Midland Bulldogs (8-0, 3-0) at Midland Legacy Rebels (6-2, 2-1)
Midland Legacy senior RB Damien Johnson
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Kickoff: 7 p.m. Astound Broadband Stadium, 801 North Loop 250 West, Midland, TX
Enrollments: Midland (2,323), Legacy (1,615)
Coaches: Midland- Thad Fortune, Legacy- Clint Hartman
Last meeting: Legacy 48, Midland 3 (10/28/22)
Streaks: Midland- 8 wins, Legacy- 1 win
At Stake: This is a marquee matchup between two of the most stories football programs in Texas football. A win for Legacy would tie them for the division lead, but Midland hopes to stay undefeated.
What to watch: Midland has been cruising through the 2023 schedule with eight straight wins and against rival Midland Legacy they hope to keep their dream of an undefeated season alive. It won’t be easy, as Legacy has also been a top tier team this season, as well.
The Bulldogs have outscored opponents 359-159 this season, with the only game within a touchdown being a 32-27 win over Amarillo. They are coming off a 59-28 win over Odessa and look to rid the high of the winning streak against one of their biggest rivals
Elijah McCoy has been the top running back all season with 1,265 yards and 20 touchdowns while averaging 7.5 yards per carry and 158.1 yards per game. He has hit the century mark in all but one game this year.
Stroman Bridges’ return has been monstrous for an already talented squad. Over three games he has 21 carries for 377 yards and four touchdowns, averaging an amazing 18 yards per carry.
The team relies heavily on the running game for obvious reasons, rushing for 2,814 yards, 8.7 yards per carry and 40 touchdowns this season. Anthony Kolb is another player to watch, who has 378 yards and averages 14.5 yards per carry. He has six scores on the season running the ball.
Quarterback Tristan Love hasn’t thrown much, but he has made it count when he does. He is 18-for-32 for 257 yards, three touchdowns and no picks. He is a weapon on the ground, running for 495 yards and seven touchdowns, averaging 8.4 yards per carry.
The defense, which has allowed just less than 20 points per game, is led by Athen Dominguez who is exceptional at covering the pass. He has 102 tackles with two for a loss, and a team high five interceptions. Darrion Mitchell can get to the quarterback as shown with his three sacks, and five tackles for a loss on 39 total tackles. Turner Squire has 67 tackles with nine for a loss, and also has two sacks and five hurries.
Legacy is coming off a 66-24 win over San Angelo Central that was led by a massive rushing attack with 435 yards and eight scores, averaging 10.1 yards per carry. Senior running back was the top guy with 186 yards and fie touchdowns, but Jaden Rogers also hit the century mark (132 yards) and scored on a 70-yard run.
Johnson, who was an all-district cornerback last season that made the transition over to offense, has been outstanding this season running the ball. On the season Johnson is averaging nine yards per carry, rushing for 1,102 yards and 15 touchdowns. He can be a playmaker wherever he is on the field as he also has 16 tackles, seven passes deflected and an interception.
Tommy Johnson III will also see some reps running the ball, as he has 405 yards on 77 carries with five scores this year. The team has 2,191 rushing yards, averaging seven yards per carry, and 31 touchdowns.
Quarterback Marcos Davila was effective as well, going 17-for-24 for 257 yards and a score. He is throwing for 60.9%, 2,060 yards, 18 touchdowns and nine picks this year with a 103.2 rating.
He likes to connect with a trio of receivers who have all proven they can get the job done: Aiden Serrano (44 catches, 591 yards, 6 touchdowns), Brex Stevens (24 catches, 588 yards, 6 touchdowns) and Caden Ellis (21 catches, 364 yards, four touchdowns).
Cole Neatherlin leads the defense with 68 tackles and six for a loss. Gilbert Hernandez and Max Vera are also players to watch with 65 and 63 tackles respectively.
This should be a battle for the ages, with both teams looking for a district win with only one game remaining after.