Football Game Preview: Poplarville Hornets vs. McComb Tigers + How To Watch

Poplarville is preparing for their first district matchup of the season on Friday. They will square off against the McComb Tigers at 7:00 p.m.

Things were looking good for Poplarville after they put the first points on the board on Friday, but unfortunately for them things went downhill from there. They took a 28-21 hit to the loss column at the hands of Picayune. The Hornets were up 14-0 in the first quarter but couldn't hold on to the lead.

Tylan Keys

Rushing Yards

09/26/25 vs Picayune	280
09/19/25 @ Pearl River Central	175
09/12/25 @ Hancock	506
09/05/25 @ Stone	142
08/29/25 vs West Harrison	135
+ 2 more games

Despite the loss, Poplarville got top-tier performance from Tylan Keys, who rushed for 280 yards and three TDs while picking up 12.7 yards per carry. Keys' rushing production has been exceptional as that marked his seventh straight game with at least 130 rushing yards dating back to last season.

Meanwhile, McComb strolled into their game on Friday with a perfect record and they left with the same. They took their matchup with ease, bagging a 47-14 win over Hazlehurst. The Tigers' offense checked out after the first half but had enough points banked to take the game anyway.

McComb's win came from a few key players Poplarville will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Broderick Peters, who picked up 93 receiving yards and one touchdown, and also punched in one score on the ground. Jace Jackson was another key rusher, rushing for 62 yards and one TD on only five carries.

McComb's victory bumped their record up to 5-0. As for Poplarville, they moved to 3-2 with that defeat, which also ended their three-game winning streak.

Friday's game might be decided on the ground. Poplarville has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 352.6 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like McComb struggles in that department as they've been averaging 150.8 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's contest turns into a tough fight on the ground.

Poplarville took their win against McComb when the teams last played back in November of 2024 by a conclusive 42-21 score. Will the Hornets repeat their success, or do the Tigers have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.