Football Game Preview: Bridgeport Bulldogs vs. Clarkson/Leigh Patriots

The Bridgeport Bulldogs will face off against the Clarkson/Leigh Patriots at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday. Bridgeport is coming into the contest hot, having won their last six games.

Bridgeport's defense heads into the game hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Friday. They took their matchup with ease, bagging a 59-0 win over Sutherland. The Bulldogs might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won five contests by 41 points or more this season.

Bridgeport found their leader in sophomore Henry Blanco, who rushed for 117 yards and four scores on only 14 carries. Nikolas Weibert was another key player, rushing for 72 yards on only five carries.

Bridgeport was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 252 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 194 rushing yards in seven consecutive games.

Bridgeport didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Zackary Jeffords and Damon Barnett.

Meanwhile, after a string of four wins, Clarkson/Leigh's good fortune finally ran out on Friday. They took a 45-36 hit to the loss column at the hands of David City.

Bridgeport will need to focus on slowing down Tucker Matthies, one of several Clarkson/Leigh players who made an impact when they last played. He rushed for 172 yards and one TD, and also picked up 31 receiving yards. Matthies' rushing production has been exceptional as that marked his fifth straight game with at least 109 rushing yards. Another player making a difference was Blake Loseke, who rushed for 55 yards and a pair of touchdowns on only seven carries.

Bridgeport's victory bumped their record up to 7-1. As for Clarkson/Leigh, their defeat was their first in the district, dropping their district record down to 4-1 and their overall record down to 4-4.

Thursday's matchup might be decided on the ground. Bridgeport has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 214.4 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Clarkson/Leigh struggles in that department as they've been averaging 326.2 rushing yards. There's a good chance Thursday's contest turns into a tough fight on the ground. Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other football content.