Cougars will see both old and new faces on football schedule

If the 2020 football season holds up against the current coronavirus pandemic, the Rosebud-Lott Cougars will see both old and new foes on their schedule, as well as a new head coach.

The University Interscholastic League’s biannual realignment in February moved the Cougars from Class 2A Region IV to Region III for football, and Rafael Williams was named the squad’s new head coach earlier this year.

Dave Campbell’s Texas Football magazine hit stores last week and Rosebud-Lott will have to fight hard to reach the postseason but have the talent to do it.

The Cougars are picked to finish at the bottom of Class 2A Division I District 12-2A, but are set to return seven starters on both sides of the ball.  They will have 18 returning players from last season.

Rosebud-Lott’s district is picked one of the top three to watch this season, as they have three top 25 ranked teams among them.

Thorndale is picked to win the league title according to Texas Football and is ranked No. 16 in the statewide preseason poll.  Hearne and Holland are picked to finish second and third, respectively, and are preseason ranked No. 19 and No. 21.

Thrall is predicted to round out the playoff teams, followed by Bruceville-Eddy, Moody and then the Cougars.

Rosebud-Lott is set to open up its 2020 season at Leon on Aug. 28 and then host Wortham on Sept. 4.  The Cougars will go to Central Texas Christian on Sept. 11 and host Granger on Sept. 18.

District play opens up on Sept. 25 at Thrall and then will host Hearne on Oct. 2.  Rosebud-Lott is scheduled to go to Thorndale on Oct. 9 and will host Moody on Oct. 16.  The Cougars go to Holland on Oct. 23 and then close out their district schedule on Oct. 6 against Bruceville-Eddy.

In the 2018-19 seasons, Rosebud-Lott, Thorndale, Hearne, Holland and Thrall were all in the same district in Region IV.