Football Game Preview: Liberty Bison vs. Rancho Verde Mustangs

The Liberty Bison will head out on the road to take on the Rancho Verde Mustangs at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Rancho Verde took a loss in their last contest and will be looking to turn the tables on Liberty, who comes in off a win.

Liberty took a loss when they played away from home last Friday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Thursday. They blew past JW North 34-7. That 27 point margin sets a new team best for the Bison this season.

Trent Hallis was his usual excellent self, rushing for 100 yards on only ten carries, while also picking up 57 receiving yards.

They were just one part of a punishing run game: Liberty was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 291 rushing yards. That's the most rushing yards they've posted since back in October of 2024.

Meanwhile, Rancho Verde came up short against Paloma Valley on Thursday and fell 20-13. The Mustangs have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.

Liberty will have to contain Jimmy Cruz as he made an impact in Rancho Verde's last game. He rushed for 178 yards and one touchdown while picking up 8.9 yards per carry. Cruz showed off some serious burst, turning on the afterburners on one carry for 56 yards.

Rancho Verde didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Isaiah Gilliam and Jae'Don O'Keith. O'Keith also set a new season-high mark in total tackles with 11.

Rancho Verde's defeat dropped their record down to 2-6. As for Liberty, their win ended a six-game drought at home dating back to last season and bumped them up to 3-5.

Friday's matchup might be decided on the ground. Liberty has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 203.1 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Rancho Verde struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 149.5 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's game turns into a tough fight on the ground.

Liberty couldn't quite get it done against Rancho Verde in their previous matchup back in October of 2024 as they fell 24-13. Can the Bison avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.