Football Game Preview: Belmont Cardinals vs. Mantachie Mustangs

The Belmont Cardinals will square off against the Mantachie Mustangs at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. Belmont will be strutting in after a win while Mantachie will be coming in after a loss.

On Friday, Belmont earned a 38-26 victory over East Union.

Kylei Estes

Rushing Touchdowns

10/24/25 @ East Union	2
10/03/25 @ Alcorn Central	2
09/26/25 @ Red Bay	2
09/19/25 vs Tishomingo County	2
09/12/25 vs Myrtle	2
+ 4 more games

Belmont's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Kylei Estes led the charge by rushing for 116 yards and a pair of scores. Estes also punched in two rushing touchdowns, which is notable because the Cardinals are 5-1 when he posts at least two rushing touchdowns, but 1-2 otherwise. Another passer making a difference was Peyton Pharr, who threw for 171 yards and three touchdowns while completing 73.3% of his passes.

Belmont didn't let much get past them through the air: they limited East Union to a completion percentage of just 50%. Given Pharr's standout performance, it's clear the Urchins' secondary just wasn't on the same level.

Belmont didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Parker Stanley and Aden Waddle.

Meanwhile, Mantachie was not able to break out of their rough patch on Friday as the team picked up their seventh straight defeat. They were outmatched by Kossuth and fell 47-7. The Mustangs were in a tough position after the first half, with the score already sitting at 34-0.

Mantachie's loss dropped their record down to 2-7. As for Belmont, their win bumped their record up to 6-3.

Thursday's game might be decided on the ground. Belmont has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 195.7 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Mantachie struggles in that department as they've been averaging 238.6 rushing yards. There's a good chance Thursday's contest turns into a tough fight on the ground.

Belmont didn't have too much breathing room in their matchup against Mantachie in their previous meeting back in November of 2024, but they still walked away with an 18-14 victory. Do the Cardinals have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Mustangs turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.