The Starkville Yellowjackets will face off against the Madison Central Jaguars at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Madison Central took a loss in their last matchup and will be looking to turn the tables on Starkville, who comes in off a win.
On Friday, everything came up roses for Starkville against Murrah as the team secured a 55-14 victory. The win continues a trend for the Yellowjackets in their matchups with the Mustangs: they've now won eight in a row.
It was another big night for A'Braylen Jenkins, who rushed for 84 yards and two TDs, and also picked up 40 receiving yards. Kingston Johnson was another key player, throwing for 217 yards and a pair of touchdowns while completing 86.7% of his passes.
Meanwhile, Madison Central faced Germantown in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Friday. The Jaguars fell 21-17 to the Mavericks. While the Jaguars didn't get the win, they did start the game off strong, beating the Mavericks 10-0 in the first quarter.
Starkville will have to keep a close watch on Mikel Stephen and Jd Kelly, a pair of players who had a big impact on Madison Central's prior game. Stephen rushed for 126 yards and one score, while Kelly gained 119 total yards and a touchdown. Kelly's longest reception was for an incredible 73 yards.
Starkville's victory bumped their record up to 6-2. As for Madison Central, their loss dropped their record down to 4-4.
Friday's game might be decided in the trenches. Starkville has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 159.8 rushing yards per game. It's a different story for Madison Central, though, as they've been averaging only 67.5 rushing yards. How will they fare against such a dominant running game?
Starkville might still be hurting after the 31-8 defeat they got from Madison Central in their previous meeting back in November of 2024. Will the Yellowjackets have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more football content.
