The Lincoln Tigers will head out to take on the Wilmer-Hutchins Eagles at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Lincoln's defense has only allowed 12.8 points per game this season, so Wilmer-Hutchins' offense will have their work cut out for them.
On Thursday, Lincoln was within striking distance but couldn't close the gap as they fell 24-19 to Kimball. The game marked the Tigers' lowest-scoring matchup so far this season.
Despite the defeat, Lincoln had strong showings from Emmanuel Holmes, who threw for 151 yards and a pair of TDs, and Ta'Lan Beachum, who rushed for 80 yards.
Don't try to pin the team's loss on the defense: they kept the trenches locked down and allowed a mere 3.3 yards per carry. The team can thank Cameron Jackson for the heroic effort on defense: he. Lincoln's ground attack was stronger, having averaged 4.7.
Meanwhile, Wilmer-Hutchins took a blow against Pinkston on Thursday, falling 49-14.
Loss or not, Wilmer-Hutchins got some senior leadership from Jaheim Cummings and Zy'Deres Junior. Cummings rushed for 152 yards and one touchdown on only 11 carries, while Junior rushed for 64 yards and one score on only five carries.
Having lost for the first time this season, Lincoln fell to 4-1. As for Wilmer-Hutchins, their defeat dropped their record down to 2-4.
Friday's contest might be decided on the ground. Lincoln has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 182.4 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Wilmer-Hutchins struggles in that department as they've been averaging 243 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's matchup turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Lincoln was taken down by Wilmer-Hutchins 41-12 in their previous matchup back in October of 2024. That game was all but decided by halftime, at which point the Tigers were down 35-12.
