Game day: No. 1 Bixby hosts Norman North under Thursday night lights

BIXBY | A Thursday night showdown at Lee Snider Field puts the state's top-ranked team against a ranked district opponent with a Stanford-bound tight end.

Unbeaten Bixby (6-0) hosts Norman North (6-1) at 7 p.m. tonight in a Class 6A-I district game, according to the Bixby Athletics schedule. The game moves to Thursday this week.

Where things stand

On3 and Massey Ratings rank Bixby No. 1 in Oklahoma and No. 8 nationally, with Norman North No. 12 in the state, per the On3 game page.

The Spartans have beaten Owasso 35-27, Stillwater 56-28, Jenks 13-6, Mustang 46-20, Westmoore 80-0 and Edmond Memorial 50-14, according to On3's schedule and MaxPreps. Norman North arrives with just one loss after going 5-6 last fall and being picked to tie for third in the preseason district coaches' poll, per The Oklahoman.

Players to watch

Kaeden Penny, Bixby OL. The 6-foot-4, 265-pound senior is a four-star prospect committed to Oklahoma and anchors one of the state's best offensive lines alongside Gavin Wilson, according to On3.

Ben Kolar, Norman North TE. The Stanford commit caught 44 passes for 622 yards and nine touchdowns last season and added 49 tackles on the defensive line, The Oklahoman reported. He is the Timberwolves' biggest matchup problem.

Bixby's linebackers. On3 calls Ben Puckett, Cain Brackney and Cimone Scarborough arguably the state's best linebacking corps. Brackney, a transfer from Union, made 102 tackles last season.

The streak and the new faces

Bixby has won eight straight state championships and is chasing a ninth after a 13-0 season capped by a 31-17 title-game win over Owasso, per The Oklahoman and On3. Coach Loren Montgomery, in his 17th season, returned only three starters on each side of the ball, VYPE Tulsa reported.

The biggest question in the spring was quarterback. Bixby entered the offseason with a rare, wide-open race to replace Carson Kirby, who threw for 2,939 yards and 39 touchdowns in 2025, according to the Tulsa World. Junior Reece Madden has since taken the reins, according to MaxPreps, and the new-look offense is averaging better than 45 points a game through six wins.

Last time they met

The most recent meeting on record was a playoff game on Nov. 23, 2024, which Bixby won 59-14, per On3.

What's next

After tonight, Bixby visits Edmond North on Oct. 23. Then comes the game circled on every calendar: unbeaten Broken Arrow at Bixby on Oct. 30, with both teams 6-0 entering this week.

Gear up for game night

Thursday nights get chilly. Grab the Bixby Spartans Football Hoodie, wave the Blue Spartan Logo Rally Towel, or bring the Spartan Football Plush Blanket for the stands. Shop the full Football collection.

Sources: Bixby Athletics; On3/Massey Ratings; The Oklahoman; Tulsa World; VYPE Tulsa.