Hand-crafted barbecue. Cowboy boots and two-step dancing. A penchant for the grandiose. The state of Texas garners a reputation like no other and simply isn’t afraid to be different.

Oh yeah, there are also two soccer teams that put everything on the line each season to secure El Capitán, a replica 18th-century cannon. 

What’s not to love?

The eyes of the American soccer community have been on Los Angeles so far this season and rightfully so. Bob Bradley has LAFC soaring and everything Carlos Velas touches seems to turn to gold. Meanwhile, Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been channeling his inner Hulk and has the Galaxy a single point behind their crosstown rivals.

But away from the bright lights of the City of Angels are two clubs quietly taking care of business in the Lone Star State. FC Dallas pay a visit to the Houston Dynamo on Saturday in a matchup of the youngest squad in MLS against one of the oldest, and there’s plenty more at stake than an artillery weapon, as awesome of a trophy as that is.

Who wouldn't want a cannon in their stadium?

This year’s first installment of the Texas Derby features teams on pace for postseason play — Dallas is fourth in the West and Houston in fifth — with a single point separating them, although the hosts have played two fewer matches. The men from North Texas are currently on a nine-match unbeaten streak against their rivals dating back to March 2016.

Dallas employs the youngest roster in the league with an average age of 24.12. Their academy has been a guidepost for developing young talent over the years, and first-year coach Luchi Gonzalez has wasted no time in making his intentions known by riding the contributions of Homegrowns Jesus Ferreira, Paxton Pomykal, Reggie Cannon, and Edwin Cerrillo to a solid 5-2-2 start. However, Gonzalez will have to deal with the loss of one of the best Homegrown starlets in all of MLS, creative midfielder Pomykal, who suffered a minor hamstring injury over the weekend.

Houston coach Wilmer Cabrera appears to be more comfortable than ever in his third year at the helm. Fresh off a 2018 Open Cup title and a quarterfinal appearance in the Concacaf Champions League, there’s ample reason for excitement in southeast Texas.

With an average age of 26.9, his roster is the fourth-oldest in the league and boasts plenty of experience at the back. While they may be familiar names at this point in their careers, the attacking unit of Alberth Elis (23), Mauro Manotas (23), Tomás Martínez (24), and Memo Rodriguez (23) provide plenty of youthful energy up front and only LAFC, Sporting FC, and Toronto have a better goals per game average (2.14).

Elis is once again the linchpin of everything the Dynamo does well up top, and he has been wreaking havoc on the right side of Cabrera’s 4-2-3-1 with four goals and four assists in his last five outings. As instrumental as he is on the pitch, he is equally invested in making an impact away from the game in his home nation of Honduras.

? San Pedro Sula, Honduras ??@alberthelis17 is known for scoring goals on the field, but “La Pantera” makes his mark off the field by improving the futures of school children in his hometown. // @WellsFargo pic.twitter.com/fmBUup2enN

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 10, 2019

What makes this matchup particularly intriguing is the amount of local talent that will be suiting up for both sides. The visitors boast more Texas natives than any other professional sports team, accounting for a staggering 30 percent of the roster. Las Naranjas have their own local boys in goalkeepers Tyler Deric and Michael Nelson, as well as Rodriguez, the Homegrown who quietly waited for his time to shine and has been a big part of his side’s early success.

Defender Maynor Figueroa is confident the Dynamo can defend their home turf and snatch three points to turn the tide in the rivalry.

“We’re very confident. We’ve worked hard and gotten good results at home. … Obviously it’s going to be a special match. It’s a derby so we all want to win.”

The derby is set for a 3 PM CT kickoff tomorrow and will be available on Univision and Twitter.