For the first time this season, Nixon-Smiley will have a chance to prove themselves in a conference matchup. After each having a week off, they and the Cotulla Cowboys will shake off the rust and duke it out at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. The two teams are sauntering into the matchup backed by comfortable wins in their prior games.
Nixon-Smiley is headed into the contest after thoroughly thrashing Flatonia: they outscored them in every quarter. Given that consistent dominance, it should come as no surprise that the Mustangs blew the Bulldogs out of the water with a 47-17 final score. The victory was just business as usual for the Mustangs, who after three games remain undefeated this season.
Nixon-Smiley's win two weeks ago was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Joe White, who rushed for 131 yards and one TD on only seven carries, and also picked up 58 receiving yards and one score. White's longest rush was for an impressive 61 yards, which helps to explain his lofty yards per carry total. Julian Amaya also helped with two touchdowns in total.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: Nixon-Smiley was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 304 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 195 rushing yards in four consecutive games dating back to last season.
Meanwhile, Cotulla made easy work of Pearsall two weeks ago and carried off a 26-6 win. With the Cowboys ahead 26-0 at the half, the matchup was all but over already.
Nixon-Smiley better focus on containing Frank Torres and Joe Rodriguez as the pair were huge in Cotulla's win. Torres rushed for 49 yards and one score, while Rodriguez picked up 95 receiving yards and one TD. Rodriguez didn't just play on offense: he also picked up a sack and made seven total tackles.
Cotulla didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Ryan Sanchez and Brayden Rodriguez. Sanchez is also crushing it when it comes to total tackles: he's made at least six every time he's taken the field this season. He got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.
Nixon-Smiley's record now sits at 3-0. As for Cotulla, they now have a winning record of 2-1.
Here's a few offensive stats to keep an eye on ahead of Friday's contest: Nixon-Smiley has been on an offensive roll this season, having averaged 366 total yards per game. It's a different story for Cotulla, though, as they've been averaging only 211 total yards. Will Nixon-Smiley be able to march up the field at their leisure again, or will the Cowboys flip the script?
Nixon-Smiley came up short against Cotulla when the teams last played back in September of 2024, falling 18-11. Thankfully for the Mustangs, Jose Gonzalez (who rushed for 106 yards and one touchdown on only nine carries) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
