Male vs. St. Xavier Predictions/Updates (6A State Championship) ***Upset Alert***

[Falcon Pride]

I’ll take X in a tight one.

I feel they will be able to control the clock and limit possessions. 
 

Tigers 24

Bulldogs 21

[LongTimeReader]

I think you'll see Mekhi Smith line up at every imaginable position. 

[SHAMROCK69]

Speed kills and Male has it at almost every position. Coach Wolfe has 6A titles on his resume. Dawgs are ready. 

[Xtiger69]

St. X is going to win this game! 

[Roundsteak]

Male has too many weapons on offense. X will have to chose which one they focus on stopping and hope the other one is having a bad game. I don't see how it will be possible for X to stop both of Male's running and passing game. St X will keep the game close with their ball control offense but I see a score close to the first game with Male winning 28-24.

[LongTimeReader]

https://scoreboard.12dt.com/scoreboard/khsaa/kyfb21/pair_695265504d35786d343936477a513d3d 
 

Looking at the series history, since 2013 each team has gone on a 4 game winning streak followed by a 4 game losing streak. The Male win earlier this season was their 4th in a row. We’ll see if history holds true or if Male makes it 5 in a row against the Tigers. 

[JIM SEYMOUR # 85]

Male too too tough.

They have been the best team all year - and have done nothing but improve on that.

IMVHO - I think H just "toyed" with X in the first game.

Saturday night will be a rerun of last Friday night (for the Dawgs).

 

 

[BlueRaider]

I think St. X's best chance of winning this game is to hold the ball and control the clock. Their QB is a solid runner and is going to have to make use of his feet to keep drives alive. He's not good enough to stay in the pocket and pass on them and their OL isn't good enough to use one RB to keep the chains moving the whole game... Not saying X is bad, they are a very very good football team... Male's Defensive box is just elite. If they can spread the field out horizontally and throw completed passes to their #7 and utilize the QB's feet like they did in the first game a little bit more, I think they can keep the ball, create long drives, and make it a football game. If they can't keep the football then I think it becomes a blowout. Male has one of the most complete offenses I've seen in many years at the High School level. They are good. They have weapons at every spot and a very good offensive line being coached by one of the better OL coaches in the state in Cliff Dawson. 

I do thin St. X has a chance. They are a really good football team... but they just have to be very smart and control the football game for 48 minutes. I'll be interested to see how it goes! Good luck to both teams on Sunday!

[Purple88]

I saw Male at their scrimmage with BG and last Friday vs T.  I saw X at Owensboro and vs T.

St. X has a chance in this game.  They need to get Duddy and Smith in the game early offensively.  They are capable to have really big games.  Sivori will have to make some big plays on 3rd/4th downs in order to win.  And X must win the turnover battle.  No doubt about it.

But Male has been the best team all year.  In the 2 H games I watched, Anthony make 3 spectacular catches.  Wisconsin got a steal in him!  QB Schutte might be the most efficient QB in the State (I think he is).  He was 12 for 15 for 237 years 1 INT and 1 TD on Friday vs T.  And Sweeney ran 31 times for 161 yards and 6 TDs.  Can St. X do anything with that?  Will be tough.  But that's why they play!

[LongTimeReader]

At this time of year, you are what you are. You'll add a few adjustments and wrinkles, but each team will lean on what they do best. Both teams want to run the football, and St. X has to continue to play stout run defense like they have all year. The benefit for the St. X defense is they have proven they are able to control Swinney, even with backups in half of the starting spots. The key for St. X defensively will for them to make sure Male's shot passing plays don't turn into touchdowns. We'll see if St. X's defense will be up to the challenge. 

On offense, St. X will have to use the quick screen as an extension of their running game. Male will give them opportunities to take those quick screen throws, they have to take them. The perception of St. X changed because of their turnovers last week, if St. X can hold onto the football, they're a dangerous offense because it becomes difficult to account for all skill players plus the QB. It spreads a defense pretty thin.

St. X has proven they can hang with Bulldogs, but I guess we'll see if the Bulldogs were just toying with them back in September. 

[LongTimeReader]

Massey Ratings has a score prediction of Male 30 St. X 20 with Male have a 74% chance of winning. 

[Tigercat]

I saw the first game, and in my eyes, X couldn't get to the QB quick enough and Male's speed at WR let them get past the DBs all night. That night X had a bunch of defensive starters out and lost by 7. Some of those starters are back. X has to get to the QB and not allow time for the WRs to get deep. Male is incredibly gifted and it will take a giant effort, but I think X can pull it out.

[theguru]

I think X checks every box to be a 6A Kentucky High School Football Champion but I believe Male is on another level and will win the game. 

[Tigerpride94]

Calpreps has Male by 7

Massey has Male by 10

TP94 has Male by 8

[SHAMROCK69]

Shamrock69 has Male by 12