It’s the final regular season game and it should be a barnburner between the undefeated Class 2A No. 6 Elba Tigers (9-0) and host Class 3A No. 10 Opp Bobcats (7-2) Friday night at Channell-Lee Stadium in Opp.

It may not have playoff implications for either team, but both are expecting to bring their A-game into the rivalry.

Both Opp and Elba are locked up as region champions. Elba will look to remain undefeated, and the Bobcats will be looking to squash the Tigers’ dreams of a perfect season.

“We are going to keep going with the same offense where we line up, and we run a certain play depending on what the quarterback and coaches see in the box,” said Bobcats’ head coach Brent Hill.

The Bobcats will be without one of the their star players, quarterback Orlando Lacey, who tore his ACL in the Bobcats’ win over Excel. Lacey was having a great sophomore season for the Bobcats before the injury, racking up 814 passing yards and seven touchdowns to go along with 756 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns.

While the Bobcats no doubt miss the gifted Lacey, other Bobcat players have stepped up in a big way to help fill the role that Lacey held, Hill said.

“We have some injuries to deal with, but we are excited to play a good team like Elba,” said Hill.

“Offensively, Elba will throw a lot at us,” Hill said. “They will line up two tight double wings and then they will run an empty set, so we have to be ready for some different looks.”