Football Game Preview: Eastside Early College Panthers vs. Taylor Ducks

Eastside Early College is 0-3 against Taylor since October of 2016 but things could change on Thursday. The Panthers will be playing at home against the Ducks at 7:30 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.

On Friday, Eastside Early College was fully in charge, breezing past Northeast Early College 36-6. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Panthers.

It was another big night for Khrisshawn Bryant, who rushed for 102 yards and a pair of touchdowns on only ten carries. He also put in work on the defensive side of the ball, picking up a sack and making five total tackles.

They were just one part of a punishing run game: Eastside Early College was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 230 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 187 rushing yards every time they've taken the field this season.

Meanwhile, while Taylor put up plenty of points last Friday, the same can't be said for Northeast Early College. The Ducks claimed a resounding 63-0 win over the Raiders.

Taylor's win came from a few key players Eastside Early College will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Johnny Guzman, who rushed for 53 yards and two TDs, and also threw for 84 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The dominant performance also gave him a new career-high in passer rating (177.1). Another back making a difference was Eric Walker Ii, who rushed for 136 yards and one score on only five carries.

Eastside Early College's victory bumped their record up to 6-2. As for Taylor, their win bumped their record up to 3-4.

Thursday's matchup will pit two of the most dominant backs against one another: Bryant and Walker Ii. Bryant just won't slow down this season and has run in 10 touchdowns while averaging 114.8 rushing yards per game. Walker Ii has been a dominant force too and has run in 6 touchdowns while averaging 90.4 rushing yards per game.

Eastside Early College was dealt a bruising 63-0 defeat at the hands of Taylor when the teams last played back in October of 2024. Will the Panthers have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other football content.