For the first time this season, Cotulla will have a chance to prove themselves in a conference matchup. After each having a week off, they and the Nixon-Smiley Mustangs will shake off the cobwebs and hit the field against one another at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. The two teams are strolling into their contests after big wins in their previous games.
Two weeks ago, Cotulla got the win against Pearsall by a conclusive 26-6. The Cowboys' offense checked out after the first half but had enough points banked to take the game anyway.
Frank Torres and Joe Rodriguez were among the main playmakers for Cotulla as the former rushed for 49 yards and one TD and the latter picked up 95 receiving yards and one score. Rodriguez's longest reception was for an incredible 95 yards.
Ryan Sanchez
| 09/12/25 @ Pearsall | 11 |
| 09/05/25 vs Brackett | 6 |
| 08/29/25 @ Refugio | 7 |
Cotulla didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Ryan Sanchez and Brayden Rodriguez. Sanchez is also crushing it when it comes to total tackles: he's made at least six every time he's taken the field this season. Marco Benavidez was another major factor on D, making 15 total tackles (3.5 for loss).
Meanwhile, Nixon-Smiley put another one in the bag two weeks ago to keep their perfect season alive. They really took it to Flatonia for the full four quarters, racking up a 47-17 win. The game was all but wrapped up at the end of the third, by which point the Mustangs had established a 23-point advantage.
Nixon-Smiley's win came from a few key players Cotulla will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Joe White, who rushed for 131 yards and one touchdown on only seven carries, and also picked up 58 receiving yards and one score. Those 131 rushing yards gave him a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Eric Rodriguez, who threw for 154 yards and three TDs on only eight passes.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: Nixon-Smiley was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 304 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 195 rushing yards in four consecutive matchups dating back to last season.
Nixon-Smiley's victory bumped their record up to 3-0. As for Cotulla, they now have a winning record of 2-1.
Cotulla was able to grind out a solid win over Nixon-Smiley in their previous matchup back in September of 2024, winning 18-11. Will the Cowboys repeat their success, or do the Mustangs have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
