Princeton’s football team will look to leave McKinney ISD Stadium tonight with a win over McKinney Boyd. Photo by Lorena Balaguer

By David Wolman

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After a district-wide bye for football teams in District 6-6A, all eight teams are ready for a return to action.

Princeton will look to shake off the rust as well as the disappointment from a 65-7 loss two weeks ago against state-ranked Allen.

It was the second straight loss for the Panthers after they went 2-1 in non-district action.

Princeton (2-3 overall, 0-2 district) could be primed for a bounce-back effort against a McKinney Boyd team that enters with a 1-4 overall record and 0-2 mark in District 6-6A. Kickoff is set for 7 tonight at McKinney ISD Stadium.

The Panthers have enjoyed previous success against the Broncos. 

Last year, the Panthers rallied to defeat the Broncos 28-24 to secure their first winning season since 2015, when Princeton went 7-4.

Here are the three keys for Princeton to defeat McKinney Boyd:

1. Finish drives. Although the final score of 65-7 resembled a blowout home win for Allen over Princeton, the Panthers had their chances. After the Eagles scored on their initial possession, the Panthers nearly answered. Princeton drove to Allen’s 29-yard line, but a strong pass rush forced an errant throw on fourth down. The Eagles went on to score 44 more points before halftime to take a 51-0 lead. Princeton will look to capitalize against a Boyd team that has allowed the first points of the game in three of its first five games.

2. Capitalize on mistakes. One of the positives for Princeton in its loss to Allen was its ability to generate takeaways on defense. The Panthers forced four turnovers — all fumbles — and recovered five fumbles overall. Although Princeton only scored seven points on the evening, the Panthers’ defense gave them chances to win the game. Princeton will look to create more turnovers tonight against a McKinney Boyd offense that turned the ball over twice in a 35-28 loss to Dallas Jesuit.

3. Run the ball. McKinney Boyd’s defense has struggled to stop the run, with the Broncos allowing more than 140 rushing yards in each of their first three games. Prosper Rock Hill carved up Boyd’s defense for 379 rushing yards in a 27-0 triumph over the Broncos on Sept. 18. That statistic should help Princeton improve in that area after Allen held the Panthers to an average of 1.39 yards per carry — 43 rushing yards on 31 carries.

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