Rivalry Historical Scores, Facts

Lincoln is motivated to end a 19-game losing streak while Prairie Grove is thinking playoff seeding coming into Friday’s regular season finale.

“I think if they win tonight and we win tonight, we are both in the playoffs so that would be for a seeding match, the three or four,” said Prairie Grove coach Danny Abshier in the aftermath of a hard-fought, 22-7 win by the Tigers over Berryville Friday.

“If you look at the travel and who you’re playing; of course, you don’t know who the other ones are, but it doesn’t hurt much. The three might not be as bad as the four or even the five depending on how it goes,” Abshier said. “So, lucky to be in the playoffs, I’m sure they (Lincoln) are happy to be, too. It ought to be a good game. It’s just a short little drive over there so there ought to be a lot of people over there watching them.”

Both schools have suffered extended losing streaks in football. Prairie Grove endured a 25-game losing streak from 1987-1989, that according to historical research compiled by Lynn Gregson, actually started the last game of 1986. The Tigers finally ended the streak the first time they encountered Shiloh Christian on the gridiron during the Saints’ firstyear of playing football five games into the 1989 season.

Lincon endured a 29-game losing streak from 2007-2009, but didn’t play Prairie Grove during two years of that stretch.

Lynn Gregson, “Voice of the Tigers,” as play-by-play announcer for PG Telco webcasts of Prairie Grove football games, has compiled several interesting facts in researching the history of the series.

Years played 1955-2017; played every year except 1965, 2008-2011.

Prairie Grove leads all-time series 41-16.

Lincoln won the first 8 games of the series.

Until 1989 the series was fairly evenly-matched with Prairie Grove leading series 17-15.

Since 1989, Prairie Grove holds a 24-1 winning advantage, including 19 in-a-row. Last Lincoln win 1994, 14-0. Last time Lincoln came into the game with a better record than Prairie Grove was 2013 (Lincoln 5-0, Prairie Grove 4-1). Prairie Grove won 40-17.

6-man football 1955-1959; 8-man football 1960-1964; 1965 did not play; 1966-present 11-man football.

Average score for series: Prairie Grove 21.8, Lincoln 11.9.

Average score for series since 1989: Prairie Grove 32.5, Lincoln 8.9.

In 58 years Prairie Grove has shut out Lincoln 16 times, the last in 2003. Lincoln shut out Prairie Grove 6 times, the last in 1994 which was the last Lincoln victory.

Prairie Grove shut out Lincoln four straight times from 2000-2003.

It was the last game of the season for both teams 28 times: from 1976-1990, 19932001, 2014-2017, and will be again this year 2018.

Prairie Grove holds a 21-7 edge when game is last game of the year.

Prairie Grove coach Danny Abshier series record (1993present) 20 wins 1 loss.

Lincoln coach Don Harrison series record (2014-present) 0 wins 3 losses.

Only 10 of the 58 games or 17.2 percent of the games decided by a touchdown or less.

22 of the 58 games or 37.9 percent have been a shutout.

Kickoff is 7 p.m. Friday at Lincoln’s Wolfpack Stadium.