WESLEY CHAPEL — The Wiregrass Ranch football team’s backs will be up against the wall Friday, Nov. 14 in their playoff matchup with top-seeded Palmetto.

Which is just the way the Bulls seem to like it.

Despite a tough schedule, which gets rewarded in today’s ranking system, the Bulls seemed to be an unlikely playoff team after an 0-4 start.

But each week, coach Mark Kantor said the same thing — we’re still alive, we just have to start winning.

He was correct. With each passing week, save for a 31-6 loss to Mitchell early last month, Wiregrass Ranch inched closer and closer to the postseason, must-win after must-win.

It beat Wesley Chapel, a playoff team in Class 5A, when it had to.

It beat Springstead, when it had to. Knocked off Land O’ Lakes, when a loss would have ended its season. Beat River Ridge, with no other option.

And along the way, it played its best football of the year, going 5-1 down the stretch to make the Class 6A region quarterfinals.

It outscored its last three opponents 115-27. It outscored the last five teams it beat 201-53.

“It’s exciting to be on this kind of run,” Kantor said. “Our execution is at an all-time high.”

The Bulls (5-5) have qualified for the playoffs three straight seasons, but this was their steepest climb. Although none of their four losses to open the season were routs — each team made the playoffs and Zephyrhills finished 10-0 — it did leave little room for error.

So, what changed?

A rebranding, Kantor said, some of it brought on by player defections.

“I just believe that everybody got on the same page finally, and we started look like a good football team,” Kantor said. “I truly believe it’s a combination of all three units, and everybody that is wearing the Maroon and White elevating their game, not just one specific player, not just one specific play. Everybody. Which is exciting.”

• Rasheem Fashola had two sacks in a win over Wesley Chapel.

• Wide receiver Jonah Gonzalez emerged as one of the area’s top wide receivers, catching touchdowns in three of the last five victories and averaging four catches a game down the stretch.

• All-purpose ace Donteis Austin had 182 yards receiving and three scores against Springstead.

• Sophomore Alex McCullough had two interceptions and a fumble recovery in the last two games.

• Donte Parker had touchdowns in six games this season and added two sacks in the win over the Gators.

• Lineman Chase Cobb averaged more than six tackles in the 5-1 season ending run, including six for a loss, with two sacks and two fumble recoveries.

• Carmelo Joseph had a season-high 10 tackles against River Ridge and had three sacks in the final three games.

But the Bulls may have been most buoyed by the play of sophomore quarterback Daniel Terry, and all-purpose back Demontia Hudson, who had one of the best all-around seasons in the county.

While Terry lost his first four starts, he settled into his role and got better as the season went along. In two of those must-win games, he threw for 289 yards against Springstead and 324 against River Ridge with seven touchdowns and added another five rushing.

And Hudson was a wrecking ball down the stretch. He scored seven touchdowns in the final three games — five rushing, one on an interception return, and another on a 99-yard fumble return.

The Bulls hope they can keep it going against Palmetto, a team that finished 9-1 and is on a seven-game winning streak.

The Tigers have a strong passing attack behind Matthew Hennesey (25 touchdown passes) and receivers Jok Harris and Maurice Carter, who have nine touchdowns apiece. The Tigers have three running backs with five or more touchdowns, led by sophomore Keyton Jones’ 656 yards.

“It’s going be a great challenge,” Kantor said. “We’ve got to go down there and play in a hostile environment. We’ve been there before, so we just have to get a great week of practice in and execute as always.”