Football Game Preview: Niwot Cougars vs. Northridge Grizzlies

Niwot is 0-5 against Northridge since October of 2015 but things could change on Friday. The Cougars will take on the Grizzlies at 7:00 p.m. Northridge took a loss in their last matchup and will be looking to turn the tables on Niwot, who comes in off a win.

Niwot will roll into the game after a wild two-game stretch: they only put up seven points last Saturday, then bounced right back against Greeley Central on Friday. The Cougars blew past the Wildcats 53-6. That 47 point margin sets a new team best for the Cougars this season.

Eli Quesada

Receiving Yards

09/12/25 @ Skyview	217
09/19/25 vs Wheat Ridge	124
08/29/25 @ Thomas Jefferson	88
10/24/25 vs Greeley Central	81
10/03/25 vs Evergreen	70

Niwot's receiving core played a big role in the win, headlined by Jaydan Martinez and Caleb Roby. Martinez picked up 133 receiving yards and three touchdowns while Roby gained 115 total yards and two touchdowns. The dominant performance also gave Roby a new career-high in receiving touchdowns (two). Niwot also got help from Eli Quesada, who showed off his sure hands for 81 receiving yards.

Meanwhile, Northridge fell victim to Mead and their airtight defense on Friday. They might be feeling deja-vu: they lost 48-0 to the Mavericks, which was the same score (and result) they got the week prior. While losing is never fun, the Grizzlies can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Colorado football rankings (they are ranked 127th, while the Mavericks are ranked 26th).

Northridge's loss dropped their record down to 2-6. As for Niwot, their victory was their first in the league, bumping their league record up to 1-2 and their overall record up to 3-5.

Here's a few offensive stats to keep an eye on ahead of Friday's contest: Niwot has been on an offensive roll this season, having averaged 361.4 total yards per game. It's a different story for Northridge, though, as they've been averaging only 127.2 total yards. Will Niwot be able to march up the field at their leisure again, or will the Grizzlies flip the script?

Niwot was dealt a bruising 58-14 defeat at the hands of Northridge in their previous meeting back in October of 2024. That matchup was all but decided by halftime, at which point the Cougars were down 34-7.