The Saddleback football team opens the Southern California Regional Playoffs at home on Saturday when it hosts Riverside City College at 6:00 PM.  The game will be broadcast live, via streaming video, on the Gaucho Sports Network.

Saddleback is looking for redemption after falling to the Tigers in week two, 38-18.  In that game, Riverside returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown and never looked back, leading 31-8 at halftime.  The Gauchos have been a different team ever since, winning eight straight games and capturing the National Division Southern League title.

Riverside has since gone 6-2, finishing in a three-way tie for the Central League title with Long Beach City College and Mt. San Antonio College.  The Tigers' lone losses on the season were in week five to Fullerton College (21-52) and week seven to Mt. San Antonio (17-21). 

Saddleback owns a 28-13 lead in the lifetime series between the two programs, but it is Riverside that has had the advantage in recent years.  The Tigers have won the past five meetings, with the last Gaucho victory coming in 2007.

In addition, both teams are ranked in the top-10 in the nation by JCGridiron.com with Riverside coming in at #6 and Saddleback at #10.

The broadcast of the game will start at approximately 5:55 PM and the cost is $9.95.  All proceeds from the broadcast go directly back into the athletics program to help promote the athletes and teams.  To watch the game on the Gaucho Sports Network, click HERE.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS (w/state ranking):

Total Offense:
Riverside, 443.9 ypg (15^th)
Saddleback, 419.1 ypg (23^rd)

Pass Offense:
Riverside, 221.9 ypg (42^nd)
Saddleback, 257.9 ypg (25^th

Rush Offense:
Riverside, 222.0 ypg (5^th)
Saddleback, 161.2 ypg (21^st)

Total Defense:
Riverside, 303.1 ypg (8^th)
Saddleback, 351.1 ypg (25^th)

Pass Defense:
Riverside, 201.7 ypg (17^th)
Saddleback, 218.9 ypg (25^th)

Rush Defense:
Riverside, 101.4 ypg (12^th)
Saddleback, 132.2 ypg (29^th)

KEY PLAYERS:

Riverside:

Ian Feber (quarterback)
129-of-193 (65.2%) 1,490 yards, 15 TD, 4 INT

Seth Acda (running back)
132-for-812 (6.2) 6 TD

Kj Young (wide receiver, pictured)
34-for-367 (10.8) 5 TD

Aj Hotchkins (linebacker)
87 tackles, 4.5 TFL

Jonathan Lyles (safety)
54 tackles, 4 TFL, 3 pass break-ups

Tareke Lewis (corner)
24 tackles, 3 interceptions, 6 pass break-ups

Michael Taylor (defensive end)
41 tackles, 10.5 TFL, 4 sacks

Ernest Bagner (defensive end)
25 tackles, 11.5 TFL, 5.5 sacks

Saddleback:

Johnny Stanton (quarterback)
199-of-318 (62.6%) 2,338 yards, 18 TD, 10 INT's
128-for-590 rush (4.6), 12 TD

Jojo Binda (running back)
70-for-340 (4.9) 2 TD

Zach Davis (wide receiver)
54-for-657 (12.2) 3 TD

Dominic Collins (wide receiver)
48-for-810 (16.9) 7 TD

Zachary Wade (safety, pictured)
72 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 3 FR, 2 INT, 2 break-ups

Marcus Meredith (safety)
62 tackles, 5 TFL, 9 break-ups

Connor Toohey (linebacker)
52 tackles, 3.5 TFL

Anthony Hickey (linebacker)
44 tackles, 6.5 TFL

Carlton LaFrance (defensive end)
31 tackles, 9 TFL

Darryl Wyrick (corner)
23 tackles, 11 break-ups