3 Reasons Timpson Wins/Garrison Wins Battle of the Attoyac 2.0

It's being called the Battle of the Attoyac 2.0. Timpson and Garrison have two of the best 2A football teams in Texas. They are rivals from the same district, and in their first showdown this season, Timpson defeated Garrison 35-26.

Both teams have plowed their opponents in the playoffs and they will meet up again on Thursday night at Lobo Stadium in Longview. The Bears are once again favored to win the game, but anything can happen in a rivalry game such as this.

So...here are 3 reasons why Timpson wins the rematch, and 3 reasons why Garrison could pull off the upset.

3 Reasons Why Timpson Wins

Athleticism

Both teams are loaded with great athletes. However, Timpson has two of the best in the state, future Texas Aggie Terry Bussey and JJ Garner who should be playing at a high-level Division 1 college in a couple of years.

When you have talents like Bussey and Garner on a mediocre team, great things can happen. When they are on an excellent team, it makes that team almost impossible to beat.

Timpson Is On A Mission

The Bears have been dominant over the last four seasons. But, they haven't brought home the holy grail of Texas high school football -- the UIL State Championship.

Timpson's last three seasons have ended one game short of the state champion match-up. Shiner downed Timpson in two of those years, and last year it was Refugio who ended the Bears' season, 24-21.

The Bears want the trophy...it is their mission. Should Timpson win Thursday against Garrison, it looks very likely that another showdown with Refugio will take place for the Bears.

Swagger

When you take the field expecting to win as opposed to hoping to win, you have swagger -- and that is a huge advantage. A team with swagger plays with more confidence and there is an extra level of self-accountability.

You just have to be careful that you don't take swagger to the next level - overconfidence.

3 Reasons Why Garrison Could Pull Off the Upset

No Intimidation

The Battle of the Attoyac is one of the biggest rivalry games in East Texas. Garrison and Timpson are separated by less than 15 miles and they know each other well.

When many teams take the field against Timpson, they have already lost the psychological battle because the Bear's reputation has already gotten into their heads. That's not the case with the Bulldogs.

Garrison is not intimidated. Even though they lost to Timpson earlier in the season, the Bulldogs kept it close and they were only down by 1 at the half. Garrison knows they can match up with Timpson.

Looking Ahead

Before the season started in late August, football 'experts' were pointing to the weekend of December 1 as the probable big rematch of Timpson vs Refugio. The Bears are favored in their game against Garrison, and Refugio is expected to win against Ganado this weekend.

It looks like a rematch of last year's game is imminent. If the Bears' players start looking ahead to that showdown, their focus on the game at hand could be affected. However, this is the Battle of the Attoyac, and the focus of both teams on this game should be intact.

Weather

As of this posting, the weather forecast for Thursday night in Longview does not look promising. There is a 70% chance of rain with southerly winds gusting to 25 mph. Temperatures should be near 60 degrees.

The weather has been called the 'great equalizer' in sports. Rain and windy conditions could have a huge effect on turnovers, footing, and the ability to pass the ball. The ability to make field goals could also be hindered.