Linfield University Athletics

McMINNVILLE, Ore. – On a historic afternoon, at a historic venue and facing its historical nemesis, 22nd-ranked Linfield added yet another winning football season to its all-divisions, national record.
 
While dominating Pacific Lutheran 41-0 Saturday at Maxwell Field, Linfield achieved the program's 70th straight season of more wins than losses. The last time the Wildcats football program experienced a losing season was 1955. Linfield's "Streak" predates the Space Race, the Beatles and the Vietnam War.
 
Wildcats quarterback Luke McNabb passed for 257 yards and two touchdowns, and rushed for a game-high 50 yards and another score to lead Linfield to its fifth win of the season with just three games remaining on the regular-season schedule.
 
Perhaps as importantly, the Wildcats improved to 4-0 in the Northwest Conference, seting up a showdown next week in Portland with upstart Lewis & Clark, which knocked off defending NWC champion Whitworth 43-41 in triple overtime on Saturday. The River Otters, coached by former Linfield All-America QB Brett Elliott, moved to 5-1 for the season and matched the Wildcats' 4-0 record. The winner of that game at Griswold Stadium will be in the driver's seat to be crowned 2026 NWC champion.
 
Pacific Lutheran, whose best opportunity to score came on its opening drive, fell to 3-4 overall and 2-2 in conference play. The Lutes got the opening kickoff and advanced to the Linfield 9-yard line in seven plays. After taking a short pass from Dallas So'oto at the 8, it appeared Connor Meade was headed for an apparent touchdown, but the ball was fumbled into the end zone from the 1, resulting in a touchback. PLU never threatened after that.
 
Linfield opened the scoring in the first quarter on Andrew O'Dell's 49-yard field goal with 5:25 left. Jayce Bareng then reeled in an 8-yard touchdown pass from Luke McNabb at 9:58 of the second quarter, capping an 11-play drive. O'Dell's extra point made it 10-0 in favor of the Wildcats.
 
Linfield outgained PLU 148-104 in the first half, holding the Lutes to just 10 yards rushing in the half.
 
With 4:47 left in the third quarter, Matthew Spurbeck bulled his way across the goal line from 17 yards out, stretching the Linfield lead to 17-0. Just over two minutes later, the Wildcats were in the end zone again when McNabb plowed his way across the line from the 1. O'Dell kicked the extra point and the Wildcats led comfortably, 24-0.
 
McNabb left no doubt about the game's outcome with 8:58 to go, delivering a 51-yard bomb to backup wideout Aidan Andresen. It was the sophomore's first career reception, widening the Wildcat advantage to 31-0.
 
Linfield linebacker Kellen Wiggins added to the Lutes' misery, scooping up fumble at the 14-yard line and returning it for a touchdown with just under nine minutes remaining. The fumble came following defensive end TraMayne Jenkins' strip sack resulting in an 11-yard loss.
 
O'Dell capped the day's scoring with a 37-yard field goal with 32-seconds left on the clock.
 
Linfield doubled PLU's yardage total, 422-181, including holding the Lutes to minus-2 yards on the ground. McNabb completed 20 of 32 throws for 257 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. Johnson finished with four catches for a game-high 79 yards, Dane Meddaugh had four grabs for 46 yards.
 
Defensively, linebacker Hudson Reink was credited with a game-high 11 tackles, including two for losses of eight yards. End Jaydon Kaio and rover Iloa Kaio each had five tackles. Wyatt Abrigo, Brady Crenshaw and Max Kirsch total four stops apiece.
 
Jenkins finished with two of the Wildcats' six total sacks on the day. Reink, Axl Yarbrough, Jaydon Kaio, Cougar Bailey and Benson Deibele also had their hands in on sacks of So'oto.
 
CAT SCRATCH
Saturday's attendance was 1,743 . . . the Wildcats extended their series streak over the Lutes to 26 straight victories . . . Linfield now leads the all-time series 52-21-4 . . . in the 70 years of The Streak, Linfield has won 89 percent of its Northwest Conference games. . . (298-34-5) . . . Linfield punter Cade Johannsen turned in another stellar day, averaging 47.3 yards on three attempts, including one punt that was downed at the PLU 1-yard line. . . Linfield went 9 for 16 on third-down plays, PLU was just 4 for 14. . . Linfield did not turn the ball over.
 
NEXT
Linfield visits Lewis & Clark for a game that is expected to decide the Northwest Conference championship and the league's automatic berth to the NCAA Division III playoffs. Kickoff at Griswold Stadium is set for 1 p.m.
  Read Full Article