Football Game Preview: Denver City Mustangs vs. Vernon Lions + How To Watch

The Denver City Mustangs will square off against the Vernon Lions at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.

Denver City is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Friday. Their defense stepped up to hand River Road a 49-0 shutout. The win was familiar territory for the Mustangs, who have now won four games in a row.

Erik Sinaloa

Receiving Yards (Career)

11/14/25 @ River Road	117
08/29/25 @ Roosevelt	71
10/24/25 vs Brownfield	49
10/03/25 vs Borger	45
09/19/25 vs New Home	27

Erik Sinaloa was the offensive standout of the contest as he picked up 117 receiving yards and one touchdown. Those 117 receiving yards gave him a new career-high.

Wins are hard to come by when you can't run the rock, something Denver City proved: they limited River Road to a paltry 3.1 yards per carry. The Mustangs' run defense has been on the up-and-up: they allowed 4.2 yards per carry earlier this season, but they've only allowed 5.97 on average over their last five games.

Denver City didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off three passes before the game was over. Jacob Acosta was the real danger to the passing game, picking up two interceptions all by himself.

Meanwhile, after only three points in their last matchup, Vernon made sure to put some points up on the board against Clyde on Friday. The Lions took their game with ease, bagging a 42-14 victory over the Bulldogs. The final result isn't all that surprising considering the Lions' considerable advantage in MaxPreps' Texas football rankings (they are ranked 127th, while the Bulldogs are ranked 490th).

Denver City better keep an eye on Tru Gipson. He was instrumental in Vernon's win, picking up 41 receiving yards and one TD, while also rushing for 47 yards.

Vernon's defense made their presence known, laying out Devan Wright nine times. The team can thank two different players for their defensive prowess: Tyce Payne and Malakhi Propes Scott, who each picked up two sacks apiece.

Denver City now has a winning record of 6-5. As for Vernon, their record is now 9-2.