This will be the 5th year of the J. Allen Builders Bowl, the Raiders are 3-1 in their home bowl game. The Highlanders from Floyd Knobs, IN will be making their debut on the Smurf turf, they invited the Tigers of St X across the border last season and got boat raced 63-14, however they finished the season 6-3 and brought back some pretty talented players. Similar to KY our neighboring state also has 6 classes as well, Floyd Central is a 5A program and I’m sure they believe they have a chance to come in and spoil the party Friday evening.

Decided to do a little dive in on this Floyd Central team and a couple players stood out to me. The Highlanders are led by their SR Quarterback Jack Mull, 6’2 frame, can sling the ball all over the field, threw for 23 TD’s last season and is expected to have another jump in production this year thanks to some talented athletes around him. Like his teammate Mull, Matthew Polk a SR TE/LB holds some small ball college offers as well, very athletic and talented on both sides of the ball and will be a key contributor if they plan to come out of Bowling Green with a win. 

The Raiders, it’s a new day, they are led by transfer SO QB Xavier Isable, it’ll be interesting to see how he performs in his debut. Coach Hall had some words in the BGDN the other day, (link is here https://bgdailynews.com/2025/08/15/sports_prepfootball081325-2/) what stood out to me is the openness about how his QB isn’t looking to run the ball. With a 6’2 200lb frame I have a hard time believing that and I hope that is just Coach speak, in my personal opinion if you are running out of the shotgun 100% of the time your QB has to be a threat to run the football or you’ll be outnumbered 9/10. With that being said Isable will have some guys to toss the ball too, SR WR Brayden Lightfoot is phenomenal had 10 receiving TD’s last year and I expect more of the same this season, SR WR Logan Boyer is a crafty young man as well accumulating over 500+ yards last season with four scores. What has me worried is we won’t be seeing the Raiders star of their Defense who is one of the few returning starters DL Damontre Barnett, in their first scrimmage against Campbellsville it was said that a DL went down for Warren East and Coach Hall called the game. This past week the Raiders traveled to Edmonton to scrimmage Metcalfe County and I didn’t see #90 on the field, hope it’s just something minor and that he’ll have a speedy recovery and be able to enjoy his SR year but this game shows mercy to no one and it can happen to anyone.

Preseason I had the Raiders getting this game with no problem, I was wrong in that prediction and believe this will actually be a very competitive game. I feel good about the Raiders OL, the WR’s are solid, and they got what seems to be a competent QB. Their run game is what makes me ask the question of what they can be offensively this season, you have to be able to run the football at any level across this sport so it’ll be interesting to see how they decide to go about that. I see this Highlanders offense lighting up the Warren East defense unfortunately and the scoreboard has the potential to catch on fire if the Raiders offense has it rolling as well. If you’re up at 8:30pm cst and wondering what to watch just head on over to our friends at Sporting Times for a firework show! https://stfanclub.com

Highlanders 48 Raiders 34

Floyd Central has a pretty good junior class because I remember when they were freshman and they beat St. X that year and I think they went undefeated as 8th graders. 

I picked Warren East because I want them to win. But based on @TheBallCoach excellent report my brain tells me the opposite will happen. A brand new QB and no defensive leader on the field doesn’t give me a positive feeling for the Raiders. But I hope I’m wrong. 
Typically when an out of state teams travels this far from home they really believe they can win. I think Floyd believes they can win and will be ready to go. 

Floyd Central opens the game with an 88 yard KOR for a Touchdown.

7-0 Highlanders

1st pass for Isable as a Raider is an interception. The Highlanders take it down to the Raiders 10 yard line.

14-0 Highlanders

3 and out for Warren East.

Floyd Central gets it at their 45 yd line.

9:36 1Q

22 yd FG is good.

5:16 1Q

17-0 

What a great drive from the Raiders after a rough start, Lightfoot had a great catch and a Lee TD from Isable caps off the drive. XP is good.

2:27 1Q

17-7

Warren East forces a punt, get the ball at their own 2 yard line.

:25 1Q

Interception Highlanders.

 

17-7 Floyd Central. Open the 2Q on the Raiders 1 yd line.

End of 1Q

2nd rushing TD for Robertson.

11:56 2Q

24-7 Highlanders

Mull QB sneak for the score.

6:35 2Q

31-7 Floyd Central

Touchdown pass for Floyd Central.

:36 2Q

38-7