Football Game Preview: Lamar Warriors vs. Ozark Hillbillies

Lamar hasn't had much luck against Ozark recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Warriors will be playing at home against the Hillbillies at 7:00 p.m. Both teams took a loss in their last game, so they'll have plenty of motivation to get the 'W'.

On Friday, Lamar came up short against Pottsville and fell 41-28.

Lamar might have lost, but man, Ayden Sanders was a machine: he rushed for 84 yards and one score on only 11 carries, and also picked up 37 receiving yards and one touchdown.

Meanwhile, Ozark entered their game against Dardanelle on Friday without any home losses, but there's a first time for everything. The Hillbillies fell just short of the Sand Lizards by a score of 31-28. Hillbillies fans who chose to attend the game sure picked the wrong one: it was the first time the team has lost against the Sand Lizards since Friday.

Ozark's defeat was their first in the conference, dropping their conference record down to 4-1 and their overall record down to 6-2. As for Lamar, their loss dropped their record down to 3-5.

Friday's contest might be decided on the ground. Lamar has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 250 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Ozark struggles in that department as they've been averaging 307.5 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's matchup turns into a tough fight on the ground.

Lamar came up short against Ozark when the teams last played back in November of 2024, falling 48-42. Thankfully for the Warriors, Koby Wilbanks (who rushed for 204 yards and four TDs while picking up 10.2 yards per carry, and also threw for 96 yards and one touchdown) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? There's only one way to find out.