The Brownwood Lions rocketed to their highest ranking of the season ahead of the 82nd “Battle of 377,” coming at No. 5 in this week’s Harris Ratings Weekly Class 4A Division I poll.
Previously, the Lions appeared at No. 6 in the same rankings following their 55-16 victory at Marble Falls in Week 2. The Lions (4-1) were ranked No. 9 last week prior to their fourth straight victory, 52-21 at 4A Division II No. 14 Waco Connally.
Defending state champion Stephenville maintained its No. 1 spot in the Harris rankings as the Yellow Jackets rallied late for a 43-42 homecoming victory over Class 5A Division II No. 10 Wichita Falls Rider this past week. Stephenville (5-0), which is averaging 51 points and allowing 46 per game, has won 21 straight games, but four of their five victories this season are by one touchdown or less, including a pair of one-point decisions.
In a series that dates back 85 years to 1937, the 82nd meeting between Brownwood and Stephenville will take place at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Tarleton Memorial Stadium. The Lions lead the all-time series 47-32-2, but the Yellow Jackets have won the last two meetings and six of the last nine contests since a 2012 break between the two teams.
According to Harris Ratings Weekly, the Lions are 7-point underdogs.
The rest of the Harris Ratings Class 4A Division I Top 10 this week includes No. 2 China Spring, No. 3 Boerne, No. 4 Corpus Christi Calallen, No. 6 Anna, No. 7 Celina, No. 8 El Campo, No. 9 Lumberton, No. 10 Kaufman.
In other rankings of local interest, Coleman is No. 7 in Class 2A Division I, Cross Plains is No. 18 in Class 2A Division II, Comanche is No. 23 in Class 3A Division II, Early is No. 26 in Class 3A Division II, and Bangs is No. 29 in Class 2A Division I.