REDLANDS, Calif. – The University of Redlands Football team (1-0) opened the 2025 season with a 10-7 win over George Fox University (GFU) Saturday night behind a stellar defensive performance that saw three interceptions, three pass break-ups and five quarterback hits.
On their second possession of the night the Bruins got down to the Bulldog 39 yard line before Jaeden Thorn (Seattle, WA) had a tackle for loss (TFL) followed by pass break-ups from Jaylen Ephraim (Fontana, CA) and Shepard Cope (Murrieta, CA) that forced a turnover on downs.
The Bulldogs responded with a 15-play drive that brought them down to the Bruin 17, but in field goal formation the snap was low and bounced past the holder, which would turn into a turnover and the game remained scoreless.
The first of three interceptions by the Bulldog defense came on the very next play after the fumble thanks to Kaleb Gibbs who picked off the GFU quarterback.
The next possession for the Maroon and Grey got down to the GFU eight yard line where the Bulldogs would successfully operate the field goal, but the ensuing kick from Aidan Petruescu (La Habra, CA) would miss from 25-yards out.
Redlands would force a punt on five plays, which led into a three-play, 85-yard drive, including an eight-yard pass from Luke Coleman (Sacramento, CA) to Trevor Cadam (La Verne, CA) in front of a 76-yard rushing touchdown by Taylor Bowie (Rancho Santa Margarita, CA).
Each team was forced to punt on their subsequent drives before Gibbs picked off another George Fox pass and returning it 64 yards to the GFU 21 yard line. The Bulldogs would take advantage of the turnover with a 24-yard Petruescu field goal giving UR a 10-0 lead with only eight seconds left in the opening half.
The first drive of the third quarter saw the Bulldogs get into Bruin territory, but a second missed field goal kept the score at 10-0.
Neither team changed the scoreboard until the fourth quarter when GFU had a 41-yard completion on the left sideline before a trick play, wide receiver pass for 38 yards got them within three, 10-7, with 11:05 still to play.
The Bulldogs defense, though, did their job, intercepting the Bruins one more time thanks to Skye Taylor (Carson, CA), coupled with not allowing the Bruins to get across midfield as they earned a turnover on downs with a fourth and one stop by Laurence Williams (Corona, CA).
Both teams had 14 first downs and were within 19 total yards (292-273). The difference was the three interceptions for the Bulldog defense.
Bowie finished with 134 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Jakai Torres (Baltimore, MD) had 72 yards on eight carries. Frank Clark Jr. (Modesto, CA) led the receivers with three catches for 52 yards.
Defensively Thorn finished with eight tackles and one TFL, Williams had seven tackles, Kam Abbasian (Bellevue, WA) had two TFL's and Javier Sandoval (San Bernardino, CA) added another.
Following a bye week next Saturday the Bulldogs travel to Spokane, Washington when they face Whitworth University on September 20 with kickoff set for 12:00 p.m. (noon).
