Football Game Preview: Massac County Patriots vs. Carterville Lions + How To Watch

The Massac County Patriots will venture away from home to square off against the Carterville Lions at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty point totals in their previous games.

Massac County will bounce into Friday's matchup after beating Herrin, who they had gone 0-6 against in their six prior meetings. The Patriots took down the Tigers 35-20 on Friday.

Massac County's victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Dee Carruthers, who rushed for 181 yards and a pair of scores. Caleb Barnard was another key receiver, gaining 95 total yards and two touchdowns.

Meanwhile, Carterville put another one in the bag on Friday to keep their perfect season alive. They blew past Harrisburg 39-0. Given the Lions' advantage in MaxPreps' Illinois football rankings (they are ranked 80th, while the Bulldogs are ranked 392nd) , the win wasn't entirely unexpected.

Massac County better keep an eye on Jonathan Miller. He was instrumental in Carterville's win, rushing for 138 yards and three TDs while picking up 7.3 yards per carry. Miller is crushing it when it comes to rushing yards: he's rushed for at least 118 every time he's taken the field this season.

Carterville was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 323 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 165 rushing yards in seven consecutive contests dating back to last season.

Carterville's record is now 6-0. As for Massac County, the win got them back to even at 3-3.

Friday's game might be decided on the ground. Massac County has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 204.5 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Carterville struggles in that department as they've been averaging 274.8 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's matchup turns into a tough fight on the ground.

Massac County might still be hurting after the 47-21 loss they got from Carterville in their previous meeting back in October of 2017. Can the Patriots avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.