Two dominant backs in Gage Jones and Michael Murphy are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The Live Oak Acorns will venture away from home to challenge the Branham Bruins at 7:15 p.m. on Thursday. Both come into the game bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
On Friday, even if it wasn't a dominant performance, Live Oak beat Lincoln 17-13. The Acorns haven't had any issues with the Lions recently, as the game was their sixth consecutive victory against them.
Tanner Holeman
| 10/17/25 vs Lincoln | 125 |
| 09/19/25 vs Westmont | 92 |
| 08/30/24 vs Palma | 79 |
| 10/12/24 vs Oak Grove | 66 |
| 09/11/25 @ Mountain View | 58 |
A big part of Live Oak's win came down to the chemistry between Adrian Leal and his top target Tanner Holeman. Leal threw for 142 yards and one TD on only ten passes while Holeman picked up 125 receiving yards and one score. Those 125 receiving yards gave Holeman a new career-high.
Live Oak was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 232 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 232 rushing yards every time they've taken the field this season.
Meanwhile, Branham was able to grind out a solid victory over Christopher on Thursday, taking the game 26-14.
Branham's win came from a few key players Live Oak will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Brayden Hodges, who picked up 69 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns. Another player making a difference was Andrew Ho, who threw for 119 yards and a pair of TDs while completing 73.7% of his passes.
One reason for the win was Branham's imposing defense, which managed to get into the backfield for 3.5 sacks. Damien Martinez refused to say out of the backfield, picking up 1.5 sacks all by himself.
Live Oak's record now sits at 6-1. As for Branham, their record is now 5-2.
Thursday's matchup might be decided on the ground. Live Oak has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 317.6 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Branham struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 200 rushing yards. There's a good chance Thursday's contest turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Live Oak lost to Branham on the road by a decisive 35-21 margin when the teams last played back in October of 2024. Thankfully for the Acorns, Jack Lewis (who threw for 415 yards and two touchdowns while completing 75% of his passes, and also punched in a pair of scores on the ground) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
