The UW-Eau Claire Blugold football team suffered a loss to the George Fox University Bruins in Oregon last Saturday with a final score of 44-0, updating their overall record to 1-2.

This was the first game ever played between the two teams. The Bruins started off hot, making a 23-yard touchdown within the first four minutes of the game. They went on to score the first two touchdowns of the game, making the score 14-0 by the end of the first quarter.

By halftime, neither team had scored again. George Fox University took the lead in offense yards, 176-117.

The Bruins scored once again in the third quarter. George Fox’s Grant Schroeder made his second touchdown pass of the game to his teammate, Lane Hadley. This duo went on to make another touchdown in the final play of the third quarter raising the score 28-0.

“We had a bad first 10 minutes of the game and we had a bad 10 minute stretch from the middle of the third quarter through the beginning of the fourth quarter,” Blugold head coach Dan Larson said.

In the final quarter, George Fox went on to score 16 more points, making the final score 44-0.

“The game didn’t go as planned,” Kaeleb Stangler, the Blugold’s senior inside linebacker, said. “The score doesn’t necessarily reflect how we played. I think we did show lots of positives, and I think that we’re going to carry those positives with us into this next game.”

Stangler lead the Blugolds defense with a total of seven tackles, one solo and six assists. As a team, the Blugolds had 51 tackles. Meanwhile, JT DenHartog, a junior quarterback totaled 69 yards of passing and 48 yards of rushing.

Stangler said despite the loss, the team is finding success this season through friendship.

“Even though we might not always be winning, or have the best record, everyone still stays positive,” Stangler said. “We built really good friendships around each other. We really just get along both on and off the field.”

Looking forward, Larson said he is excited for both the atmosphere and the results of the homecoming game next weekend.

“Homecoming is a special time in Eau Claire,” Larson said. “I hope we have a great student body for all four quarters and a great community base. We’re looking forward to playing the type of football that we are capable of playing.”

The Blugolds go on to fight for their redemption in their homecoming game against UW-River Falls on Sept. 30 at Carson Park in Eau Claire.