FRANKLIN - Beating Holbrook in the rain was last week. Beating Old Colony a month ago is ancient history. Advancing to the MIAA Division 4 playoffs and Super Bowl is but a distant memory.

Just win Saturday Cougars - that's all that Tri-County Regional High football coach Dan MacLean has been imparting upon his players this week up on the hill in Franklin.

Should the Cougars beat Old Colony Saturday afternoon on the Tri-County field, the Mayflower League Small School Division championship is theirs - for a second straight season, as well as an MIAA Division 4-A playoff berth.

"We'll worry about the playoffs after Saturday, it's win or else for us," said MacLean, whose Cougars are 7-3 overall, 6-1 in the Mayflower's Small School Division. Should the Cougars be upset, they would be locked in a tie for the regular season title with West Bridgewater.

Tri-County and West Bridgewater split their two regular season games, so the first tie-breaker is awash. The Mayflower League's second tiebreaker is the team which last appeared in an MIAA playoff - and to that end, the Wildcats would advance because the Cougars were in the 2008 postseason. "We got a groove on after last week (a 38-0 win over Holbrook-Avon), that was the jump start that we needed," said MacLean, whose Cougars are healthy and ready to take on Old Colony. "This is the game that we have to win, we can't think about anything else."

Not even the Cougars being 4-1 at home, being unbeaten on their home soil in their last four outings, or not since the season opener against Blackstone Valley Tech.

Not even the Cougars owning a 27-8 win over Old Colony earlier in the season.

Not even the fact that Old Colony (1-8, 0-7) has lost eight straight games since winning their season opener against Trinity Catholic.

Not even the fact that Old Colony has scored just one touchdown in seven of its last eight games, being outscored 60-12 in its last two outings.

"The kids are excited, they know what's at stake," said MacLean.

The Cougars have been perked offensively by senior quarterback Randy Hardy of North Attleboro, more of a "wildcat" running back than an actual drop-back passer. But, Hardy and the Cougars have won two of their last four games due in part to the team being healthy and the offensive line finishing off its blocks.

"The offensive line has played extremely well," said MacLean, "but we've got to get them to fire out again this week. For the most part, we have some kids dinged and banged up, but we're hitting and we're looking good. What I'm excited about is that we've played well in all aspects of the game, offense, defense, the specialty teams.

"I'm counting on us doing that Saturday for four quarters, if we do, we've earned the right to get back to the playoffs."