Tuscola and Franklin are an even 3-3 against one another since November of 2015, but not for long. The Mountaineers will take on the Panthers at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Both come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Tuscola's defense heads into the contest hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Friday. They blew past Smoky Mountain 20-0. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest win the Mountaineers have posted against the Mustangs since September 23, 2016.
Sam Trantham
| 08/29/25 @ Cherokee | 176 |
| 09/05/25 vs South Caldwell | 147 |
| 09/26/25 @ Smoky Mountain | 129 |
| 09/12/25 vs North Henderson | 98 |
| 09/19/25 vs West Henderson | 37 |
| + 1 more games |
Tuscola's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Sam Trantham led the charge by rushing for 129 yards while picking up 7.6 yards per carry. Trantham is becoming a predictor of the Mountaineers' success: when he posts at least 100 rushing yards the team is undefeated (and 1-2 when he doesn't).
They were just one part of a punishing run game: Tuscola was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 204 rushing yards. They are a perfect 3-0 when they've run for more than 200 yards.
Tuscola didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Ty Walker and Elijah Pruitt.
Franklin hadn't beaten Pisgah on the road since October 27, 2017 but that history sure didn't bother them on Friday. The Panthers walked away with a 37-26 victory over the Bears.
Franklin pushed their record up to 4-2 with the win, which was their third straight on the road. The road victories came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 36.7 points over those games. As for Tuscola, their record is now 4-2.
Things could have been worse for Tuscola, but things could have been a whole lot better as they took a 35-21 loss to Franklin in their previous matchup back in October of 2024. Can the Mountaineers avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
