Football Game Preview: Clifton Cubs vs. Early Longhorns + How To Watch

The Clifton Cubs will challenge the Early Longhorns at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. The timing is sure in Clifton's favor as the squad sits on four straight wins at home (dating back to last season) while Early has been banged up by seven consecutive losses on the road also dating back to last season.

Clifton barely beat Eastland the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Cubs put the hurt on the Mavericks with a sharp 28-6 victory on Friday. The result was nothing new for the Cubs, who have now won three games by 22 points or more so far this season.

Jackson Ritz

Passer Rating

10/10/25 @ Eastland	110
09/26/25 vs Blooming Grove	70.3
09/19/25 @ Hamilton	22.9
09/12/25 vs Italy	102.7
09/05/25 vs Coleman	75.6
+ 3 more games

Jackson Ritz was his usual excellent self, rushing for 62 yards and one touchdown, while also throwing for 65 yards and one TD. What's more, he racked up 110 passer rating, the most he's had since back in October of 2024.

Clifton didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Rico De La Hoya and Eduardo Garcia. Clifton received some extra help from Garcia, whose fumble return for a touchdown made for one of the most unforgettable moments.

Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Early). They simply couldn't be stopped on Friday as they easily beat Tolar 43-14. The high-flying offensive performance was a huge turnaround for the Longhorns considering their seven-point performance the matchup before.

Early found their leader in sophomore Caden Wilson, who rushed for 69 yards and one score on only eight carries, and also threw for 99 yards and one touchdown.

Early's win bumped their record up to 2-4. As for Clifton, their victory bumped their record up to 5-1.

Clifton barely slipped by Early when the teams last played back in October of 2024, winning 26-25. Do the Cubs have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Longhorns turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.