AUSTIN (KXAN) — Anderson is looking for its third consecutive blowout victory while McCallum hopes to lean on its experience to win in the 23rd annual Taco Shack Bowl on Thursday at House Park.
The game kicks off the 2024 football season in Austin with the Trojans holding a 12-10 advantage in the series including wins in four of the last five ballgames. Anderson blanked McCallum last season 42-0 and thumped them 49-3 in 2022, but the Knights are more seasoned than in years past, and head coach Thomas Gammerdinger said that’ll help them.
“With an experienced group, you can lean on them a little more,” he said. “They’ve been through the fire and seen more possibilities of what’s out there.”
Gammerdinger was happy with how summer went, particularly how his team played in the qualifying rounds and state 7-on-7 tournament, and with new rules allowing more time to work with players in the summer, team chemistry has improved.
“It’s still coming together but we saw it this summer,” he said. “They showed a lot of poise and they have a good bond.”
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On the other side, Anderson also had a tremendous summer. The Trojans rumbled through the state 7-on-7 tournament and finished runner-up to powerhouse DeSoto, pumping them up for another chance at a big TSB victory.
“It’s everything,” Anderson senior wide receiver Ed Small said about the TSB. “My freshman year, it was the most eye-opening experience of my life. There’s nothing like it, and we’re hoping to get to 3-1 in my career.”
Small, committed to TCU, torched the Knights last season for 113 receiving yards on nine catches with three touchdowns.
As is TSB tradition, both schools will decorate their respective Taco Shack locations for a spirit competition Thursday morning with the winner announced on-air during KXAN News Today at 6:45 a.m. McCallum will be at the Taco Shack at 4002 N. Lamar Blvd. and Anderson’s is at 1508 W. Anderson Lane.
The game kicks at 7:30 p.m. and will be televised live on the CW Austin.