*Time: 7:30 p.m.
*Records: Carson 3-7, 2-6 NPC; West Iredell 6-4, 4-4 NPC
*Series: West Iredell leads 2-0
*Last meeting: Warriors thumped the Cougars 26-3 in China Grove in 2007
*Last week: Carson lost 20-17 to Statesville; West Iredell took it on the chin 44-14 from Mooresville
*Next week: Carson has to win tonight to have any chance to squeeze into a playoff bracket; West Iredell, the smallest school in the NPC besides South Rowan, will be in the 3A bracket.
*Home and road splits: Carson is 2-2 on the road. West Iredell is 2-2 at home.
*Scoring: Carson has scored 163 points. West Iredell has scored 271.
*Defense: Carson has allowed 240 points while the Warriors have yielded 243.
*Game notes: Despite the records and the fact Carson has been outscored 69-3 in two previous meetings with West Iredell, this feels like a game Carson has a reasonable chance in. West Iredell needed a miracle to beat South Rowan, and it also lost to a Lake Norman team that Carson beat on the road.
A victory would give Carson hope for a playoff berth. Four-win teams usually qualify in the expanded format, and a third conference win would be crucial for the Cougars.
The defenses are even. West Iredell, which has Shrine Bowl DB Quan Rucker taking snaps, has an explosive offense. Receiver/returnerP.J. Clyburn and running back Devin Miller and are also threats.
Carson will count on seniors such as corner Joseph Keophilavanh and linebacker Brandon Goodman, who are determined to keep on playing.
Carson sophomore Shaun Warren has 995 rushing yards this season. Senior Travis Hayes has 973 career receiving yards.