Fountain-Fort Carson and Widefield will open the football season against each other Friday night after very different seasons a year ago.

The Trojans advanced to the Class 4A semifinals and finished 6-2. The Gladiators lost all four of their games a year ago. Despite the relatively short drive between the two schools, Thursday’s contest will be their first meeting in more than a decade. Here’s a look at the matchup by the numbers:

1

Common opponents from the teams’ 2020 schedules. Fountain-Fort Carson beat Coronado 54-0 in its first game of last season. Coronado beat Widefield, 26-19, in the Gladiators’ final game.

8.3

Tackles per game for Widefield’s leading returner on defense, Braydon Demattos-Burrows. He had a tackle for loss as a sophomore.

8.4

Tackles per game for Fountain-Fort Carson’s leading returner on defense, Tai Faavae. The junior had three sacks and two interceptions.

16

Consecutive games lost for Widefield. The Gladiators last won Oct. 19, 2018, in an overtime contest against Liberty. Widefield closed the 2018 season with consecutive losses before going 0-10 in 2019 and winless in a shortened 2020 season.

72.1

Percent of rushing yards the Trojans will have to replace due to Q Jones’ graduation. The Dartmouth freshman running back rushed for 1,853 yards and 19 touchdowns in eight games as a senior last season.

100

Percent of Widefield’s rushing touchdowns returning this season. Gabriel Sagura rushed for 127 yards and three touchdowns, while Isaiah Martinez recorded Widefield’s only other rushing touchdown a year ago.