Football Game Preview: Athens Hornets vs. Carthage Bulldogs + How To Watch

Athens is 0-3 against Carthage since November of 2019 but things could change on Friday. The Hornets will look to defend their home field against the Bulldogs at 7:00 p.m. Both teams are coming into the matchup red-hot, with Athens sitting on six straight victories and Carthage on 28 (dating back to last season).

Athens is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Friday. They pulled ahead with a 37-36 photo finish over Sunnyvale.

The match pitted two dominant signal callers against one another in David Richardson and Cayson Maupin. Richardson had a great game and rushed for 91 yards and two TDs. Meanwhile, Maupin was balling out in the loss, rushing for 257 yards and four touchdowns while picking up 13.5 yards per carry, and also throwing for 127 yards on nine of 21 attempts.

Meanwhile, Carthage's offense rose to the challenge against a Hawks defense that boasted an average of only 12.31 points allowed on Friday. The Bulldogs strolled past Pleasant Grove with points to spare, taking the game 34-20.

Athens better keep an eye on Kj Edwards. He was instrumental in Carthage's win, rushing for 197 yards and three scores while picking up 10.4 yards per carry. Edwards' rushing production has been exceptional recently as that marked his fourth straight game with at least 185 rushing yards.

Carthage was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 253 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 152 rushing yards in eight consecutive contests.

Carthage's defense made their presence known, laying out the QB four times. That dominant display was truly a team effort as four different players picked up one apiece. Carson Crawford was another major factor on D, picking up a sack and making nine total tackles.

Athens' win bumped their record up to 11-2. As for Carthage, their victory bumped their record up to 13-0.

Athens came up short against Carthage in their previous matchup back in October, falling 61-56. Will the Hornets have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other football content.