Mustangs ready to showcase new turf

The Nixon-Smiley Mustangs will enter a new era under new head coach Paul Kirby and will have a new turf field to show off for their five home games this season.

--THREE RIVERS—

The Mustangs will host the Three Rivers Bulldogs for the home opener Friday, Sept. 9.

The Bulldogs finished the season as 6-5 bi-district finalists in the 2023 Class 3A UIL football playoffs, losing to La Villa in a 26-24 squeaker.

Three Rivers has won the last four meetings against Nixon-Smiley; this will be fifth meeting a row that the Bulldogs and Mustangs will face each other.

--COTULLA—

The Mustangs will open district play against the Cotulla Cowboys at home Friday, Sept. 27.

Cotulla is one of the new teams Nixon-Smiley will face in District 15-3A Division II; this is the first time these two teams have faced each other since 2015.

Last season, Cotulla finished its 2023 campaign with a 3-7 record and a 1-4 district record.

--NATALIA—

Nixon-Smiley will face the Natalia Mustangs once again in district play Friday, Oct. 11.

Last season, Natalia knocked Nixon-Smiley out of the playoffs in the final game last season by a score of 31-21.

Natalia finished its season as bi-district finalists with a 3-8 record and a 3-3 fourth place district finish, losing to Odem in the playoffs.

--DILLEY—

The Mustangs will host the Dilley Wolves for their second-to-last home game of the 2024 season Friday, Oct. 25.

The Mustangs will have met the Wolves for 15 seasons in a row in district or non-district matches with this upcoming tilt.

Dilley snapped the Mustangs’ four-game win streak against the Wolves last season; Nixon-Smiley has a 9-5 overall record against Dilley.

Dilley finished the season with an 8-3 record and 5-1 district record; they finished the 2023 season as area finalists, losing to eventual state runners-up Tidehaven.

--STOCKDALE—

The Nixon-Smiley and the Stockdale rivalry has been renewed for the 2024 season.

The Mustangs will take on the Brahmas in the regular season finale Friday, Nov. 11.

This is the first time since the 2021 season that these two teams have faced each other; Stockdale beat Nixon-Smiley, 31-12, in their last meeting.

Overall, these teams have met 61 times, but only three times since 1982, with the Brahmas defeating the Mustangs in all three of those games. Overall, Nixon-Smiley is 25-31-5 against Stockdale with their last win in the series coming in 1982, a 68-6 blowout.

Stockdale finished the 2023 season with a 4-5 record overall and 0-4 in district.