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FOXBORO - This is not your typical Mansfield/Foxboro Thanksgiving Day matchup.

Because, for the first time since 2002, neither team has a chance to play on after this year's game. This year, Foxboro and Mansfield will be playing for pride and pride only. Neither team has to worry about resting for the playoffs.

This time, it's all about the rivalry.

Foxboro comes into the game 7-3 overall and 5-2 in Hockomock League play while the Hornets are 8-2 overall, 6-2 in league play. This year, the Hockomock League Championship will not be decided between the Warriors and Hornets, but further up Interstate 495 as Franklin takes on King Philip.

But neither team believes that will affect the level of play on Thursday at Foxboro's Ahern Field. "I don't care what the prize is, the rivalry is always there, it's always been there and it always will be there," said Foxboro coach Jack Martinelli, now in his 28th year as head coach of the Warriors. "Regardless of what's at stake afterwards or whether the league is going to be disbanded. I think these are two towns, two programs, that respect each other and play very hard."

"For 22 years Jack and I have been going at it," Mansfield coach Mike Redding said. "It's been a highlight of my career to play him every Thanksgiving morning at 10 a.m."

Mansfield leads the all-time series 43-32-3 and has dominated the series as of late. Foxboro has won just three of the last 10 meetings, its last win coming in 2006 when the Warriors upset Mansfield, earned a playoff berth with the victory, and went on to win the Super Bowl.

The Hornets were eliminated from playoff contention before Thanksgiving this year for the first time since 2000. It's been a decade in the Hockomock League dominated by Mansfield, but this year the Hornets are playing for just pride, a somewhat new phenomenon for Redding's crew.

"We've been fortunate to have some very good teams the last 8 or 9 years," Redding said. "The games (against Foxboro) have been very close and competitive, there are so few blowouts. This one is big because for our seniors it would be a chance to win three in a row against them."

Of course, neither the Hornets nor the Warriors are necessarily struggling this year. Besides a convincing loss to undefeated Franklin, Foxboro's other two losses came by a combined five points - a two-point loss on a last-second field goal to Bishop Feehan and a three-point loss to King Philip.

Meanwhile, Mansfield is just a few plays away from a perfect season. The Hornets' two losses are by a combined four points - a one-point defeat at the hands of Franklin and a three-point loss to North Attleboro, the definitive scores of both games coming late in the fourth quarter.

So while neither teams' record may indicate it, Thursday's clash at the Ahern School Field, the 63rd meeting on Thanksgiving between the two squads, should be an entertaining contest of high-level football.

"I really think this game is maybe one of the most unusual cases of two very, very good teams that aren't going to the playoffs but certainly could be, and both knowing it's their last game," Redding said. "It's going to be a very rare thing to see two quality teams without that Tuesday game hanging over their head."

Two outstanding running backs could make all the difference in this year's game. The match-up of Warriors versus Hornets could come down to Mike Delaney versus Shawn Doherty. Delaney has been great all year for the Warriors, amassing close to 1,500 yards rushing to go with 20 touchdowns. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound back has the moves and the speed to get to the outside edge and wreak havoc on any defensive line.

"Delaney does just a good job of bouncing plays off or cutting back, you just can't play the gaps he's running to," Redding said.

And Doherty is much the same runner. The best Hornet back, Doherty has rushed for 1,240 yards and 19 touchdowns on the year and was the game's Most Valuable Player last year in Mansfield's 28-0 victory, running for 147 yards on 10 carries and scoring two touchdowns.

"We're not going to do anything special (to try to stop Doherty)," Martinelli said. "We're going to play the way we've been playing and try to cover all basis."

Which could be enough, as the Foxboro defense has allowed just 10.2 points per game this year, second in the Hockomock League to King Philip. But the Mansfield defense is no slouch either, allowing just 11.3 points per game.

The difference in the game could be which passing offense plays the best. Nik Busharis has been a standout player at quarterback for the Hornets this year, while sophomore signal-caller Nick Sestito has improved throughout the year and given the Warriors a potent passing attack to go with their talented running game.

"They want to run the ball with Delaney and (Luke) Soccorso, but you have to be careful because (Ty) Spencer is a good split end and (Zach) Hadge is a solid tight end," Redding said. "My anticipation they might throw the ball a little bit more to keep us honest."

So it will be a battle on Turkey Day of two similar teams. Two teams that may be surprised, and slightly disappointed, at being out of the running for a playoff spot at this point, but two teams that will give it their all for the rivalry.

"I think it's going to be a great atmosphere," Redding said. "Two very good teams that know that this is their last game."