Doss (3-7) will have the two best players on the field this Friday in Ricky Barber and recent UK commit Shawnkel Knight-Goff, but Oldham County (9-1) has the better overall team. The Colonels have averaged 47 points per game during their five game win streak.

Mike Fox has done an incredible job in just his second season at Oldham County. The Colonels - who hadn't had a winning season since going 7-5 in 2010 - went 6-5 last year and improved that by three games this year, finishing 9-1 and on a five game winning streak.

 

The Colonels feature a trio of talented runners, but make no mistake, Lucas Jones (1,298 yards / average 130 yards per game / 16 TDs) is the leader. Juan Tapia (69 carries - 641 yards - 9 TDs) is a smaller version of Jones, with incredible speed. QB Parker Caudill (88-488-8) completes the trifecta, and is a vastly improved passer, finishing the season 47-93-5 for 660 yards and 8 TDs.

 

Defensively, Oldham's 3-5 alignment is potent for a number of reasons: NT Deven Cancel has 56 tackles and 9.5 TFL. On the outside of the LB corps, Jacob Ratliff and Preston Dykes provide speed and the instincts of an offensive player. It can be very difficult to get to the edge against OC. Bryce Rochet, one of the interior linebackers, leads the team with 61 tackles.

 

A lot has been made of Oldham's offense, but the defense has held 6 of 10 opponents under 10 points and shutout 3.

 

Doss may be a deceptive opponent. Coming in a 3-7 on the season, many may discount their chances. But after starting 0-5, the Dragons won three of their last five, and have built a little momentum. Barry Reed will carry the load at running back, with 714 yards and 11 TDs on the season. Like his Oldham counterpart, Doss QB Rayshawn Nelson won't throw the ball all that much, going 45 of 85 in the first 9 games of the season, for 617 yards, 3 TDs, and 2 INT. Unlike Caudill, though, Nelson won't run much - he ran only 14x in the regular season for 51 yards.

 

It's always dangerous to compare scores, but we always do, right?

 

Doss lost to South Oldham by 36 and Jeffersontown by 2 in their first two games of the year.

 

Oldham surrendered a lead late and lost to South by just 6 points, and they throttled Jeffersontown in the final game of their season, 42-6.

 

The guess here is that Oldham provides many of the same challenges that South Oldham presented Doss with. The Dragons will have to show that their improvement over the season has been significant if they are to pull the upset on the road.

 

This game will be broadcast on internet video, beginning at 7 pm on The Pegasus Sports Network - PSN

 

CM