Whitworth welcomes Linfield for Northwest Conference football

Whitworth will host Linfield at the Pine Bowl during homecoming weekend, with kickoff set for 1 p.m. The Spokane matchup brings back a rivalry that has shaped the Northwest Conference for years: since 2002, only one season has ended without either school winning the league championship.

Both teams enter conference play at 3-1, each having lost once outside the league. Whitworth has won three in a row, including road victories over Redlands and George Fox. Linfield has also won three straight, each by a wide margin, and senior quarterback Luke McNabb leads the conference in passing yards per game while ranking sixth in rushing yards. Receiver Kenyon Johnson is among the league’s leading targets.

The game could influence the conference race even this early. Linfield ranks second in scoring at more than 40 points per game and leads the league in points allowed; Whitworth ranks third in both categories. Whitworth beat Linfield in 2023 and 2025 while pursuing conference titles, but lost at home in 2024. Linfield is No. 23 in the d3football.com poll, while Whitworth received one vote. A Whitworth win would support its bid for consecutive Northwest Conference championships.