Season finale for BGP 5A #2 Bowling Green vs BGP 6A #1 Saint Xavier.

I'm interested to see how the game plays out with playoffs knocking on the door. The past decade has been nothing short of great games from these two and the familiarity of each other's staff goes a long way in how these have usually shaped out.

Thoughts?

I like that St. X has this game before playoffs because going to get nothing out of first round opponent Southern so good tough game to prep for playoffs. I'll go with St. X by 10 in this game. Last year St. X won 27-0, but I think Bowling Green is better than last year.

St. X 28 

BG 10

I think St. X wins 24-10. These are typically low scoring contests, and with being the last game of the regular season it will be interesting to see how each manages this game. Both obviously are going to want to win, but philosophically it will be different than if the game was earlier in the season. 

 

St. X is not unbeatable, but it’s definitely an uphill climb for BG to be able to win.

I think BG is still a little young, lacking at some depth and just isn’t good enough up front to beat St. X unless the Tigers make some big mistakes.

St. X 27

BG 10

I streamed BG's Rafferty's Bowl game; I didn't they'd be able to hang with X this year. As the season has progressed, I think they've improved as much as any team. Like most years their offense will give the X defense issues because of the way they spread the field and the mobility of the BG QB.

Bowling Green (8-1) at St Xavier (8-1)

Man, people are excited early this week!

The Purples travel up I-65 for another battle with St X!  St. X leads the all time series 12-7.  X win the 8 games of the series from 1925, 1926, 1931, 1932, 1981, 1982, 2005 and 2006.  Bowling Green finally broke through in a memorable 2011 game up in Louisville where BG won a close game 28-20 and was led by stalwart QB Scooter Hollis who had a big game on the ground gaining 142 yards on 17 carries and 2 TDs.  That BG team would go on to go undefeated and claim the school’s second state championship.  St X would end up 8-5 that year and fall to Trinity in the 3^rd round of the playoffs.  That 2011 game was the first of 4 straight victories in this series for BG, which has been followed by alternating wins culminating in last seasons 27-0 comfortable win for the Tigers!  Can BG follow suit and earn a win against the State’s top team? 

St Xavier is led by a very stout defense with strong players on all 3 levels.  The 2 guys who stand out most to me are SR DE Micah Carter.  The Purdue commit is a super athlete and has a knack for tracking the ball carrier.  Case-in-point: second half vs Manual he tracked Manual’s Super RB ZahRon Washburn about 15 yards down the field.  He was running stride for stride with him.  Really impressive.  The other guy is SR LB Jaxon Panariello.  The guy is just a fiery leader and tackling machine.  BG will have to watch out for him.

For BG, it will be fascinating to see how the BG offense tries to attack the X defense.  BG has very talented skill guys and a fine OLine, so this will be a great test for them going into what hopes to be a deep playoff run.  Also, BG goes from playing arguably the weakest team on their schedule to arguably the strongest team on their schedule.  Quite a swing.

For St X, their offense is good, but not great.  I do love FR WR Marion Harbin who leads the team as a Freshman with 17 catches for 246 yards and a TD (through the Butler game).  That doesn’t happen very often.  How will the Tigers attack the BG D?  I thought BG was beginning to put the defensive pieces together in the Greenwood game.  The Christian County game doesn’t count, so this will be a real challenge for both teams I think!

Great game here!  Who you got & Why?

Purples were right in the ball game until the fourth quarter last year… this is a completely different team, especially on offense. If the defense can make 2-3 key stops, I’m confident that Bailey and the offense will find success.  Time of possession and key special team snaps will be the difference here. No disrespect to X, but I’m taking the Purples. 

BG: 24

STX: 17

 

I’m not a huge fan of the RPI but one good thing about it is that it makes these season-ending games meaningful toward home field advantage in the playoffs. BG especially could benefit from a win over X. 

Just now, FSfan said:

I’m not a huge fan of the RPI but one good thing about it is that it makes these season-ending games meaningful toward home field advantage in the playoffs. BG especiallly could benefit from a win over X. 

Agree.  Hopefully the RPI can expand in the future to all states and then it will be more meaningful. 

6 hours ago, PhenomxX said:

Purples were right in the ball game until the fourth quarter last year… this is a completely different team, especially on offense. If the defense can make 2-3 key stops, I’m confident that Bailey and the offense will find success.  Time of possession and key special team snaps will be the difference here. No disrespect to X, but I’m taking the Purples. 

BG: 24

STX: 17

 

BG offense better be as good as Elder (OH) if going to score 24 points. 

Here is what is pretty cool about the Purples skill players:

Deuce Baily; QB - Sophomore (Big words but he will be as talented a duel threat as X has seen)

Javen Huddleston; RB - Junior (Work horse)

Easton Barlow; WR - Junior (Gets open)

CJ Sweeney; WR - Sophomore (small and versatile) 

Trevy Barber; WR - Freshman (complete stud. Short but as fast as anyone on field)

Their other two RBs - LaDanian Woods (Junior - lighting) / Jayden Axon (Sophomore - thunder; huge!)

 

All young guns and perhaps from top to bottom as talented at Skill positions as any BGHS team (big words, I know).  

Not saying they win the game (not probable but possible!) but I think all of St X fans will enjoy seeing the talent of all these young guys.

Remember, Coach Wallace certainly is aware of the talent of these skill players.  

It will be a very interesting game. 

I have all respect for Coach Wallace and St. X - I hope you all get back to back rings!  Fun game to watch Friday night.

Regardless of outcome; let's hope both teams get out of game with ZERO injuries. 

10 minutes ago, PurplesFan said:

Here is what is pretty cool about the Purples skill players:

Deuce Baily; QB - Sophomore (Big words but he will be as talented a duel threat as X has seen)

Javen Huddleston; RB - Junior (Work horse)

Easton Barlow; WR - Junior (Gets open)

CJ Sweeney; WR - Sophomore (small and versatile) 

Trevy Barber; WR - Freshman (complete stud. Short but as fast as anyone on field)

Their other two RBs - LaDanian Woods (Junior - lighting) / Jayden Axon (Sophomore - thunder; huge!)

 

All young guns and perhaps from top to bottom as talented at Skill positions as any BGHS team (big words, I know).  

Not saying they win the game (not probable but possible!) but I think all of St X fans will enjoy seeing the talent of all these young guys.

Remember, Coach Wallace certainly is aware of the talent of these skill players.  

It will be a very interesting game. 

I have all respect for Coach Wallace and St. X - I hope you all get back to back rings!  Fun game to watch Friday night.

Regardless of outcome; let's hope both teams get out of game with ZERO injuries. 

Quite a run of skill guys at BG in the past 20 years... Steelman, Hollis, Hayes, Clark, Cooper, Fant, D Wilson, DL Moore, Wallace, Hibbitt, R Beard, B Tisdale, Pillow, Carothers, Barksdale, J Carpenter, Yates, L. Brown, Kenner, Bunton, Dingle, E Spader, V Tisdale, S Brown, etc...High praise when a young group is thrown in above the guys that played together among those names.  Those Purples put a lot of trophies in the cases on Rockingham Lane.

X defense is stifling.  BG has made great strides this season and very athletic QB.  Can X move the ball at will?  I don’t think they will have to.  BG a top 5A team but X is the cream of 6A.

X 31-7

St. X starting defense has given up 3.8 points per game for the season. Impressive stat against the tough schedule they play.