TACOMA, Washington – Following back-to-back weeks on the road, the Puget Sound football team returns to Baker Stadium this Saturday, Oct. 28, for a 1 p.m. kickoff against Northwest Conference foe Willamette.
WHO
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Puget Sound vs. Willamette
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WHERE
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Tacoma, Wash. | Baker Stadium
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WHEN
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Saturday, Oct. 28, 1 p.m.
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LIVE
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SOCIAL
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Home sweet home
The Loggers are 2-0 at home this season, and they have won three of their last four games in Baker Stadium. Dating back to the 2015 season, Puget Sound is 7-4 with the home crowd behind the Loggers.
Take it away, now
The Logger defense leads the NWC with 16 takeaways this season. Puget Sound has a league-best eight fumble recoveries, and the Loggers are tied with Linfield and Pacific Lutheran for the league lead with eight interceptions. Zackary Teats leads the secondary with two interceptions. Seven different Loggers have an interception, and eight different Loggers have forced a fumble.
Career day for Diebold
Puget Sound quarterback Tanner Diebold threw for a career-high 347 yards at Whitworth last week. He completed 30 of 51 passes, and ran for another 50 yards.
Ground gains
Known mostly for its passing attack, the Puget Sound offense has had a lot of success running the ball this year. Paul Thomas leads the Loggers with 172 rushing yards, followed by Diebold (148), Duncan Varela (147), and Vance Wood. Wood's five rushing touchdowns rank fourth in the NWC, while Thomas' four scores rank fifth.
One the receiving end
Dustin Harrison leads the NWC with 78.8 receiving yards per game, including consecutive 100-yard games against Pacific (129) and Whitworth (115). AJ Johnson is third in the NWC with 70 receiving yards per game, and has at least five receptions in his six games.
The right kind of loss
Defensive linemen Braden Ash (9) and Todd Blakely (8.5) combined for 17.5 tackles for a loss The duo also has seven sacks combined – five by Ash and two by Blakely.
Scouting Willamette (0-6, 0-4 NWC)
The winless Bearcats have had two close games this season. They lost the season-opener to Rhodes, 45-42, and dropped a contest at Lewis & Clark, 24-21. Jackson Lewis ranks second in the NWC with 11 tackles per game, and Alec Stevenson ranks third with 10. Willamette has committed 16 turnovers (nine interceptions, seven fumbles), while coming away with just eight takeaways on the defensive end. The Bearcats' 29% third-down conversion rate is last in the NWC, and the defense allows the most points per game (39.5) in the league.
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