Football 11/7/2024 3:55:00 PM

Buccaneers host Wranglers in regular-season finale as postseason berth hangs in the balance

Blinn needs a win over Cisco by four points or more and a Navarro win over NMMI in order to reach the conference playoffs

Football 11/7/2024 3:55:00 PM

Buccaneers host Wranglers in regular-season finale as postseason berth hangs in the balance

Blinn needs a win over Cisco by four points or more and a Navarro win over NMMI in order to reach the conference playoffs

With one weekend of football left to decide the Southwest Junior College Football Conference playoff field, Blinn College's path to the postseason is clearer than ever.

The Buccaneers (4-4, 2-4 SWJCFC) host Cisco College at 3 p.m. on Saturday at Cub Stadium in Brenham, Texas, with three must-haves on the table.

To crack the four-team SWJCFC playoff bracket, Blinn must not only defeat the Wranglers (3-4 3-3), but do so by a margin of four or more points. The point differential is part of the conference's tiebreaker rules, and with four teams still in contention for the fourth seed, every point matters.

Cisco, Trinity Valley Community College, and New Mexico Military Institute are also vying for the fourth seed.

Should the Bucs take care of business Saturday, they will still need No. 7 Navarro College to defeat New Mexico Military, a matchup Navarro should be favored to win.
It all adds up to an exciting sprint to the finish line.

"When you have meaningful games being played across the conference this late in the year, that's what makes things fun," Blinn head coach Ryan Mahon said. "It boils down to who wants it more and who's going to show up and seize the moment."

The Bucs are no stranger to small point differentials, having lost its four games this season by a combined 19 points.

"There's been just a whisker's difference in every conference game we've lost this season," Mahon added. "That's a big reason why we want to get into the postseason; we want to get in and earn some redemption."

Blinn is coming off a tough 22-14 road loss to then-14th-ranked Kilgore College, while Cisco is looking to bounce back from a 30-24 setback at the hands of Navarro that pushed their losing streak to three games.

The Bucs could find their stride this weekend behind a reliable rushing attack that continues to pile up yards. Blinn boasts a clip of 253 grounds yards per game and against Kilgore, further proved its rushing prowess is no fluke. The Bucs piled 229 yards against Kilgore's stingy run defense that entered the game allowing an average of 49 yards to opposing running attacks.

Blinn sophomore running back and leading rusher Kelton Weathers had a season-high 167 yards and now has 677 for the year.

Heading into this week's matchup, Cisco is surrendering 158 yards on the ground per contest.

"We come into every game with the mentality of 'we're going to run it down their throat and see how they defend us,'" sophomore quarterback Rylan Wooten said. "Our running game continues to be strong and work really well and we feel good turning to our running backs again and again."

The Wranglers also allow more than 200 yards per game through the air, which could give Blinn some options.

Offensively, Cisco has been bullish about its passing attack. The Wranglers have racked up 1,900 passing yards and 12 touchdowns, led by quarterback Landon Vessel's 1,797 yards. He has thrown all of Cisco's TD passes. Conversely, the Wranglers have just 373 rushing yards this year.

Blinn's defense has shined all season and continues to be one of the top units in the NJCAA. The Bucs are ranked 10th in points allowed at 16.5 per outing and 15th in total yardage given up at 280.

"We just have to keep working hard and understand the task at hand," said Blinn sophomore linebacker Jadon Ducos. "We understand that Cisco has a good offense that we need to stop, and we also understand that as a team they have just as much of a chance to make the postseason as we do. I don't expect anything but a hard-fought game with a lot of energy and a ton of competition on both sides of the ball."

Prior to kickoff, the Bucs will recognize their sophomore players as part of the program's annual sophomore day.

Fans unable to attend this week's game in person can follow the action live by clicking the video link available at www.buccaneersports.com/sports/football/schedule/2024.

Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 49 national championships since 1987.

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