The undefeated Picayune Maroon Tide host the 1-3 Gautier Gators this Friday to play the first conference game of the season.

Picayune has gotten off to a championship caliber start, going undefeated in one of the most difficult four-game stretches in Mississippi football this season, all of which were against top-tier 6A programs. Throughout that stretch, Picayune has averaged 34.5 points and 400 total yards per game.

Leading the way for the No. 2 state-ranked Maroon Tide is senior running back Josh Littles, who has averaged 176 rushing yards per game with a total 703 rushing yards on the season with seven games still to play. Currently, Littles has seven rushing touchdowns this season.

Coming off his best game so far, 218 yards and a pair of touchdowns, against an impressive Harrison Central, Littles along with the rest of the Maroon Tide will attempt to carry their early season success into conference play starting this week.

However, the Gautier Gators have offensive weapons of their own, like starting running back Deandre Torrey.

Torrey has improved significantly from last season, running for over 100 yards in two out of the three games played so far, which ties the amount he had throughout the entire season last year. Also, he has nearly doubled his total rushing yards from last year in just three games this season, with 366 yards and three touchdowns. Last year Torrey had 722 total rushing yards and five touchdowns all season.

The Gators seem to lean on their ground game this season, scoring nine total rushing touchdowns versus a solo passing touchdown, which was scored by Torrey.

With 45.3 passing yards per game, a pair of interceptions and a completion percentage of .378, Gators quarterback Kameron Kincaid has had a difficult time against speedy and athletic defenses like Picayune’s.

Averaging 2.8 sacks and 92 tackles per game, the Maroon Tide defense makes a living out of getting to the quarterback. Star middle linebacker Brian Taylor has three sacks and four tackles for a loss this season. Also, sophomore cornerback Jermiah Stallings averaged 10.3 tackles per game with two for a loss in the first four games.

But the Maroon Tide defense is not just a two-man show, but rather a collective unit that have proven to attack the ball, with 11 caused fumbles this season and a majority of them recovered.

The Picayune Maroon Tide and Gautier Gators will kick off on Friday at 7 p.m. in Picayune.