2024 Western Kentucky Preseason Power Rankings

[Colonels_Wear_Blue]

For those a little less familiar with power rankings, the idea behind them is to hypothetically pit every team from a group (here it's Western Kentucky) against every other team in the group, regardless of size or classification. You form your rankings by saying if you took every single team in the group, in that snapshot of a moment, and if you were able to have each team play each other team right then, then which team would prove to be the best by wins, and so on down the line.

So now that we're just under 3 weeks away from football season kicking off, what are you thinking in terms of preseason power rankings for the 51 football teams in Western Kentucky? Who else fits into the Top 5 aside from Bowling Green, Mayfield, and Paducah Tilghman? What's your Top 10 look like? ...are you plugged into things enough to take a guess at #11 through #20 teams in the area?

3A Adair County
4A Allen County-Scottsville
5A Apollo
1A Ballard Memorial
6A Barren County
5A Bowling Green
4A Breckinridge County
3A Butler County
2A Caldwell County
4A Calloway County
1A Caverna
6A Christian County
2A Clinton County
2A Crittenden County
6A Daviess County
2A Edmonson County
2A Fort Campbell
3A Franklin-Simpson
1A Fulton County
3A Glasgow
5A Graves County
5A Grayson County
5A Greenwood
3A Hancock County
3A Hart County
6A Henderson County
3A Hopkins County Central
4A Hopkinsville
4A Logan County
5A Madisonville-North Hopkins
5A Marshall County
2A Mayfield
3A McClean County
6A McCracken County
2A Metcalfe County
2A Monroe County
5A Muhlenberg County
2A Murray
5A Ohio County
5A Owensboro
2A Owensboro Catholic
4A Paducah Tilghman
1A Russellville
5A South Warren
2A Todd County Central
3A Trigg County
3A Union County
6A Warren Central
4A Warren East
3A Webster County

[Devils Fan]

1 BG                 

2 PT

3 OCHS

4 Owensboro

5 South Warren

6 Mayfield

7 Madisonville

8 Graves

9 Henderson

10 Union County

I could be way off. Just my pre-season opinion. Mayfield could possibly be higher up.. With them being a smaller school and losing what they did on offense I just can’t see them beating anybody who I have above them. 7-10 are interchangeable for me. 

[FB Head]

5 hours ago, Devils Fan said:

1 BG                 

2 PT

3 OCHS

4 Owensboro

5 South Warren

6 Mayfield

7 Madisonville

8 Graves

9 Henderson

10 Union County

I could be way off. Just my pre-season opinion. Mayfield could possibly be higher up.. With them being a smaller school and losing what they did on offense I just can’t see them beating anybody who I have above them. 7-10 are interchangeable for me. 

I would agree with BG being 1.  They are the favorite to repeat with Duece at the helm.  Paducah has all the talent in the world but have not proved to be disciplined. OCath has a top QB in the state but lost a lot. I understand they have transfers coming in but have a lot of questions. Mayfield will be strong defensively and their running game will win them plenty of games. 
 

1. BG

2. South Warren

3. PT

4. Owensboro

5. Mayfield

6. OCath

7. Madisonville

8. Union Co

9. Henderson Co.

10. Murray

 

 

[Purple88]

I like @Devils Fan list!  I don't see a reason to change it much (although I did switch Graves, Hendo and Madisonville), but I also want to put context on it for me:

1. Mayfield will likely rise before the end of the season.  BUT today with an unproven QB they don't have on paper a great argument to be higher at this point in time, but they play #2 on this list not too far from now and we will see how that goes.

2. A lot of these teams are interchangeable.  Especially with such limited knowledge of the 2024 teams on the field.  But if I know a team's QB is returning, then I usually give that team the nod over a team that does not return their starting QB.

3.  I have heard rumors of a few players from a few schools that suggested a few significant players not playing this year.  IF that is true, it would affect this list, BUT I don't put stock in them until I see it take place on the field.  So, I'm assuming the players are playing.

4.  For Spots 10-20, some are just hunches and a few could be influenced from last season, which isn't always a steady goal post for this season.  

Purple88's Western Kentucky Power Rankings List

1. Bowling Green - Defending 5A Champs return 14 starters and more from last year's 2 deep chart.

2. Paducah Tilghman - LOADED! Martels Carter may be the best athlete in the State!  Only team to beat Mayfield last year.

3. Owensboro Catholic - Mr. Atwell is simply a game changer.  Losing WR Carrico is significant, but so is gaining SR Dereon Crowe from Owensboro!

4. Owensboro - Evan Hampton is a difference maker.  QB Delacey should improve from last season.  If the OLine and DLine are solid, Look out!

5. South Warren - QB Bryce Button is a terrific QB and going to Eastern Michigan next season, but he lost his playmakers from last year.  Can South reload?

6. Mayfield - 2A State Champs.  Have alot back, especially on the defensive side of the ball.  If they get solid QB play, Look out!  Their schedule does them no favors though.

7. Graves County - The team most forget in WKY, but that are pretty darn good year over year.  They will be much improved this season, but they will have to go to Rash Stadium to decide the district.

8. Henderson County - Really like what Coach Boston has going in Henderson even with the surprising loss to McCracken at home last fall.  They have some nice athletes and should be a problem in their district.

9. Madisonville North Hopkins - QB Kanyon Johnson and RB Markezz Hightower are enough to beat most teams, but do they have enough to battle Graves and Owensboro for the district, especially when both those games are on the road at very tough venues this season?

10. Union County - It's hard to out-tough a wrestling community and program based on wrestling.

11. Hart County - Cinderella found her way home.  The cupboard isn't totally bare either.

12. Glasgow - Have the pieces to move up this list, especially with SR QB Jessie Easton.

13. McCracken County - Brand New Head Coach Tyler Brooks will be the third head coach from the 2021 season to this season.  Very few programs have that kind of turnover with significant success and why you find a 6A team down here IMO.  On the plus side, JR QB Maddox Oneal returns from a solid SO season passing for over 2,400 yards.

14. Murray - Solid team.  Usually beats who they should and lose to who you think they will lose to.

15. Franklin Simpson - Another solid team; lost some close games last season.  Has a good chance to improve.

16. Greenwood - tough district; but tougher graduation losses that can't be easily covered.

17. Logan County - return very solid QB Ridge Holman, but lose most production on both sides of the ball.

18. Apollo - really like this team.  Still young, but SO QB Maxwell Johnson should only improve this season.

19. Grayson County - Awesome 10-2 2023 season; lost some very good players; can they reload?

20. Warren East - SR QB Dane Parsley is the heart and soul of this team, but can anyone else help him?

21. Daviess County - Just a long season off the Bypass in Owensboro.  Can Coach Brannon turn it around?

22. Hopkinsville - Not sure what to say and be kind; so I'll just say the administration (starting and stopping the prospective merge with Christian County) has done the football team no favors resulting in a 1-9 season last year.  Not the Hopkinsville I remember.

23. Christian County - One of their 2 wins last year was to Hopkinsville (which they technically forfeited due to ineligible player) the other to 2A Caldwell County.  Not the Christian County I remember.

24. Allen County Scottsville - Really like Coach Hood.  Return SR QB Braylon Adams!

25. Crittenden County - Any chance the Rockets return to 1A anytime soon?  Having to play Mayfield and OCath is just a tough road. 

[Purple88]

Wow!  According to @ACfan4 SR QB Easton Jessie transferred from Glasgow to Adair County.

The Indians now would enter into this list.  Good luck to them.  Tough blow for Glasgow.

[ACfan4]

17 minutes ago, Purple88 said:

Wow!  According to @ACfan4 SR QB Easton Jessie transferred from Glasgow to Adair County.

The Indians now would enter into this list.  Good luck to them.  Tough blow for Glasgow.

Yes Jessie's family is originally from Adair and moved back here a couple of years ago. He had still been making the commute to Glasgow but this year decided to stay home and finish his career at Adair.

[Tkinslow]

I think Barren Co will be improved and better than some of those teams.

[ACfan4]

5 minutes ago, Tkinslow said:

I think Barren Co will be improved and better than some of those teams.

was curious about Barren. Adair scrimmages them next week at Barren. 

[Purple88]

7 minutes ago, Tkinslow said:

I think Barren Co will be improved and better than some of those teams.

 

1 minute ago, ACfan4 said:

was curious about Barren. Adair scrimmages them next week at Barren. 

Good call @Tkinslow!  It takes quite a bit of effort to turn the tides of a football program, but hope new Coach John Myers has a good season.  I will say coaching turnover is a difficult issue to creating team culture and positive traction for a program.  Coach Meyer is the 3rd Barren County Head Coach since the 2020 Covid Season.

The Trojans went 5-6 last year.  But they do return a solid SR QB in Tate Spillman and WR Jaxson Byrd, along with leading tackler Waylon Clemmons.  So there are certainly pieces to work with.

The schedule includes:

Metcalfe County, Trigg County, Warren East, Monroe County, Glasgow, Green County, North Hardin, Warren Central, Central Hardin and Allen County-Scottsville.

So yeah, I think you can make an argument to be above some teams on the list.  Time will tell how it plays out.  I hope Barren has a good season.  I think they can be competitive in their district too.

[snakesnot_2000]

2 hours ago, FB Head said:

I would agree with BG being 1.  They are the favorite to repeat with Duece at the helm.  Paducah has all the talent in the world but have not proved to be disciplined. OCath has a top QB in the state but lost a lot. I understand they have transfers coming in but have a lot of questions. Mayfield will be strong defensively and their running game will win them plenty of games. 
 

1. BG

2. South Warren

3. PT

4. Owensboro

5. Mayfield

6. OCath

7. Madisonville

8. Union Co

9. Henderson Co.

10. Murray

 

 

Mayfield scrimmages Owensboro this Friday. I say they beat them (I know it doesn’t count) but it could say a lot about this team. I am very bullish on Mayfield. And I think they are better than Ocath and why not ,they have never lost to them. 

[BillNye]

4 minutes ago, Purple88 said:

 

Good call @Tkinslow!  It takes quite a bit of effort to turn the tides of a football program, but hope new Coach John Myers has a good season.  I will say coaching turnover is a difficult issue to creating team culture and positive traction for a program.  Coach Meyer is the 3rd Barren County Head Coach since the 2020 Covid Season.

The Trojans went 5-6 last year.  But they do return a solid SR QB in Tate Spillman and WR Jaxson Byrd, along with leading tackler Waylon Clemmons.  So there are certainly pieces to work with.

The schedule includes:

Metcalfe County, Trigg County, Warren East, Monroe County, Glasgow, Green County, North Hardin, Warren Central, Central Hardin and Allen County-Scottsville.

So yeah, I think you can make an argument to be above some teams on the list.  Time will tell how it plays out.  I hope Barren has a good season.  I think they can be competitive in their district too.

Barren had games last year where they played up to their competition for solid stretches, and then had games where they had their doors blown off against teams that I really didn't think they had any business getting blown out by.  Typically a 5-6 year at Barren County is deemed a success, and they have plenty of pieces returning that would make you think they have the capability of winning some games.

I tend to agree with you though P88, the coaching turnover leaves cause to pause and I can't help but wonder what difference, if any, it will make.

[BigBlue92]

1. PT

2. BG

3. South Warren

4. OCHs

5. Mayfield

6. Owensboro 

7. Henderson Co

8. Murray 

9. Graves

10. Madisonville 

[Tkinslow]

1 hour ago, ACfan4 said:

was curious about Barren. Adair scrimmages them next week at Barren. 

We will probably learn a lot from that scrimmage as I feel like both teams will be improved.

[Colonels_Wear_Blue]

5 hours ago, Purple88 said:

I like @Devils Fan list!  I don't see a reason to change it much (although I did switch Graves, Hendo and Madisonville), but I also want to put context on it for me:

1. Mayfield will likely rise before the end of the season.  BUT today with an unproven QB they don't have on paper a great argument to be higher at this point in time, but they play #2 on this list not too far from now and we will see how that goes.

2. A lot of these teams are interchangeable.  Especially with such limited knowledge of the 2024 teams on the field.  But if I know a team's QB is returning, then I usually give that team the nod over a team that does not return their starting QB.

3.  I have heard rumors of a few players from a few schools that suggested a few significant players not playing this year.  IF that is true, it would affect this list, BUT I don't put stock in them until I see it take place on the field.  So, I'm assuming the players are playing.

4.  For Spots 10-20, some are just hunches and a few could be influenced from last season, which isn't always a steady goal post for this season.  

Purple88's Western Kentucky Power Rankings List

1. Bowling Green - Defending 5A Champs return 14 starters and more from last year's 2 deep chart.

2. Paducah Tilghman - LOADED! Martels Carter may be the best athlete in the State!  Only team to beat Mayfield last year.

3. Owensboro Catholic - Mr. Atwell is simply a game changer.  Losing WR Carrico is significant, but so is gaining SR Dereon Crowe from Owensboro!

4. Owensboro - Evan Hampton is a difference maker.  QB Delacey should improve from last season.  If the OLine and DLine are solid, Look out!

5. South Warren - QB Bryce Button is a terrific QB and going to Eastern Michigan next season, but he lost his playmakers from last year.  Can South reload?

6. Mayfield - 2A State Champs.  Have alot back, especially on the defensive side of the ball.  If they get solid QB play, Look out!  Their schedule does them no favors though.

7. Graves County - The team most forget in WKY, but that are pretty darn good year over year.  They will be much improved this season, but they will have to go to Rash Stadium to decide the district.

8. Henderson County - Really like what Coach Boston has going in Henderson even with the surprising loss to McCracken at home last fall.  They have some nice athletes and should be a problem in their district.

9. Madisonville North Hopkins - QB Kanyon Johnson and RB Markezz Hightower are enough to beat most teams, but do they have enough to battle Graves and Owensboro for the district, especially when both those games are on the road at very tough venues this season?

10. Union County - It's hard to out-tough a wrestling community and program based on wrestling.

11. Hart County - Cinderella found her way home.  The cupboard isn't totally bare either.

12. Glasgow - Have the pieces to move up this list, especially with SR QB Jessie Easton.

13. McCracken County - Brand New Head Coach Tyler Brooks will be the third head coach from the 2021 season to this season.  Very few programs have that kind of turnover with significant success and why you find a 6A team down here IMO.  On the plus side, JR QB Maddox Oneal returns from a solid SO season passing for over 2,400 yards.

14. Murray - Solid team.  Usually beats who they should and lose to who you think they will lose to.

15. Franklin Simpson - Another solid team; lost some close games last season.  Has a good chance to improve.

16. Greenwood - tough district; but tougher graduation losses that can't be easily covered.

17. Logan County - return very solid QB Ridge Holman, but lose most production on both sides of the ball.

18. Apollo - really like this team.  Still young, but SO QB Maxwell Johnson should only improve this season.

19. Grayson County - Awesome 10-2 2023 season; lost some very good players; can they reload?

20. Warren East - SR QB Dane Parsley is the heart and soul of this team, but can anyone else help him?

21. Daviess County - Just a long season off the Bypass in Owensboro.  Can Coach Brannon turn it around?

22. Hopkinsville - Not sure what to say and be kind; so I'll just say the administration (starting and stopping the prospective merge with Christian County) has done the football team no favors resulting in a 1-9 season last year.  Not the Hopkinsville I remember.

23. Christian County - One of their 2 wins last year was to Hopkinsville (which they technically forfeited due to ineligible player) the other to 2A Caldwell County.  Not the Christian County I remember.

24. Allen County Scottsville - Really like Coach Hood.  Return SR QB Braylon Adams!

25. Crittenden County - Any chance the Rockets return to 1A anytime soon?  Having to play Mayfield and OCath is just a tough road. 

Holy moley P88! Lol, something tells me you were the over-achiever, ALWAYS turning in any available extra credit, curve-buster type when you were in school 😂

Awesome take on things, as always!

[Purple88]

11 minutes ago, Colonels_Wear_Blue said:

Holy moley P88! Lol, something tells me you were the over-achiever, ALWAYS turning in any available extra credit, curve-buster type when you were in school 😂

Awesome take on things, as always!

😂 Laughing!

I honestly just can't wait for football.

Hoping for a good year for teams in the West!

Also, Thanks CWB for starting these Power Ranking Threads!