TEAMS: Pleasant Grove (1-3) at Carthage (3-0)
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m., Bulldog Stadium.
LAST YEAR: The Bulldogs defeated the Hawks, 35-7.
GAME FACTS: Pleasant Grove gives up an average of 30.8 points per contest and score 28.3 on average, while Carthage score an average of 32.3 points and give up 15.0. This is a non-district game. Pleasant Grove plays in District 8-4A, Div. II, and Carthage competes in District 10-4A, Div. II. The Hawks had a bye last week, and the Bulldogs rolled past Gilmer, 28-7. Carthage is the defending Class 4A, Div.II state champion.
PLEASANT GROVE'S JOSH GIBSON: "Carthage is an elite program that is coached by elite coaches. They have eight state championships under head coach Scott Surratt. They are good and returned nine defensive players. They beat Class 5A Crosby in week one this year. They played Gilmer last week and held them to one first down in the first half. Gilmer is the No. 2 ranked team in Texas. They are playing dominate football.
"They are No. 1, and we played Argyle, who are No. 1 in the division above us. Our kids are used to these games. They understand who we're playing. We have to do the things that we are supposed to do like practice each day like it's a state championship and grow as much as we can.
"We've had a really, really good week. We lacked experience coming into this year, but the kids are growing and are playing more confident. This is a group that has gotten so much better since week one. The growth will turn into confidence and belief. The kids feel good about themselves and where we are in controlling what we can control."
RADIO: KTRG 94.1 FM, 7 p.m. pregame.