Franklin County 28 Bowling Green 18

[Purple88]

5A Bowling Green (4-5) at 4A Franklin County (9-0)

HAPPY HALLOWEEN WEEK SPORTS FANS!!!

The Purples make the 2.5-hour trip northeast to the State Capital to take on the stout undefeated Franklin County Flyers in the final regular season game for each team, as both try to keep momentum rolling in an effort to make deep runs within their respective classification playoffs.  This will be the very first meeting between the Purples and Flyers, but it’s an exciting one IMO.  While neither is in the others radar as far as matters such as district competitors, classification competitors, or even regional competitors, they are both good football teams and should prepare both for the tough playoffs run ahead.  They have however faced each other in the younger realms, as I recall Deuce Bailey’s 8^th grade team playing and falling to Franklin County’s 8^th Grade Team (Elkhorn Middle School) in the 8^th grade final game that season.  Good competition.

Both of these schools have had very successful runs of late and want to continue that momentum and would love nothing better than to finish out the 2025 season at Kroger Field.  Plain and simple.  That is why I think games like this one matter in regard to your playoff run.  While injuries surely can and have happened in competitive games at the end of the season like this, it has always been my belief that you need to continue to test your team at the end of the regular season in hopes of addressing a few weaknesses and peaking during the playoffs.  I just feel if you schedule lighter competition that you set yourself up for a letdown going into the playoffs that can bite you and send you home earlier than you would like.

Onward to the Flyers and Purples!

Franklin County Flyers Information (TP94 Rating:  60.37)

According to Franklin County’s school website, “The mascot of Franklin County High School is the Flyer, named in honor of Benjamin Franklin’s kite experiment.  The school mascot is a bird named Freddie Falcon”.  I thought that was very interesting, as I just don’t know much about FCHS, except that Eddie James is their Head Coach, who took over in 2017 for former Head Coach Nicholas Sheridan.  But more so for the offseason intrigue regarding Coach James’ consideration of moving to the Highlands Bluebirds in the summer of 2021.  That was quite the bright BGP spotlight at the time. 

Coach James has done a super job off East Main Street in Frankfort.  Now in his 9^th campaign for the Flyers, he has a record of 88 wins and 24 losses for a 78% winning percentage.  Well done!  After a pay your dues 5-6 season in 2017 where they fell in the first round of the playoffs, Franklin County has been a steady participant playing later and later in the playoffs as the years have rolled on.  In the last 5 seasons (beginning in the 2020 Covid Season), Franklin County has been to at least the semi-finals every year and they made the finals in 2020 (falling in heartbreak fashion to Boyle County in OT) and 2024 (falling to a memorable Paducah Tilghman squad).  Impressive!

The Flyers have had a great season thus far!  They are led by undervalued SO QB Knox Barrett, who took the reins of this Flyers team as a FR and helped take them to the State Finals!  Impressive!  He has just over 2,000 yards passing on the season with 25 TDs and only 2 INTs!  Wow!  3 RBs have between 150 to 200 yards on the season and lead the Flyers in that category including SR Jack Oldham, SR Delano Dollins and JR Chris Stallings.  3 SR WRs (Jacob Taylor, Delano Collins and LeDarrius Simmons) lead the Flyers with over 110 catches 1,500 yards and 20 TDs between them! 

Defensively, SR Jacob Olds leads the Flyers with 98 tackles on the year (8 Tackles for Loss and 2 sacks).  SR Jaeden Samuels has 7 sacks on the year and SR Shalom Moore has 5 INTs including 2 pick 6s on the year.  Good team!

Bowling Green Purples Information (TP94 Rating: 67.60)

It’s been a tough season for the Purples.  Plain and simple.  Coming off Back-to-Back Championships, the season preview wasn’t to have the first 0-4 start to a season in roughly 60 years, but when you play very good teams and your team takes on significant injuries and chooses to play a FR QB (which was the right decision IMO) then a very challenging season can and has resulted.  But all is not lost.  The Purples have circled the ships and trying to patch leaks as they continue down this 2025 Season’s path.  This is the first really tough game after the CAL game back in late September.  That CAL game was also BGs best game of the Season IMO.  While they didn’t win that game, they did improve and have overall during district play even when taken to the limit by a determined Greenwood squad.  But what version of the Purples will we find in Frankfort on Friday?  We are going to find out.

FR QB Anthony Davis (AD) has been very solid for BG since taking over at halftime during the St X game back in late August.  He was literally thrown in the fire and has done as well (or better) than all can expect for a FR to play with the type of schedule BG has played.  Have there been mistakes?  Surely, but to assume Duece Bailey JR just walks on the field where Deuce Bailey left off is unrealistic.  AD has over 1,100 yards passing with 11 TDs and only 2 INTs (both during the Scott County game – his first varsity start ever - and one of those in desperation time at the end of the game).  Well done!  It is important that young Mr. Davis take his next step forward in Frankfort on Friday Night!   

BG is led by the Graham Brothers Nick and Trey in rushing with roughly 570 yards on the year with 5 TDs.  SR WR Travey Barber is back from injury (this will be his 3^rd game back).  SR Jaxen Smith leads BG with 26 catches for 318 yards and 3 TDs.    

Defensively, SR LB Montez Trussell continues to lead BG with 80 tackles on the year with 10 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks.  Another name I wanted to mention is FR Jett Reynolds who has come in at Strong Safety and played super football leading the team vs Greenwood with 12 tackles.  He also took over the punting duties when Travey Barber went down and done a fine job for BG in that department.

Game Preview

I applaud both Coaches for making this game happen.  Scheduling is a tough business, but this game will help both teams for their playoff run IMO.  I honestly haven’t seen Franklin County at all this year.  I know they throw for 3 yards for every yard they gain rushing the ball, so I expect the ball to be in the air a lot on Friday.  For Bowling Green, can they gain any yards on the ground?  Bullitt East had some success vs Franklin on the ground, but not many others have had success.  From there, penalties and turnovers are always important.  Should be a really fun game to watch!  I took my daughter to an archery tournament at Franklin County once, but this will be the first time I’ve ever come to watch a football game in Frankfort, so I’m excited about that!

Who wins this game and why?

[BillNye]

Tough task ahead, but what a quality matchup and great scheduling by both.  Go Purples!

[VF111]

Good gauge for the Purples and Flyers. 

For Franklin Co., BG will have some players on the field as good as any in 4A. If they can handle the Purples, they make an argument for their legitimacy as one of the several teams that can win it all in 4A.  

For BG, it would be hard to argue against the premise that BG has already played a tight game with a team better than anyone in 5A (CAL). That said, they have to find a way to beat a top-notch opponent. I don't think Franklin Co. is better than, but they're close to Woodford, Scott Co., Cooper, and Owensboro, so BG needs to prove to themselves they can go on the road and take one from this level of team.  

[Devils Fan]

This will be the game to that tells us the type of run the purples will make in the playoffs. If they win watch out. If they lose by a couple of scores, then we’re probably going to see an early exit for the Purples.
 Franklin County’s record is a little deceptive they’ve only played 2 teams worth mentioning in Bullit East and LCA both games finished within 1 score…. BG on the other hand has been more than battle tested with the gauntlet schedule they’ve had all while facing issues with injuries. 

BG is healthy now and gaining confidence. IMO they get their best win of the season against an undefeated FC team gaining momentum into the post season. 
  
Purples 21 Flyers 14

 

[jeff jackson]

The Purples will have to play better offensively than they have for most of the season if they expect to come away with a win. I'm not real sure what Franklin will be able to put together offensively, but, I'd expect they'll put together 2 or 3 scores minimum. The question is, can they contain BG well enough to make those points stand up.

[Tigerpride94]

I'll go with BG by 7.

[TheDeuce]

Franklin County wins.

[TheBallCoach]

I’ll take the Purples. Was surprised to see Franklin County throwing the ball around the way they are with a SO QB, I believe the BG defense will be able to weather the storm and make enough plays to create some stops. Biggest question mark of the season has been this offense, Barber back in the lineup and I expect a Mr. Football type of performance against the Flyers.

Purples 34 Flyers 20

[DearToday]

35-21 Purps. 

[Flyer_Fan87]

If Delano Collins gets going could be an interesting night....... 

[Purple88]

13 minutes ago, Flyer_Fan87 said:

If Delano Collins gets going could be an interesting night....... 

Flyer,

Can you tell us what type player Collins is similar to or something that would tell us a little more about him?  I just haven't seen him play, so am curious.

According the KHSAA page, SR Delano Collins has rushed 15 times this season for 181 yards and 4 TDs; caught 31 passes for 564 yards and 10 TDs; has 17 tackles and 3 INTs (1 Pick 6) on the year defensively; and he has 5 TDs on punt returns and 2 TDs on kickoff returns.

Well, I answered a bit of my own question there as those stats speak for themselves, but is he like another player you can recall?

[Flyer_Fan87]

I know you guys have athletes in BG and play teams full of them. He is just special, shifty, fast and a great teammate. He loves to see his teammates eat, so doesn't have crazy numbers but he can be electric. It will be nice to watch him play against a quality defense. Looking forward to watching some good football friday night! Are you making the trip to Frankfort? If so, be safe!! 

[Unrivaled97]

I think this will simply come down to which BG team shows up.  I've seen both teams in person this year and personally think BG is the better team.  For me, I think Franklin County has outplayed their expectations.  They found ways to beat Bullitt East and LCA and get themselves to 9-0.  After seeing them early in the preseason, I wouldn't have thought that, but that is a testament to the hard work of the kids and coaching staff.  With that being said, I'm going to take BG by 2 TDs in this one in hopes that the BG team I saw against CAL is the same team that shows up Friday.  I will say that regardless of outcome Friday, both of these teams have state titles in their future.  Maybe not necessarily this year, although not out of the question, but in the near future as they both have strong underclassmen and have had strong MS teams the last few years.

[Flyer_Fan87]

34 minutes ago, Unrivaled97 said:

I think this will simply come down to which BG team shows up.  I've seen both teams in person this year and personally think BG is the better team.  For me, I think Franklin County has outplayed their expectations.  They found ways to beat Bullitt East and LCA and get themselves to 9-0.  After seeing them early in the preseason, I wouldn't have thought that, but that is a testament to the hard work of the kids and coaching staff.  With that being said, I'm going to take BG by 2 TDs in this one in hopes that the BG team I saw against CAL is the same team that shows up Friday.  I will say that regardless of outcome Friday, both of these teams have state titles in their future.  Maybe not necessarily this year, although not out of the question, but in the near future as they both have strong underclassmen and have had strong MS teams the last few years.

No doubt a tall task ahead of FC. They have won ugly this year, and that is due to the grit they show. Win or lose, it can help them for a run in November. FC has been knocking on the door; just have to get it knocked down. I'm excited for the matchup, and hopefully it is a good game. I've never gotten to see BG, but I am excited to see them. The future is bright, but they gotta keep working. CAL looks good. If you guys stay focused, I don't see anything in CAL's way of another state title. Either way, this is senior night with a solid group that has given a lot. Kudos to the coach for not getting a gimme game. Looking forward to Nov football in KY!! 

[Subway5024]

@Purple88 How healthy is BG.  Have they gotten all of their receivers back?  I know they had a few lineman injured here and there.  @TheBallCoach you may have an update also.