The new-look Vaqueros make their return to La Playa Stadium to take on Saddleback College on Saturday.
SBCC opened its season with a 27-14 loss to Fullerton College and will look to bounce back in a matchup with Saddleback.
The game is scheduled for 6 p.m. and will be broadcast on AM 1290, FM 96.9 and AM1290KZSB.com.
Saddleback was one of California’s premier junior college football programs throughout most of the 2000s and 2010s, led by head coach Mark McElroy.
However, with McElroy no longer at the helm, the Bobcats have finished 4-6 and 3-7 in the last two seasons.
In the season-opening loss, the Vaqueros stayed in the game and competed against a strong Fullerton team but ultimately fell behind in the second half.
SBCC freshman quarterback Will Doherty threw for 174 passing yards in his debut last week, finding big chunk plays to freshman wide receiver Cameron Green. Doherty and Green will likely be the focal points of the offense once again this week.
The Vaqueros will need to find more success on third downs this week if they want to enter the win column, as the offense was just 2-for-15 on third-down conversion attempts against Fullerton.
Saddleback, meanwhile, is coming off a competitive 35-30 loss to Ventura College last week.
In the loss, Saddleback quarterback Trey Kukuk accumulated 314 passing yards and threw for three touchdowns. Wideout Marques Carrillo Edgar was their deep-ball threat, taking three receptions for 119 yards and two touchdowns.
Where the Bobcats struggled last week was in the penalty category, as they were called for 18 penalties that totaled 148 yards.
This matchup will be a crucial test for the Vaqueros, considering Saddleback played a competitive game in the season opener with one of SBCC’s new conference rivals in Ventura.
If the Vaqueros can come out on top, it could be a sign of optimism and a much-needed momentum boost before one last non-conference matchup.
