The Dixon Bulldogs will head out on the road to face off against the Rockingham County Cougars at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. The squads are rolling into the game with opposing streaks: Dixon has struggled recently with four losses in a row, while Rockingham County will arrive with three straight wins.
On Friday, Dixon was within striking distance but couldn't close the gap as they fell 46-42 to Croatan. The Bulldogs gained 221 more yards on the day, but it was the Cougars that made the best use of them.
JJ Gulat
| 10/31/25 vs Croatan | 253 |
| 10/24/25 vs Richlands | 240 |
| 10/17/25 @ Northside - Jacksonville | 235 |
| 10/10/25 @ Havelock | 219 |
| 10/03/25 vs Swansboro | 343 |
| + 11 more games |
Despite the defeat, Dixon got top-tier performance from JJ Gulat, who rushed for 253 yards and five touchdowns while picking up 7.7 yards per carry, and also threw for 102 yards. Gulat's rushing production has been exceptional for a while as that marked his 16th straight game with at least 103 rushing yards dating back to last season. Sean Delaney helped out on the ground, rushing for 130 yards.
Meanwhile, it was a proper cat-fight when Rockingham County duked it out with Morehead two weeks ago. The Cougars claimed a resounding 44-12 victory over the Panthers. Considering the Cougars have won four contests by more than 28 points this season, Friday's blowout was nothing new.
Dixon better keep an eye on Luke Strittmatter. He was instrumental in Rockingham County's win, throwing for 166 yards and three TDs while completing 87.5% of his passes, and also rushing for 35 yards and a pair of scores. Strittmatter's passing game has become a key predictor of the Cougars' success: the team is 5-1 when his passer rating is 100 or higher, but only 0-3 otherwise. Another back making a difference was Malachi Bryant, who rushed for 77 yards and one touchdown on only seven carries.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: Rockingham County was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 257 rushing yards. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their rushing yard total in three consecutive games.
Dixon's loss dropped their record down to 5-5. As for Rockingham County, they now have a winning record of 5-4.
Friday's matchup might be decided on the ground. Dixon has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 468 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Rockingham County struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 150.1 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's contest turns into a tough fight on the ground. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other football content.
