Football Game Preview: Russell Rustlers vs. Great Falls Bison + How To Watch

Russell hasn't had much luck against Great Falls recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Rustlers will square off against the Bison at 7:00 p.m. Russell will aim to continue their three-game streak of scoring more points each contest than the last.

The home team had won the previous three meetings between Russell and Skyview, and Russell kept the tradition alive. The Rustlers were the clear victors by a 32-8 margin over the Falcons on Thursday. Considering the Rustlers have won three games by more than 23 points this season, Thursday's blowout was nothing new.

Russell's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Kane Mahlum led the charge by rushing for 107 yards and one TD on only 15 carries. Caleb Taylor was another key player, rushing for 75 yards.

Russell didn't let much get past them through the air: they limited Skyview to a completion percentage of just 44.1%. The team can thank Benjamin Halko for the heroic effort on defense: he. Sadly, that's becoming something of a trend for Russell; they were averaging 58.6%completion percentage earlier this season, but in their last three matchups they've fallen to only 58.6%.

Russell's defense didn't let Jaxon Zagata, get away unscathed either: they got into the backfield for four sacks. That dominant display was truly a team effort as four different players picked up one apiece.

Meanwhile, Great Falls came up short against Billings Senior on Thursday and fell 31-19. Despite 111 more yards than the Broncs, the Bison couldn't convert that extra yardage to scores.

Russell will have to contain Bladen Madel as he made an impact in Great Falls' last game. He rushed for 62 yards on only seven carries, and also caught one touchdown.

Russell's record is now 5-3. As for Great Falls, their loss dropped their record down to 2-5.

Russell might still be hurting after the 27-7 defeat they got from Great Falls when the teams last played back in October of 2024. Can the Rustlers avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.