SportsZone Football Friday game of the week preview: Hickman at Rock Bridge

COLUMBIA, Mo (KMIZ)

The Rock Bridge Bruins will make their return from a mandatory quarantine in a big way, as they host the Hickman Kewpies in the annual Providence Bowl on Saturday.

You can watch the game live at noon on KZOU over the air channel 17.3. Here is a look at other local listings:

• DirecTV - channel 18
• Dish Network - channel 32
• Mediacom - channel 12, 709
• Centurylink - channel 12
• Spectrum - channel 183

Watch the game live online at noon Saturday in the player below.

The Providence Bowl was scheduled to take place on Friday, but had to be pushed back due to COVID-19 concerns within the Bruins squad.

Rock Bridge's canceled it's October 9 matchup with Battle, after players tested positive for the virus.

Head coach Van Vanatta said one player tested positive early on and later on into the team's isolation, another ended up testing positive, as well.

"In a way, you look at it as a blessing in disguise because I was talking to the kids this morning and we're running a double practice today because we got off of our quarantine yesterday. We're going to get three practices in before Saturday and the big things is those bumps and bruises, mid-season injuries, we're doing pretty good there," Vanatta said.

On Thursday, the Bruins had their first practice since the mandatory, 14-day quarantine and Vanatta said it was a success.

"Shoot, I came walking out and they were already all ready to go," he said. "Usually in the morning time, there's always stragglers, but I guess I was the straggler and I was even on time."

The 4-2 Bruins will come back against the 2-4 Hickman Kewpies.

Despite the win, loss column, Vanatta said you can't look past any team this year.

"Hickman is a good football team. I don't look ever look at the record and say, you know, these guys aren't very good or they're real good. I always look at it as, this is the most important game of the week," he said.

Cedric Alvis' Hickman squad has banked on a solid offense all year, especially in the backfield.

On the flip side, before Rock Bridge's hiatus, the defense let more than 50 points go in their last two outings. However, Vanatta's offense has managed to put up more than 20 points in every game this season.

The annual rivalry game will kick off at noon.