PHOTOS BY CLAY WHITTINGTON Senior Vann Millican will start at quarterback for the second consecutive week as Colton Perkins deals with a high ankle sprain. Perkins' availability will be a game-time decision. To the Badgers, tonight means everything.

While there are scenarios floating around that indicate Lampasas could lose to Dripping Springs and still manage to sneak its way through the back door into the postseason, the Badgers must win on the road tonight to control their own destiny.

"The bottom line is that we have to win this game," head coach Joey McQueen said.

Should the Badgers lose, a series of events would have to go Lampasas' way in order to fall into a tie-breaker situation where they could, potentially, earn a playoff berth.

Despite the Tigers' winless district record, McQueen is not taking Dripping Springs (2-5, 0-3 District 25-4A) lightly.

Two weeks ago, the Tigers gave Killeen all it could handle when it traveled to Dripping Springs.

After falling behind 21-0, the Tigers made a furious comeback to take a 35-34 lead with less than six minutes left in the game. Although Killeen pulled out a 48-42 victory, the performance grabbed McQueen's attention.

Carter Burks, left, and Justin Taylor engage during Wednesday's afternoon practice. "They typically play pretty well at their home," the coach said. "They are not a bad ball club at all. They've lost five games, just like we have, but I feel like each week we've made progress and found something to build off of.

"Hopefully, they're spiraling down, and we're spiraling up."

The Badgers are coming off a 38- 7 loss to No. 1 Lake Travis but gained confidence after becoming the first team this season to hold the two-time defending Class 4A state champions under 40 points.

The Badgers did suffer a setback in the contest, however.

Quarterback Colton Perkins did not start the game after missing a few early-week practices due to an illness. Then, when he did get into the game, he suffered a high ankle sprain that has kept him out of practice all week.

The injury means Vann Millican will start under center for the second week in a row. Astin Murray will be the backup should Perkins not be able to play.

Luckily for the Badgers, quarterback is not a critical component to the team's offense as Lampasas runs a slot-T, groundbased attack where the quarterback serves as a game manager instead of a playmaker.

While the Badgers (1-5, 0-2 district) are primarily a onedimensional team, the Tigers are more balanced, owning the district's third-best offense. Dripping Springs averages 371 yards per game.

On the year, the Tigers have amassed 1,221 rushing yards and 1,005 passing yards. The totals are sixth- and fourth-best in the district, respectively.

Running back Jacob Moore is the team's primary weapon. The senior is averaging over eight yards per carry with 497 yards and 10 touchdowns this season, making him the sixth-best rusher in the district.

While the Badgers' ultimate goal is to reach the postseason, they will get a sample of what could be coming over the next four weeks.

After tonight, the Badgers play Marble Falls, Killeen and Hutto. Each game will be critical to Lampasas' postseason hopes.

Those games will drastically lose importance, however, if the Badgers cannot win tonight.

McQueen believes the game will have a playoff feel as the Badgers fight to stay alive in the postseason race.

"It makes it fun," the coach said. "Each game you're playing is for a chance to get in, and our kids understand it.

"You've got to have fun and make them believe you can do it. If you don't, then you never will [reach the playoffs]."