Class 5A
1. Bowling Green vs. 6A #3 Frederick Douglass (at Western Kentucky University, 8/24)
2. Cooper vs. 4A #8 Bardstown
3. Highlands vs. 3A #3 Lexington Catholic
4. Scott County vs. 4A #4 Franklin County (at Great Crossing)
5. South Warren vs. 6A #8 Ballard (at Campbellsville)
6. Owensboro vs. 3A #1 Christian Academy-Louisville
7. Southwestern vs. 6A North Hardin (at Campbellsville, 8/24)
8. Woodford County vs. 4A Taylor County (at Mercer County, 8/24)
9. Graves County vs. 2A #1 Mayfield
10. Madisonville-North Hopkins vs. 3A #5 Union County

I made the joke earlier in the summer about how South Warren wins a title every three years (2015, 2018, 2021). Its that time again - are the Spartans capable of winning Class 5A? Feels like a strong class with several capable teams this year.

4 minutes ago, gchs_uk9 said:

I made the joke earlier in the summer about how South Warren wins a title every three years (2015, 2018, 2021). Its that time again - are the Spartans capable of winning Class 5A? Feels like a strong class with several capable teams this year.

We will definitely know a lot more after the Ballard game Friday. I am not sure how Gibson Southern (IN) is this year but the Spartans also have Manual on the Purples on the schedule so we should have a pretty good idea about their title hopes before the postseason starts. 

25 minutes ago, gchs_uk9 said:

I made the joke earlier in the summer about how South Warren wins a title every three years (2015, 2018, 2021). Its that time again - are the Spartans capable of winning Class 5A? Feels like a strong class with several capable teams this year.

 

20 minutes ago, theguru said:

We will definitely know a lot more after the Ballard game Friday. I am not sure how Gibson Southern (IN) is this year but the Spartans also have Manual on the Purples on the schedule so we should have a pretty good idea about their title hopes before the postseason starts. 

IMO for South Warren to win 5A this season the following needs to happen:

1. QB Bryce Button can not get injured in any way.  He is their best player by a wide margin.

2. The OLine has several new players who look the part.  Can they gel quickly?  They need to. As I see Button running for all their tough yardage this season.  No Jimmy Sales this year.

3. Coming into the season, I would have said the South Front 7 are as good as you'll find, but that was before Seniors LB/TE Ethan Reynolds and LB/RB Jace Catrona aren't on South's roster anymore.  The DLine had some new guys on it from last year that passed the eye test.  But the LBs aren't the same caliber as Reynolds at least IMO.  So those new guys need to grow up quick.

4.  Skill guys are all gone from last year.  They have some new guys who look ok in a scrimmage and 7v7.  But they will need to hold up in a real game now and a whole season now against pretty good teams starting with Ballard on Friday.

A lot more questions than answers for the team out Nashville Road.

BUT anytime Brandon Smith is your coach and Chuck Smith, who I believe is still LB coach then you have a chance especially when Button is your QB.  Looking forward to the Ballard game.  As @theguru said that should answer some questions.

Why does Scott County rise to #4?  I don't get that one.

19 minutes ago, Brown said:

Why does Scott County rise to #4?  I don't get that one.

The scrimmage against Bowling Green has to count for something.

 

23 minutes ago, Brown said:

Why does Scott County rise to #4?  I don't get that one.

Four year starter at QB, multiple FBS caliber kids in the backfield, entire o-line returns, plus several starters back on defense. I know they've underwhelmed since dropping to 5A, but on paper - which is most of what pre-season rankings are based on - they should be very good this year.

I mean I could post videos of us doing whatever we wanted on offense against BG , but the coaches might not want me to do that. Just the starting backs in the 1st half had 23 carries 201 yds.

35 minutes ago, Redheat said:

I mean I could post videos of us doing whatever we wanted on offense against BG , but the coaches might not want me to do that. Just the starting backs in the 1st half had 23 carries 201 yds.

Then I guess Scott County should be #1.

I never said that , but I don’t think us being 4 is outlandish. Defending champs should be pre season 1. @Purple88

3 minutes ago, Redheat said:

I never said that , but I don’t think us being 4 is outlandish. Defending champs should be pre season 1. @Purple88

Just clearing the air.  I thought Scott County played very well in the BG scrimmage, are a seasoned team and will be a difficult opponent come playoff time.  Very difficult to prepare for a team that runs the wing-T the way Scott County does, especially in a week's time. 

Good luck during the season.  And I thought your new campus was super nice.  Although they should have been able to take cash at the gate, but that's pretty minor isn't it.  

7 minutes ago, Redheat said:

I never said that , but I don’t think us being 4 is outlandish. Defending champs should be pre season 1. @Purple88

Is trust an issue with ranking Scott County? Could the voters be taking a wait-and-see approach? The last two years they've been ranked high, won a lot of games, then lost playoff games that most expected them to win (Southwestern in '22; Cooper in '23).

38 minutes ago, Purple88 said:

Just clearing the air.  I thought Scott County played very well in the BG scrimmage, are a seasoned team and will be a difficult opponent come playoff time.  Very difficult to prepare for a team that runs the wing-T the way Scott County does, especially in a week's time. 

Good luck during the season.  And I thought your new campus was super nice.  Although they should have been able to take cash at the gate, but that's pretty minor isn't it.  

This is my opinion as well (the point that in 1 week time to prepare for a scrimmage wing-T) - Do we really think BG went all out to prepare for the Wing-T like it was a real season game.  I'm sure they did to some degree, but if BG wants to win that game and it's a playoff game, I don't think it's close.  Therefore, and in conjunction with Scott County underachieving lately, I just don't see them being 4th ranked until they deserve it.

I don’t even want to argue about it. Good luck to BG and Owensboro.

Don't sleep on Dixie!