After four straight years of brutal losses in one of the oldest high school football rivalry games in Texas, the Marble Falls Mustangs secured a long-awaited victory at the Battle of Burnet County on Friday, Oct. 16.

The annual contest, pitting the Mustangs against the Burnet Bulldogs, had been dominated by the Bulldogs in recent years leaving Marble Falls starved for a win. Since the 2022-23 season, Burnet had outscored Marble Falls 130-35.

The tides turned on Friday, when the Mustangs punched in a touchdown during the opening minutes of the game. An evenly-matched first half of play ensued, with a Bulldog field goal as the only other score by either team before halftime.

The stalemate didn’t last long, as the Mustangs stampeded out of the half to tack on four additional touchdowns, including a trick play that resulted in quarterback Crawford Mattox catching a 28-yard touchdown pass.

Despite a valiant effort by Burnet to catch up, Marble Falls ran away with the contest, felling the Bulldogs for the first time since 2021, 34-16.

The win put the Mustangs at 3-4 overall and 1-1 in district. The Bulldogs fell to 1-6 overall and 1-1 in district. Due to the win, Marble Falls currently holds the third-place team in the district, with Burnet just below.

Of note, the top four teams from each district advance to the playoffs, making the Mustangs’ win paramount to their playoff hopes.

The Battle of Burnet County is recognized by the University Interscholastic League and popular sports publication Dave Campbell’s Texas Football as one of the oldest rivalry games in the state. The teams first met in 1913, with Marble Falls beating Burnet 20-0. Here’s how the Mustangs have fared in recent years:

• 2026-27 – Win, 34-16
• 2025-26 – Loss, 35-14
• 2024-25 – Loss, 43-7
• 2023-24 – Loss, 24-0
• 2022-23 – Loss, 28-14
• 2021-22 – Win, 41-9

caden@thepicayune.com