College football preview: Whitworth at George Fox

Pirates at Bruins

Kickoff: 2 p.m., Stoffer Family Stadium, Newberg, Oregon.

Records: Whitworth (2-1), George Fox (0-2)

Radio: 1230-AM

Overview: After a bye week, Whitworth travels Saturday to Newberg to open the Northwest Conference season against George Fox. In a somewhat odd scheduling year, the Pirates are in the middle of a five-week gap between home games, of which they have only four. The Pirates take on the Bruins who got crushed 35-0 by Wisconsin-Platteville on Sept. 3 and then lost a 33-22 squeaker at Redlands on Sept. 17. The Bruins, who have former Whitworth coach John Tully as the quarterbacks coach, must find a way to slow Whitworth’s Ian Kolste, who leads all quarterbacks in Division III in yards per game (434.3) and total offense (455.3). He is also has completed 68 percent of his passes and has eight passing touchdowns. Coach Rod Sandberg noted that this game is the first time anyone on the current staff has played a football game at George Fox, which restarted its program in 2014. “I expect a great game,” Sandberg said. “I expect to be in a test and in a battle.” The Pirates defense has been hot and cold. It gave up 50 points in the opening overtime loss to Central (Iowa), then shut out Whittier before giving up 42 points in a 49-42 win two weeks ago at La Verne. The Pirates return to the Pine Bowl on Oct. 8 to face Puget Sound (2-0) for homecoming.