Football Preview: Costa Mesa vs. Saddleback

Costa Mesa (2-6, 2-1) vs. Saddleback (5-3, 3-0)

When/where: Friday, 7 p.m. at Jim Scott Stadium

Key Mustangs: Jr. RB/WR/FS/K Cameron Curet (81 carries for 589 yards and six total TDs); Jr. RB/LB Mason Mataafa (494 yards rushing and two TDs); Soph. QB Eric Carrasco (124 yards passing, one TD).

Key Roadrunners: Sr. QB Johnny Rojas (819 yards passing, nine TDs, five INTs); Sr. RB/S Daniel Porras (120 carries for 702 yards, one TD); Sr. FB/LB Chris Rios (team-best 69 tackles).

Breakdown: With two Orange Coast League games remaining, Costa Mesa comes into Friday night’s contest in third place, while Saddleback and Estancia are tied for first ... Costa Mesa, which plays Calvary Chapel in its regular-season finale Nov. 6, can clinch a CIF Southern Section Southern Division playoff berth by winning its final two league games ... The Mustangs can clinch a playoff berth Friday night as well, if they beat Saddleback and fourth-place Calvary Chapel loses at Laguna Beach ... The top three teams in the six-team league are guaranteed playoff berths ... Costa Mesa is coming off a 24-0 win over Godinez, in which Carrasco made his debut at quarterback with Sammy Swanson (torn ACL) out for the season ... Curet had a big night in the win with 153 combined rushing and receiving yards, a touchdown and two interceptions on defense ... Saddleback has made a big turnaround after compiling a combined 1-19 league record in its first four years in the Orange Coast League ... The Mustangs beat the Roadrunners, 54-12, last season, forcing five turnovers and getting 266 yards rushing and three TDs from Oronde Crenshaw.

— Matt Szabo