Lincoln Cardinals Football 23-38 Ida B. Wells

Ida B. Wells handed Lincoln a 38-23 defeat Friday night in a league football game that stings for the Cardinals, who entered the matchup as one of Portland, Oregon's most promising squads this fall. The loss drops Lincoln to 7-2 overall and 6-1 in conference play, a record that still reflects a strong season but now complicates the path through the final stretch of the schedule. Ida B. Wells controlled the game throughout, building enough of a cushion to keep Lincoln from mounting a meaningful comeback despite the Cardinals' 23-point effort on the road. Giving up 38 points will be a point of emphasis in film review, as the defense will need to tighten up heading into the postseason picture. The silver lining is that Lincoln remains in solid conference standing at 6-1, and there is still meaningful football ahead. How the Cardinals respond to this setback will define the remainder of their 2026 campaign.