Logan County is one of just two teams that didn't win their district to advance to the region final round.  That being said, they were an easy favorite to pick in their second round game, as they matched up againste Elizabethtown and came away with the 35-0 victory in their second round game.  Logan County is back into the region finals for the first time since 2022, and will be seeking a return to the state semifinal round for the first time since 2021.  Their opponent also advanced in dominant fashion, as Paducah Tilghman had one of their best games in quite some time, smacking Franklin-Simpson for a 49-14 victory.  It's the fifth straight year Paducah is in the region finals, and the defending state champs have still not lost to a 4A opponent in two years, and even that came in the state semifinals.  

This is the second meeting of the year for the two teams, as Paducah for all intents and purposes clinched the district title in a 35-27 home victory back on October 3rd.  That was the third win in what is now an eight game win streak for the Blue Tornado.  That win didn't necessarily make it inevitable that they'd have a higher RPI and the right to host this game, but it probably was the difference.

The Blue Tornado are favored, as the home team, as the district champion, as the #6 ranked team in BGP's final rankings, where Logan County checked in at #8.  In the four previous meetings during the Riherds scoreboard era, the eight point result earlier this year is th eonly time Paducah didn't score at least 49 points and where they won by less than 35.  Will Tilghman continue to march on, or can the Cougars win one of the biggest games in program history?

The first game Tilghman was super balanced, passing for 241 and running for 211.  Tilghman allowed 247 passing yards and 98 rushing yards. 

The biggest difference for me from the first go round is the Tilghman defense. It took them a long time to gel, but they are playing much better and have several different players who have stepped up. 

The Logan run defense has allowed over 200 yards in 4 of the last 5 games. They allowed 421 rush yards in their win over Franklin-Simpson a month ago. 

I was very impressed with Logan County the first time around, but PT made several mistakes in that game to make it closer than maybe the score indicated, including a couple interceptions. 

I expect another really good game, but at the end of the day, I think the PT defense combined with Logan's inability to stop the run game lately will be the difference. 

 

I expect PT to win but I will be pulling for LC all the way.

PT of course needs to take care of business first (Logan’s win over Etown was impressive!).  
 

But it looks like PT will be on the road for the semis.  PT would need two of Boyle, Franklin and Highlands to lose in order to host the semi.  
 

I could maybe see Cov Cath knocking off Boyle.  I just don’t see Franklin or Highlands losing these games at home. 

Will this game be live streamed?

I think Tilghman has come a good ways since the Madisonville game I tried to watch on NFHS back in September.

It sounds like their defense is coming around at the right time.  That is important.  Most of these Tilghman guys won the title last year, so that experience from here forward is invaluable and certainly an advantage in my eyes.

I also have a ton of respect for Coach Adler and how he and his staff turned what was supposed to be a more down year due to their prospective QB leaving into a 10 and 2 team looking to compete for a semi-finals berth.  And their only 2 losses?  At Tilghman and At South Warren.  Wow!

Good luck to both teams!

Going to be a good football game between this one and Murray and Lex Cath these will both be good games for any WKY people out there in the area on Friday. Tilghman is a good team Logan County is a good team this game could be a tight one. I will be in attendance for this one so it's very exciting to watch this game Friday. Tilghman definitely has made some strides since Madisonville. Defensively there getting better week in and week out they play hard and they get after people. Logan County is always been tough and scrappy. Coach Adler has done a great job for years his team has been playing well very good on defense. Offensively they have done some good things as well. Excited to see how this one plays out like I said it should be a good football game. Best of luck to the Blue Tornado and the Cougars!!

12 hours ago, CLMR said:

Will this game be live streamed?

The first 2 rounds were on the PT Athletics YouTube channel   I assume this will be the same.  

22 hours ago, Phoenix Kid said:

Going to be a good football game between this one and Murray and Lex Cath these will both be good games for any WKY people out there in the area on Friday. Tilghman is a good team Logan County is a good team this game could be a tight one. I will be in attendance for this one so it's very exciting to watch this game Friday. Tilghman definitely has made some strides since Madisonville. Defensively there getting better week in and week out they play hard and they get after people. Logan County is always been tough and scrappy. Coach Adler has done a great job for years his team has been playing well very good on defense. Offensively they have done some good things as well. Excited to see how this one plays out like I said it should be a good football game. Best of luck to the Blue Tornado and the Cougars!!

Yes, us as fans here in Western Kentucky have 2 good options for football games between Murray and Paducah. I just wish the weather would give us a break. I think Paducah will be more focused as evidence of last week and I am hoping for a clean sweep for all 3 Western Kentucky teams and of the 3, I think Paducah has the best chance by playing at home , playing a team it has beaten even when it didn't play it's beat game..go PT and all Western Kentucky teams. 

8 hours ago, DaTruth said:

Yes, us as fans here in Western Kentucky have 2 good options for football games between Murray and Paducah. I just wish the weather would give us a break. I think Paducah will be more focused as evidence of last week and I am hoping for a clean sweep for all 3 Western Kentucky teams and of the 3, I think Paducah has the best chance by playing at home , playing a team it has beaten even when it didn't play it's beat game..go PT and all Western Kentucky teams. 

I'm with you. Once the postseason begins, all our local rivalries kind of go to the side. I'm all for all of our area schools at this point. I'm sure there's a few here and there that would disagree, but by and large, most of us all root each other on. 

I was talking to a couple Mayfield fans in our hotel lobby in Lexington last season before heading over to the championship game and they were there to support Tilghman. We told them we definitely appreciated the support. It's a really neat thing to see regular season adversaries on the same team at the end of the day. 

 

5 minutes ago, TilghmanPride said:

I'm with you. Once the postseason begins, all our local rivalries kind of go to the side. I'm all for all of our area schools at this point. I'm sure there's a few here and there that would disagree, but by and large, most of us all root each other on. 

I was talking to a couple Mayfield fans in our hotel lobby in Lexington last season before heading over to the championship game and they were there to support Tilghman. We told them we definitely appreciated the support. It's a really neat thing to see regular season adversaries on the same team at the end of the day. 

 

Always support kids and schools even when they are your rivalry. Outside of playing each other,  support each other, I'm a die hard fan but not to that extent that I can't support you or have to put you down to elevate my team.  let's go WKY, it's a big weekend for us, THANKS.

WKY is a great place for football!! I love WKY Football and I've always loved supporting all the locals this time of year. When the playoffs come around its awesome seeing the locals make it to region finals and on. I will never forget teams like Murray who went to the semifinals in 2020. Tighman making their state runs in 2021 and 2024 and 2009 I believe. Hopkinsville making the semis in 2020. Union County making their state run last year and always advancing to regional's the last few years. Madisonville making it to semis in 2019. Mayfield always making a run at the title. there's many more teams who have made great runs in previous years from WKY. Its going to be an exciting weekend for WKY and I can't wait to see the final results come Friday Night!! let's Go WKY!!

So growing up, I have always been told Owensboro is in Western KY.  They are not really, central or northern.  Do you include Owensboro in the WKY talk?

I’ve always been told everything West of Bowling Green is considered West Kentucky.

So by this standard Logan would fall in the West!