Football Game Preview: Mescalero Apache Chiefs vs. Tatum Coyotes

The Mescalero Apache Chiefs are taking a road trip to challenge the Tatum Coyotes at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Mescalero Apache is coming into the matchup on a six-game losing streak.

Mescalero Apache is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of New Mexico's top teams: Melrose, who was ranked fifth at the time (Mescalero Apache was ranked 22nd). The Chiefs might be feeling deja-vu: they lost 52-0 to the Buffaloes, which was the same score (and result) they got the week prior.

Meanwhile, Tatum was within striking distance but couldn't close the gap on Friday as they fell 22-16 to Gateway Christian.

Tatum's loss was their first in the district, dropping their district record down to 3-1 and their overall record down to 6-2. As for Mescalero Apache, their defeat dropped their record down to 1-6.

Mescalero Apache was taken down by Tatum 46-13 when the teams last played back in October of 2024. Can the Chiefs avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.