Opp and Excel have more in common with each other than one might think.

Both have played and lost to quality Class 3A, Region 1 opponents Bayside Academy and T.R. Miller. The Bobcats lost 35-14 to Bayside last week and 21-7 to T.R. Miller the week before. The Panthers lost 62-2 to T.R. Miller last week and 40-13 to Bayside the week before.

Opp will travel to face the Panthers in a region contest tonight and Bobcats head football coach Jack Whigham said he believes they will have “every intention of beating us.”

“We’ve struggled in the last two weeks,” Whigham said. “They (Excel) run an ‘I’ formation just like we do. They run a 4-3 on defense. They’re having a little trouble in their kicking game.”

Whigham added that the Panthers will be a lot bigger than the Bobcats.

“They’re having a lot of kids playing both ways,” he said. “I hope we can take that to our advantage.”

One way OHS will be able to take advantage is through the weather. The low tonight in Excel is reported to be 60 degrees.

“I think the weather should nullify a little bit of that,” Whigham said. “We are going to try and take advantage and keep some kids fresh. We are still beat up. We’ve still got a lot of starters out dealing with the injury bug.”

Opp junior quarterback Ethan Davis is still out with a broken collar bone; senior running back and linebacker Jimmy Andrews re-aggrevated his ankle at practice on Wednesday and is out; senior offensive lineman Michael Catrett is still out with an injury; and junior wing back and linebacker Trey Phillips has a bad ankle and Whigham said he doesn’t know if he’ll play tonight.

“We’re just mighty thin,” Whigham said. “We’ve just got a bunch of folks beat up and hurt.”

Despite all of the injuries, Whigham said the team — as they always do — is looking forward to the game tonight.

“It’s another opportunity to play and we look forward to every Friday night,” he said.