Cooper vs. Bowling Green Predictions/Updates (5A State Championship)

[Purple88]

5A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Cooper (12-2) vs Bowling Green (11-3)

Is it 2012 all over again?

Only 2 teams in 5A will be fortunate enough to play their 15^th game of the season and it will be 2 programs clearly peaking at the right time that got them to that 15^th game in the Cooper Jaguars and the Bowling Green Purples.  Cooper returns to the Championship Round for the second time in program history.  The Jaguars first made their 15^th game season in 2012 when they traveled to WKU to meet – you guessed it - the Bowling Green Purples.  It was a hard-fought game that BG was fortunate to win 34-20.  Cooper also made a terrific run in the 2014 season falling at eventual State Champion Pulaski County in the Semi-Finals. 

Bowling Green has won 7 State Championships and is 8^th in Kentucky in all time wins at 748.  Bowling Green will return to the Championship round on back-to-back years having earned the right to play their 15^th game last season but falling to a very strong Fredrick Douglas squad 28-7.  It will also be their 8^th trip to the Championship game in the last 13 seasons.  Impressive.

Series Information:

These two have only met in 2012 in the Championship game.  That Cooper team was led by QB Tyler Morris, leading rusher A.J. Collins who had over 1,600 yards on the season and leading WR Aaron Morgan who had over 700 yards on the year.  Their top defenders were Dustin Mitchell and Avery Bricking.  Bowling Green was led by QB Devin Hayes, RB Blue Tisdale and WR Nacarius Fant (now BGs WR Coach).  Defensively, Allen Gonsalves and LB Lincoln Quick were top players for the Purples Jungle D.     

Cooper Jaguars Information:

Cooper was ranked #5 in 5A in the last BGP poll of the regular season; held the #9 RPI spot in 5A earning them a tough road to the championship game, but that did not deter the strong willed Jaguars as they visited some very difficult visitor venues in Scott County in Week 2, went to the Reservation at Southwestern in Week 3 and tonight upset the 1 Seed Highlands Bluebirds, a very tough team.  And the Jags did it all on the road.  Very Impressive leading to this exciting Championship game at Kroger Field.  Only two blemishes all season on their schedule (both in September):  one early at a solid 6A Ryle squad 28-10 and a late one at home vs Highlands in a shootout that Cooper wouldn’t quit on 58-51.  But since September, Cooper has been one of the hottest teams out there.  But since that first Highlands game Cooper has outscored their opponents 292 to 93 (for an average score of 36 to 11). 

Coach Randy Borchers in his 16^th season leading the Jags and staff have done a tremendous job developing this 2023 team and earning another opportunity at the Championship level.  Cooper is led by a dynamic offense with 3 sure fire D1 athletes in SO Star QB Cam O’Hara who has been playing as well as anyone left playing with just south of a 70% completion percentage for over 3,000 yards, 43 TDs vs only a mere 5 INTs on the year.  Super impressive!  Then dual D1 WRs (both Juniors and matchup nightmares) Austin Alexander and Isaiah Johnson who combined have over 125 catches on the season for over 2,000 yards and 36 TDs!  Wow! 

The Jaguars defense has also played really well this season, only giving up just over 1,600 rushing yards and roughly 1,500 passing yards on the year.  Cooper is led defensively by star LB Jake Lonaker who has 138 tackles on the year and star DE Austin Alexander with a whopping 18 sacks.  Outstanding. 

Bowling Green Information:

Bowling Green was ranked #2 in 5A in the last BGP poll of the season; held the #4 RPI spot in 5A earning them home games all the way to Kroger Field thanks to the pitfalls of #2 South Warren and #3 Scott County.  Only 3 blemishes on their schedule:  two early season setbacks – a 56-52 shootout at the Rafferty’s Bowl vs a strong Lexington Christian squad and a 38-35 tough loss on the road vs a good 6A Finalist Bryan Station team.  BG’s final loss on the year was their final regular season game at home vs a strong St Xavier team 27-12.  Since that St X loss, the Purples have been playing very well outscoring their opponents 188 to 29 (average score 47 to 7).    

Coach Mark Spader (in his 6^th year leading the Purples ) and staff have done a tremendous job developing this team (especially the defensive unit) and earning another opportunity at the Championship level.  Bowling Green has been led all season by a high-powered offense led by JR Star QB Deuce Bailey who has completed over 70% of his 294 passes for 3,053 yards and 39 TDs vs only 4 INTs (not including the Owensboro game).  Bailey is also an effective runner if he chooses to tuck and run.  BG started the year with SR RB Javen Huddleston returning after a standout JR year, but had illness and injuries, which opened the door for two standout SO RBs in Tre Graham and Jaxon Smith.  Those 3 have combined for 165 rushes for over 1,000 yards and 21 TDs.  BG is led at WR by star SO WR Travey Barber who has nearly 70 catches and just over 1,000 yards on the year with 15 TDs.  BG has been fortunate to have other WRs step up including SR TE Matthew Klein who has another 500 yards and 5 TDs on the season.  This is a well-oiled offensive unit and Coach Seabolt has done a super job leading them. 

The Purples defensive unit started out uncharacteristically lacking giving up an eye-boggling 800 yards offense to LCA in the opening game and 56 points.  WOW!  But the Purples have continually been improving on that side of the ball since way back in August; moved players around; overcame injuries; and though it all developed what I believe is this year’s version of Bowling Green’s Jungle D and they have certainly played well in the playoffs giving up only 29 points through 4 games.  Bowling Green is led on defense by JR LB Jayden Axson with a team high 82 tackles on the year and SR DE Jordan Green with a team high 15 tackles for loss and 6 sacks on the season.  This unit playing as well as they have all season right now.

Game Information:

This State Championship game will be the last game of the 2023 season and will be played at the University of Kentucky’s Kroger Field at 8 pm. 

KEY QUESTIONS?  Which high powered offense will be the most effective?  Which defense can make the big stops when it counts?  Which QB will have his best game of the year?  Can BG contain the D1 WRs?  Can Cooper slow down BGs balanced offense?  Going to be one of the best of the Championship Games IMO!  Really looking forward to it! 

Who wins this Championship Game and why? 

[theguru]

Wow!  Thanks @Purple88!

This game should be incredible. 

[DearToday]

Give me Deuce Bailey and the Purples. 49-45 BG. 

[MaddenCurse44]

Jags by 7!

[BIG BLACK JACK]

BG has been waiting 365 days for this game. Can’t see them dropping the ball. 38-31 BG

[En Fuego Hombre]

Let's go Jags! Bring it home for NKY!

[BillNye]

Well, I can assure you of one thing, there will be zero talk of cake and crème brulé by any Bowling Green faithful on this thread. 

[TheDeuce]

The ole double poll!

[Killowatt59]

Great write up as usual @Purple88.

BG is on a mission and has been all business since the playoffs started.

Looking at the schedules is enough for me.  If BG plays well they will win.

I will take the Purples 42-28.

Just so long as Highlands remains #1 the next two weeks in the Bluegrass poll. Can’t be having teams jump them Just because they win the state title.

[hrcarrier]

I believe that both teams are more than capable of winning, just a matter of which one will. I’m going to pick Cooper to bring their first state championship home. Regardless of winner, this should be a close and very good football game. 

[Volxtile]

This should be a good game.  Give me BG 31 Cooper 28.

[The Double Deuce]

Purples by double digits.  

Hope I'm wrong.  

[futurecoach]

19 minutes ago, The Double Deuce said:

Purples by double digits.  

Hope I'm wrong.  

Hopefully this prediction goes the same as your prediction in the Highlands/Cooper prediction thread. 

[Mr. Sixer]

3 hours ago, futurecoach said:

Hopefully this prediction goes the same as your prediction in the Highlands/Cooper prediction thread. 

I was thinking the exact same thing 😂😂 The Jags will just line up and do what they do regardless of all the “Experts” predictions. Sounds like some didn’t learn from the previous 3 weeks. 

[TheBallCoach]

What can you comment on that our friend @Purple88didn’t touch on, excellent piece of work.

Not familiar with Cooper one bit but a friend of mine told me to check out TE/DL Austin Alexander (JR) and these Purples don’t have a player at that level. The Purples defense has became a focal point of the success as of late. They played good not great against X in a loss but after that game they have flipped a switch, I look for that to be the reason they leave Lexington with the hardware, I’m going with BG.

BG 27 Cooper 20