Kevin Goodwin has the Center Roughriders in the "third season" that he has talked to his team about, long before it all started.

Center, the second-place team from District 18-3A, will play Tatum at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Stephen F. Austin's Homer Bryce Stadium.

Considering Goodwin is in his first season at Center, the Roughriders actually being a playoff team could have been perceived as a longshot.

But other than district losses to Carthage and Jasper, the Roughriders handled the other 18-3A competition and will advance to the postseason as 18-3A's No. 3 team.

Tatum (6-4) enters the playoffs after losing to Gilmer 39-20 last week.

Goodwin said his team earning a postseason berth is a testament to goal-setting and believing.

"We've been talking about getting to the third season — the playoffs — since we first started practice," the coach said. "The first season was non-district, the second was about the district games, and now it's the playoffs."

Center's road to the playoffs wasn't gold-paved.

The Roughriders lost starting quarterback De'Andre Simmons to a foot injury after the Carthage game and has relied on senior Jaelyn Short, a former receiver, to lead the offense.

Short, who had played quarterback as a sophomore, made a relatively smooth transition to under center after Simmons' injury. He has completed 63 percent of his passes with six touchdowns and two interceptions.

The location of the game — Homer Bryce Stadium — gives the game added spice for Goodwin, a former SFA all-conference player after his great playing career at Center High School.

"I wanted to play at SFA," he said. "Anytime I can return to SFA, it's always special.

"We worked out at SFA a few weeks ago, and a player asked me 'coach, you played here?' I've still got a million friends over there."

But once the game starts, Goodwin's time will be about figuring out a way to defeat a talented Tatum team that is in its second season at the Class 3A level since moving up from Class 2A.

Center and Tatum have played four common opponents — Gladewater, Bullard, Chapel Hill and Spring Hill. The teams are a combined 8-0 in those contests.

"Tatum matches up really well with us, as far as skill-wise, better than anyone that we have played," Goodwin said. "Tatum is always going to be Tatum. Always good, always well coached and always can run."

Center (7-3)

Center 7, Gladewater 0

Nacogdoches 28, Center 27

Center 36, Chapel Hill 7

Center 45, Spring Hill 6

Center 50, Bullard 0

Carthage 35, Center 0

Center 51, Diboll 6

Center 14, Rusk 10

Center 54, Huntington 0

Jasper 32, Center 26

Tatum (6-4)

Hallsville 14, Tatum 6

Tatum 28, Jefferson 21

Tatum 41, Troup 6

Atlanta 49, Tatum 35

Arp 54, Tatum 7

Tatum 29, Gladewater 28

Tatum 42, Bullard 14

Tatum 14, Chapel Hill 7

Tatum 56, Spring Hill 23

Gilmer 39, Tatum 20