WyoPreps Playoff Game of the Week: Lyman at Big Horn [VIDEO]

A semifinal rematch takes place in Sheridan County on Friday, as No. 4 Lyman visits second-ranked Big Horn in the 2023 high school football playoffs.

These two squared off a year ago on the same field, and the Rams topped the Eagles, 7-0.

Big Horn is 8-1 on the season, and Lyman comes in at 8-2.

The game will be the sixth meeting in the playoffs between the two schools. It is the fourth straight year these two programs will meet in the postseason. The first playoff game between the Rams and Eagles was in 2011. Lyman holds a 3-2 edge in postseason action. Overall, it is the eighth time they will play a football game against each other.

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The Eagles bring the No. 1 rushing offense in 2A into the game. They average 262 yards per game and 5.7 yards per rush on the season. Big Horn shows more balance. They run for 179 yards per game, which ranks No. 6 in 2A, but the Rams have the No. 2 passing attack at 212 yards per game. That adds up to the No. 1 overall offense in the class at 390 yards per game for Big Horn.

Both team’s run defense is similar, while the Eagles allow less per game through the air than the Rams, 96 vs. 141 yards per game. Lyman’s stingy defense gives up 209 yards per game, while Big Horn allows 267 yards per contest.

WyoPreps spoke with Lyman head coach Dale Anderson and Big Horn head coach Kirk McLaughlin ahead of the rematch. The coaches discuss their first playoff win, how they responded to different types of adversity, playing each other again in this same round of the playoffs, what they see in each other, and some keys for their team to have success. Coach Anderson added how they dealt with the travel, and Coach McLaughlin is happy to be at home.

The series’ history is courtesy of wyoming-football.com.

The kick-off is at noon from Big Horn Field.