NAIA-CFB Game Preview: Simpson (CA) Red Hawks (0-1) vs. Pacific Lutheran U Lutes (0-1)

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Kickoff: 4:00 PM PDT
Venue: Sparks Stadium, Puyallup, Washington
Broadcast: Live coverage on ESPN

Weather Outlook

Forecast: Mostly sunny with light winds
Temperature at Kickoff: ~20°C (68°F)
Humidity: ~57%
Precipitation:
Impact: Ideal conditions for balanced offensive execution and special teams; no weather-related disruptions expected.

Injury Report

Simpson Red Hawks:

  • QB1 status unclear after Week 1 shutout loss
  • WR depth impacted by preseason ankle injuries
  • LB rotation expected due to conditioning concerns

Pacific Lutheran Lutes:

  • RB1 cleared to play after minor quad strain
  • DB2 questionable (groin tightness)
  • OL unit mostly healthy; minor knee soreness reported

Key Player Matchups

Simpson QB (TBD) vs. PLU Secondary: PLU’s experienced DB unit could exploit Simpson’s unsettled QB situation.

RB1 (PLU) vs. Simpson Front Seven: With Simpson’s LB depth in flux, PLU’s run game could dominate early downs.

WR1 (Simpson) vs. CB2 (PLU): If healthy, Simpson’s top receiver has the speed advantage in man coverage.

Recent Form

Simpson Red Hawks:

  • Lost season opener 59–0 to Southern Oregon on Aug 28
  • Offense failed to generate sustained drives
  • Defense allowed over 500 total yards

Pacific Lutheran Lutes:

  • Season opener
  • Closed 2024 with a 4–1 finish, including wins over George Fox and Willamette
  • Defense allowed just 21.4 points/game over final 5 games

Series History

  • All-Time Head-to-Head: First official meeting
  • Program Notes: Simpson is in early stages of NAIA competition; PLU is a well-established NCAA DIII program
  • Sparks Stadium: PLU has won 5 of last 6 home openers

Trends:

  • Simpson is 0–6 ATS in last 6 road games
  • PLU is 5–1 ATS in last 6 home openers
  • Under has hit in 4 of PLU’s last 5 September games
  • Simpson has not scored more than 14 points in any of its last 7 games

Game Odds

Simpson (CA) Red Hawks              46

Pacific Lutheran U Lutes               – 7.5

Odds Courtesy of Sports Odd Direct as of Friday, September 12, 2025