Last week’s MVP: RB Roman Gregory (243 total yards, and 4 touchdowns)

For the 51st annual “Crosstown Classic,” the Lafayette Commodores will travel across town to Bobby Holcomb stadium to face the Oxford Chargers. The Chargers return to the gridiron coming off a bye week. Their last game ended in a 43-34 win over the South Panola Tigers. The Commodores are coming off their second loss of the season a week ago, a 33-28 loss at 6A foe Southaven. In last year’s Crosstown Classic, the Commodores made a comeback win, with a final score of 34-23. The Commodore victory secured their first win over the Chargers since 2016.

Players to Watch:

Oxford Senior RB Roman Gregory: So far this season, Roman Gregory has been nothing short of impressive. With a total of 382 total yards and 6 touchdowns in just 2 games, Gregory has been the focal point of the explosive Charger offense so far. With a Commodore defensive unit averaging about 150 rushing yards per game and with Gregory’s quickness and ability to squeeze through a defense, he should have a great day on the ground. I expect the Chargers to continue to find ways to get the ball out to their explosive running back and give the Commodore defense trouble all night. 

Lafayette Senior RB Jayden Reed: Much like last year, Lafayette’s offense relies on their running back Jayden Reed. Reed man-handled the Charger defense last year with a gut-wrenching 227 yards and 3 touchdowns. Reed has been putting on a show in the Commodores last three games, rushing for 320 yards and two touchdowns. So far this season, Jayden Reed had made up for almost 50% of the team’s total yards. So, look for the Commodores to put the ball in their Senior running back’s hands and let him make some plays.

Oxford K/P William Wilkinson: Two games into the regular season, Wilkinson has performed very well. Last game, Wilkinson had a fantastic day, with 5/7 of his kickoffs for TouchBacks, one being in the back of the endzone, 5/5 on PATs, a 41 yard punt average, and a 53 yard punt that was pinned down on the 3 yard line. Back in the 2018 Crosstown Classic, Kicker and Punter Jack Tannehill, kicked a game-winning field goal as time expired to put the Chargers on top. With that being said, going into a Crosstown Classic that is always competitive and with just 13 points separating the teams all-time, an extra point or field goal can be crucial to see who ends up on top.

Lafayette Junior QB Charlie Fair: Charlie Fair is heading into his second year as the Commodores starting quarterback. In last year’s meeting between the two teams, Fair entered the game for starter Will Dabney, and made an immediate impact for the Commodore offense. Fair racked in 241 yards and a touchdown in just his third appearance for the Commodores. So far this season, Fair has thrown for 304 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions.  

X-Factor:

Oxford Front Seven: We saw last year what Laffayete’s run game is capable of, so it will be key for the Charger defensive front to eliminate the Commodores from breaking open big plays running the football.  Look for guys like Alex Sanford, Martavious Blackmon, Malachi Pegues, Ty Cohran, and the rest of a deep defensive front for the Chargers to slow them down and cause offensive miscues for the Commodores.

Prediction:

It’s a rivalry game and I expect the game to be filled with a lot of emotion and it will come down to who wants it more. I think coming off a loss in last year’s meeting between the two, the Chargers will have a chip on their shoulder and will play with a sense of urgency to get the trophy back. With that being said, I look for Roman Gregory and the Charger offense to outlast the Commodores, and the Chargers bring the trophy back where it belongs. Chargers 31-27.