TACOMA, Wash. - The Pacific Lutheran University football team packs their bags for Saturday's game against 24th-ranked Linfield College in McMinnville, Oregon. 
 
The Lutes' face off with the Wildcats comes after a strong weekend last Saturday against Willamette University, besting the Bearcats 33-20. The Lutes (3-3, 2-2 Northwest Conference) look to continue that momentum on the road this weekend. 
 
"I'm excited for Linfield, I love their atmosphere, it's like a mini college town so I'm looking forward to playing there," says senior wide receiver Brady Winter. 
 
Winter goes to Linfield with confidence coming off Saturday's game with two receiving touchdowns and 136 yards. But Winter isn't letting that confidence go to his head. 
 
"We are still preparing like any other team, working hard, practicing hard, watching film, and having coaches meetings." 
            
As a senior role model to the younger teammates, Winter takes pride in leading by example. 
 
"How we act on the field but also off the field is something this senior class and the senior classes before me have always made a priority." 
 
When he's not playing football or studying for class, Winter enjoys down time with his teammates, who he also lives with, playing Fortnite and getting Applebee's half price appetizers on Wednesday nights. 
 
"I want to have a great time with the seniors and all of the guys, we're all really close." 
 
Following graduation in the spring, Winter plans on becoming a firefighter. He wants to follow the path that many of his relatives paved becoming firemen. 
            
Relating his love of football to his intended career path, "I love playing the game and you get a team atmosphere, and I think that's why I wanted to go into firefighting because you get that environment there too." 
 
See the Brady and the Lutes' take on Linfield College this Saturday with kickoff set for 1:30pm. 
 
Oct. 27: PLU vs. Linfield in McMinnville, Oregon (1:30 p.m.)
 
Series History: Saturday's tilt will be the 70th all-time meeting between the Lutes and Wildcats with Linfield enjoying a 44-21-4 advantage in the series history. Last season the Lutes took Linfield to overtime before a roughing the kicker penalty allowed the Wildcats to get a fresh set of downs as they escaped Sparks Stadium with the 16-10 win. 
 
About the Wildcats: Nationally-ranked Linfield (4-2, 3-1 NWC) absorbed a few bumps early in the season but heads into Saturday's showdown having won three straight. The Wildcat's strength this season has been their defense, pitching shutouts at the expense of University of Redlands (13-0), Willamette (59-0), and George Fox University (14-0). 
 
The Linfield defense ranks 15th in Division III in points per game, allowing just 11 per game while sitting 18th in yards allowed, averaging just 255 per game. 
 
Offensively, Chidubem Nnoli has rushed for 570 yards and four touchdowns while Wyatt Smith has taken a majority of snaps under center, throwing for 1,390 yards and eight touchdowns with seven interceptions.