Football Game Preview: Eastern Comets vs. Tri-Central Trojans

Eastern is 8-2 against Tri-Central since October of 2015 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Friday. The Comets will venture away from home to face off against the Trojans at 7:00 p.m. Tri-Central took a loss in their last matchup and will be looking to turn the tables on Eastern, who comes in off a win.

Eastern had to skate by with only a one-point margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the 57-point drubbing they dealt Clinton Central on Friday. The Comets blew past the Bulldogs, posting a 63-6 victory. That looming 63-6 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Comets yet this season.

Gibson Eagle

Passer Rating

09/26/25 @ Clinton Central	125.9
09/19/25 vs Carroll	109.6
09/12/25 vs Taylor	73.8
09/05/25 @ Delphi Community	105.8
08/29/25 @ Northwestern	113.4
+ 4 more games

A big part of Eastern's win came down to the chemistry between Gibson Eagle and his top target Bentley Hullinger. Eagle threw for 163 yards and three touchdowns on only 14 passes while Hullinger gained 122 total yards and three touchdowns. What's more, Eagle racked up 125.9 passer rating, the most he's had since back in November of 2024. Cody Tarrh was in the mix too, providing Eastern with one TD.

Special teams played a big role in the game for Eastern, adding 15 points to the final score. The biggest highlight from special teams (and perhaps the team as a whole) came courtesy of Kaleb Hurt, who ran a punt back for a touchdown.

Tri-Central played against Sheridan on September 5th and lost via forfeit.

Eastern's victory was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 5-1. Those road wins came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 52.0 points over those games. As for Tri-Central, their loss dropped their record down to 0-2.

Everything went Eastern's way against Tri-Central in their previous matchup back in October of 2024, as Eastern made off with a 28-6 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Comets since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.