Football Game Preview: Syracuse Rockets vs. Falls City Tigers

The Syracuse Rockets will square off against the Falls City Tigers at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Syracuse has seven straight wins, Falls City has five straight losses), but none of that matters once you're on the field.

Syracuse's defense heads into the matchup hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Friday. They simply couldn't be stopped as they easily beat Nebraska City 49-0. That looming 49-0 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Rockets yet this season.

Will Janssen

Passer Rating

10/03/25 @ Nebraska City	97.9
09/12/25 vs Logan View/Scribner-Snyder	39.6
08/29/25 @ Milford	39.6
09/06/24 @ Boys Town	107.2

It was another big night for Will Janssen, who rushed for 253 yards and three scores while picking up 12.7 yards per carry, and also picked up 61 receiving yards and one touchdown. What's more, he racked up 97.9 passer rating, the most he's had since back in September of 2024. Another player making a difference was Mason Lintz, who gained 114 total yards and two touchdowns.

They were just one part of a punishing run game: Syracuse was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 485 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 240 rushing yards in five consecutive contests.

Meanwhile, Falls City played a tough game on Friday in which they were outscored in every quarter. They were beaten by Auburn 41-6. The matchup marked the Tigers' lowest-scoring contest so far this season.

Falls City's defeat dropped their record down to 1-5. As for Syracuse, their victory bumped their record up to 6-0.

Friday's game might be decided in the trenches. Syracuse has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 263.3 rushing yards per game. It's a different story for Falls City, though, as they've been averaging only 90.5 rushing yards. How will they fare against such a dominant running game?

Everything came up roses for Syracuse against Falls City in their previous matchup back in October of 2024, as the squad secured a 54-14 win. In that matchup, the Rockets amassed a halftime lead of 35-0, an impressive feat they'll look to repeat on Friday.