Russellville has been away from home for two games now, but on Friday they'll finally make their return. They will welcome the Athens Golden Eagles at 7:00 p.m. Russellville is strutting in with some offensive muscle as they've averaged 37.9 points per game this season.
Last Friday, Russellville strolled past Priceville with points to spare, taking the game 28-12. Given the Golden Tigers' advantage in MaxPreps' Alabama football rankings (they are ranked 101st, while the Bulldogs are ranked 280th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Multiple players turned in solid performances to lead Russellville to victory, but perhaps none more so than Whit Goodwin, who rushed for 46 yards and a touchdown, and also threw for 126 yards while completing 76.9% of his passes. Tarus Davis was another key back, rushing for 92 yards on only eight carries.
Russellville was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 254 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 254 rushing yards in seven consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, Athens blew past Decatur, posting a 49-20 win. The result was nothing new for the Golden Eagles, who have now won five matches by 29 points or more so far this season.
Athens' success was spearheaded by the efforts of Xavier Edwards, who gained 92 total yards and two touchdowns, and Brogan Gross, who threw for 134 yards and two touchdowns on perfect 8-for-8 passing. Athens also got a significant boost from Kaydon Bledsoe, who ran away from the competition to the tune of 83 yards.
Another reason for the win was Athens' imposing defense, which managed to get into the backfield for five sacks. In that department, Austin Campbell was the leader with two.
Russellville's victory was their fourth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 7-2. As for Athens, the win made it two in a row for them and also bumps their season record up to 7-2.
Friday's matchup might be decided in the on the ground. Russellville has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 300.7 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Athens struggles in that department as they've been averaging 205.4. It's looking like Friday's game might have some serious battles in the trenches.
Russellville was dealt a bruising 41-14 defeat at the hands of Athens when the teams last played back in November of 2023. Will Russellville have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
