Kent Denver is on a three-game streak of home wins, while Strasburg is on a four-game streak of away wins: one of those streaks is about to end. The Sun Devils will host the Indians at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Kent Denver's defense heads into the game hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Friday. They took their matchup with ease, bagging a 46-0 victory over Bennett.
Yianni Balafas produced another solid effort throwing for 203 yards and four touchdowns while completing 80% of his passes, and also rushing for 44 yards and one score. Another player making a difference was Colton Meade, who picked up 94 receiving yards and one TD.
Kent Denver didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off three passes before the game was over. It was truly a group effort as Vedder Yates, Brandon Cifuentes, and Matthias Brown picked up one apiece. Yates got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.
Meanwhile, Strasburg really took it to Englewood for the full four quarters, racking up a 49-0 win. Given the Indians' advantage in MaxPreps' Colorado football rankings (they are ranked 50th, while the Pirates are ranked 145th) , the win on Friday wasn't entirely unexpected.
Strasburg's win came from a few key players Kent Denver will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Brody Hopwood, who rushed for 103 yards and one touchdown on only six carries, and also threw for 224 yards and a pair of TDs. Those 103 rushing yards gave him a new career-high. Cade Hemphill was another key player, rushing for 103 yards and a pair of scores.
Strasburg's run defense was locked in: Englewood could only muster 0.7 yards per carry. The team can thank Jorge Parra for the heroic effort on defense: he. Strasburg didn't have any issues in that department, having averaged nine.
Special teams was a major factor in the game for Strasburg, racking up 11 points in total. The biggest highlight from special teams (and perhaps the team as a whole) came courtesy of Jayden Miller, who ran a punt back for a touchdown.
Strasburg's victory bumped their record up to 7-0. As for Kent Denver, their win bumped their record up to an identical 7-0.
Saturday's contest might be decided on the ground. Kent Denver has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 174.7 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Strasburg struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 178.4 rushing yards. There's a good chance Saturday's game turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Kent Denver took a serious blow against Strasburg in their previous meeting back in October of 2024, falling 45-7. Will the Sun Devils have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
