SAN ANTONIO – The Brandeis Broncos will take on the O’Connor Panthers in a rivalry game that will be the nightcap of a triple-header at the 2023 KSAT Pigskin Classic on Aug. 26 at the Alamodome.
The second annual KSAT Pigskin Classic will kick off the 2023 high school football season and will be broadcast live on KSAT 12 and all KSAT digital platforms.
This year, the event is even bigger, with eight teams facing off over two days in front of thousands of screaming fans. You can learn more about all the games, tickets and more by clicking here.
The showdown between the Panthers and Broncos is a revival of last year’s season opener, a game that Brandeis won 27-17.
Kickoff between the Panthers and Broncos is set for 7:30 p.m.
Preview: Panthers vs. Broncos
It was an exciting season last year for Brandeis, as they finished 9-3 overall and 7-1 in district play, and ended the year as a District II area finalist.
This season, the team looks to continue that tradition and take the next step as they try and rebuild with only six returning starters.
In an interview with KSAT 12 Sports, Brandeis Head Football Coach Charles Bruce said it’s easy to get up for their season opener, especially when it’s a rival. Watch the full interview at the top of this article.
“Oh, it’s going to be exciting, we’re looking forward to it, we’re looking forward to playing O’Connor,” Bruce said. “I feel like it’s going to be a playoff atmosphere, it’s always a great game, and it’s one of the biggest rivalries in the state of Texas.”
It’s year three for Bruce’s program at Brandeis and despite the loss of his starting quarterback J.C. Evans, who moved to Florida, this year they still do have the team in capable hands. New starting quarterback Tre’ Pepito has previously started twice, winning both games. And junior wide receiver Jaden Perez is a breakout candidate, after having 691 yards and six touchdowns last season.
“It was already a great fan base, a great community, and the program was already established. We just were coming in here, trying to make sure we don’t mess things up,” Bruce said of building the team in his image.
The season opener will be an interesting game at the Alamodome, as both Bruce and his coaching opponent, O’Connor Head Football Coach David Malesky, have a previous relationship dating back to high school as teammates. Bruce wanted to reiterate though, that Malesky is slightly older than he is.
“Football brings everyone together, Bruce said. ”I’ve had an opportunity to play with him, and now coach against him, so it’s pretty exciting,” he said.
About the KSAT Pigskin Classic
The second-annual KSAT Pigskin Classic will kick off Aug. 25 and 26 at San Antonio’s Alamodome and tickets are now on sale.
All the games will be broadcast on KSAT 12, on the KSAT Plus app, the Big Game Coverage app and on KSAT.com.
This year’s KSAT Pigskin Classic is even bigger than last year’s inaugural event, with four high school football games over two fun-filled days to kick off the Texas high school football season.
Thousands will watch Antonian play Holy Cross, Southside take on Somerset, Jefferson face Uvalde and O’Connor versus Brandeis.
Download the Big Game Coverage mobile app or visit the Big Game Coverage section for high school sports coverage, including game livestreams, from KSAT 12.