year senior quarterback Blake Eaton.
 
The two-time all-conference selection is third in the NWC with 1,391 passing yards and leads the league in completion rate at 70.7 percent, 13^th best in D-III. Eaton's thrown for nine touchdowns against one in interception and has thrown for two in each of the last four games.
 
Junior Luke McNabb continues to rotate in for Eaton and has delivered at a high level as well, completing 67 percent of his passes for 356 yards and seven touchdowns while scoring a rushing touchdown in each game.
 
McNabb will mostly see action in short-yardage and red zone situations. The two-quarterback system has produced a 93.3 percent red zone conversion rate for the 'Cats, ninth best in the country.
 
Passes have been evenly distributed as four senior wide receivers have become legitimate threats for Linfield's quarterbacks.
 
Fifth-years Jacob Slifka and Connor Wolfe and true seniors Maclain Stoneking and Caleb Woodcock all boast solid production through six games – Slifka leads the group with 29 receptions and Wolf in yards with 331; they're tied for the team lead with four touchdowns apiece.
 
Stoneking's third in the receiver room with 310 receiving yards while Woodcock's found the end zone three times so far this season.
 
Fifth-year tailback Aaron Martinez has been a key contributor since returning to the lineup following an early season injury. He's totaled at least 69 all-purpose yards and a touchdown in each of the last three games, scoring twice last week at George Fox. His 5.0 yards per rush attempt is a top 10 number in the NWC.
 
Jackson Pfiefer leads the team in all-purpose yards with 391 after a career-best 122 yards last game. The sophomore also scored his first touchdown of the season at George Fox while setting a season-high of 63 yards rushing and a career-high 59 yards receiving.
 
THE PUGET SOUND OFFENSE
Through the first half of the season the Loggers have put together one of the top statistical offenses in the country using a high volume of short and intermediate passes.
 
Puget Sound has thrown the ball more than any team in D-III with 325 pass attempts, an average of 54.2 attempts per game. Despite that the Loggers average just 10.1 yards per completion, seventh in the NWC and ranked in the bottom 30 nationally.
 
But the formula has led to the best passing offense in the NWC and the 12^th-best in the country, averaging 310.3 yards per game via the pass, and the best total offense in the conference with 439.6 yards per game.
 
But even with the impressive yardage the Loggers have only scored at an average rate, sitting sixth in the league with 26.8 points per game and only scoring on 64.3 percent of red zone trips, also sixth in the NWC.
 
They've also ran the ball at a middling level with 129.2 rushing yards per game and 3.9 per attempt. Their eight rushing touchdowns are the third fewest in the conference.
 
Senior quarterback Mason Binning, a second team all-NWC honoree last season as an at-large selection, has led the Loggers' high-volume pass attack with 307.7 passing yards per game, the sixth-best mark in the country.
 
The only NWC quarterback averaging over 300 yards a game this season, Binning has thrown for 13 touchdowns with four interceptions, the second-most in the conference in both categories. He's completed just 57.3 percent of his attempts, the second-lowest rate among NWC starting quarterbacks.
 
The greatest beneficiary of Puget Sound's offense has been junior wide receiver Joe Gallagher, who leads the nation with an eye-popping 80 receptions through six games.
 
Gallagher's turned his bevy of opportunities into 108.7 yards per game, top-20 in D-III and second in the NWC, and five touchdowns – but averages just 8.2 yards per catch, worst in the league among the top 25 reception leaders in the conference.
 
Against Whitworth he posted 20 receptions, the most in a game by any player in D-III this year, producing 162 yards and a score.
 
Isaac Tran has also been a top option in the Logger offense, posting 568 yards on 46 catches with three touchdowns. Senior tight end Tommy Milton had a breakout performance against the Pirates with six catches for 103 yards and his second touchdown of the season.
 
Senior running back Henry Hernandez, an all-conference honorable mention selection last year, leads the Puget Sound rushing attack with 85.7 yards per game, third in the NWC, 5.1 yards per attempt and four touchdowns.
 
Fifth-year senior center Caleb Puapuaga, a two-time all-league selection, leads an otherwise inexperienced Puget Sound offensive line as one of just two upperclassmen starting up front. The Loggers have given up 13 sacks this season, most in the conference.
 
THE LINFIELD DEFENSE
Linfield continues to be a national standard-setter on the defensive side of the ball. With just 9.3 points and 211.5 yards allowed per game the 'Cats are eighth in the nation in scoring defense and 12^th in total defense, leading the NWC in both categories.
 
The Wildcats allow conversions on 23.6 percent of third downs, fifth in the country, and have limited opponents to just 128.7 passing yards per game, 14^th nationally, and the fifth fewest first downs in the country.
 
They also sit top 10 in tackles for loss with 56 and 24 sacks and are tied for 14^th in the nation with 10 interceptions, having recorded at least one pick in every game this season.
 
Across the starting lineup players have made cases for postseason accolades – headlined by the defensive line.
 
Fifth-year defensive end Caleb Sell leads the NWC with 11 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks, fourth in the nation. Fifth-year defensive tackle Alex Frazier-Dow follows closely behind with nine tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks while true senior defensive end Connor Stevens has 6.5 tackles for loss and four sacks.
 
Fifth-year tackle Nick Severson, a two-time all-region selection, draws plenty of attention from opposing offensive lines but has still totaled 14 tackles with three for loss and 1.5 sacks.
 
The star power continues in the linebacker corps, where fifth-year senior and two-time All-American Blake Rybar leads the team with 42 tackles, with 6.5 for loss and 1.5 sacks.
 
He's joined by Blaze Holani, who trails only Rybar for the team lead in tackles with 28, 5.5 for loss. His two interceptions are second on the team, one of only two Wildcats with multiple picks so far this season.
 
The middle of the Linfield defense is rounded out by fifth-year rover Caiden Biege-Wetherbee, who's totaled 21 tackles. Johnny Miller has also seen time at rover, recording 20 tackles with three for loss.
 
In the secondary, senior cornerback Chance Sparks leads the team and is tied for second in the league in interceptions after recording his third of the year at George Fox. He also leads the team with three pass breakups and has blanketed opposing receivers to the point that he's only had to make seven tackles this season.
 
Kenyon Johnson joins Sparks at cornerback while fifth-years Colby Kalaukoa and Jett Searle secure the back end of the defense at monster back and safety.
 
Kalaukoa's third on the team with 27 tackles while Searle's added 18. Both Johnson and Kalaukoa have an interception and a breakup on the year while Searle's broken up two passes.
 
THE PUGET SOUND DEFENSE
As much success as the Loggers have manufactured on offense, they have been unable to replicate on defense. Puget Sound's given up a whopping 48.5 points and 475.5 yards per game this year, both numbers ranked in the bottom 15 of the 239 programs in Division-III.
 
Puget Sound allows 252.7 passing yards per game and 222.8 rushing, last in the NWC. The Loggers have also allowed defenses to score on 86.5 percent of red zone chances and 52.4 percent of third downs and have recorded the fewest sacks and turnovers of any team in the league.
 
Some of the Loggers' woes can be chalked up to inexperience with just four upperclassmen in their starting 3-5-3 defense.
 
Inside linebacker Max Arneklev and outside backer Amarian Culpepper are the only two seniors in the starting lineup – both have earned all-conference nods in their careers. Arneklev leads the Puget Sound defense with 33 tackles, 3.5 for loss, while Culpepper is third on the team with 29 tackles and has three pass breakups.
 
Tamaaulelei Maalona also starts as an inside linebacker and is tied with Arneklev in total tackles, contributing 2.5 for loss. He also recorded Puget Sound's only interception this season two weeks ago at George Fox.
 
Cornerback Tyler Evars leads the Logger secondary with 20 tackles and a team-high five pass breakups, good enough for top five in the conference. Safety Jaylan Bunch also has 20 tackles with four breakups.
 
Three freshmen start on the defensive line, with Matagi Lilo leading the group with 19 tackles and a sack. Senior Hayden McPherson has come off the bench for two tackles for loss including 1.5 sacks.
 
THE LINFIELD SPECIALISTS
Senior kicker Gavin Dalziel is headed for a career season with nine field goals made, the fourth-highest total in the country, and 30 for 31 kicking on point after touchdown attempts.
 
Fifth-year All-American punter Thomas Tabor leads the league and is top 20 in the nation with 41.7 yards per punt. He's induced five fair catches and has put the ball inside the 20-yard line six times.
 
Linfield claims the top two qualified punt returners with Maclain Stoneking and sophomore Reid Gray. Gray leads the NWC with 8.3 yards per return with Stoneking a tick behind at 8.2
 
Stoneking also leads the 'Cats with four kickoff returns this year, averaging 19.75 per. Brady Crenshaw has returned two kicks for a total of 40 yards.
 
THE PUGET SOUND SPECIALISTS
A pair of freshmen handle kicking duties for Puget Sound with Bryson Boyea-Quiton and Thomas Goeglin. Boyea-Quiton has connected on 16 of 18 PAT's and three of five field goals, his longest make from 29 yards out. Goeglin averages 39.9 yards per punt, second in the league only to Tabor.
 
Kanoa Ferreira leads the Loggers with 17.5 yards per kickoff return while Jayson Barber has returned three punts for an average of 17.0 yards.
 
THE SERIES
Linfield's series with Puget Sound dates to 1924, when Puget Sound took a 55-6 win in Tacoma. Linfield leads the all-time series 36-12-1, including 2023's 55-6 win in in Tacoma … The most recent game in McMinnville was Linfield's 72-2 victory in 2022 … Puget Sound's last win was in 1987 by a 21-20 score in McMinnville … the Wildcats are 17-5 against the Loggers in McMinnville and 19-7-1 in Tacoma … Linfield and Puget Sound did not play between 1947 and 1983. Before that break, Linfield was just 1-11-1 in the series; since the break ended, Linfield is 35-1 vs. UPS … from 2013-2015, Linfield scored at least 70 points in each game of the series, winning 79-3 in McMinnville in 2013, 73-10 in Tacoma in 2014 and 72-3 in McMinnville in 2015 … Linfield's widest margin of victory was 76 points, a 79-3 win in 2013 in McMinnville; Puget Sound's widest margin of victory was 50 points, 50-0 in in 1928 in McMinnville …
 
THE STREAK: With one more win in 2024, Linfield would extend the longest streak of winning seasons in college football history at any level; The Streak currently sits at 67 seasons, having begun in 1956 … during The Streak, Linfield is 559-122-10 for a winning percentage of .816. Linfield's record at home during The Streak is 297-44-4 (.867), and at Maxwell Field it is 294-44-4 (.865) … Linfield's Northwest Conference record during The Streak is 281-34-5 (.886). In all league games during The Streak, it is 335-46-5 (.874), which includes games from 1985-1995 when the NWC schools were part of the Columbia Football Association …
 
HEAD COACH JOSEPH SMITH: Joseph Smith is in his 18th season as Linfield's head oach; he has an overall record of 157-30 (.840), which is the highest winning percentage of any head coach in Wildcat football history … Smith's record includes marks of 129-18 (.878) in the regular season, 106-7 (.938) in Northwest Conference games, 87-9 (.906) at home and 20-12 (.625) in the postseason … During Smith's tenure, Linfield has won 12 NWC titles; 11 of those have been outright, most recently in 2022 … During Smith's tenure, Linfield has put together 7 unbeaten regular seasons …