The Bell Co. Bobcats head west on Friday to take on the CAL Centurions for a rematch of the 2023 class 3A state championship game.  Kickoff is set for 7 pm.

For the visiting Bell Co Bobcats, who enter the contest 12-1, it will more than likely be a run heavy attack to try to “shorten” the game & keep the high powered CAL offense off the field.  Bell Co enters the game rushing the ball approximately 80% of the time & averaging 257 YPG.  They are led by SR RB Kaleb Miller (1814 YDS, 152 YDS per game & 28 TDs).  Bell County’s lone defeat this year may have been their best game they played, a 35-34 OT defeat at the hands of the class 5A semifinalist Pulaski Co.

CAL enters undefeated & winners of their last 20 games; last 7 being by running clock.  The 13-0 Centurions own wins over 4 teams who are playing in the semifinals for their respective classes (Pikeville, LCA, Owensboro & Ryle).  CAL is led on offense by SO QB Jackson Burke (182/222, 82%, 45 TDs).  JR WR Ja’Hyde Brown, who played on Friday for the first time since the last regular season game is his main target (1270 YDs & 21 TDs).  CAL is led defensively by JR LB Micah Newsome (118 TKLS, 18 TFLs & 3 sacks).

This game should be interesting.  Will Bell Co run the ball well enough to shorten the game, keep the CAL offense off the field & pull the upset?  Does CAL keep the train rolling to 21 straight wins & a 4th straight trip to Kroger Field?

CAL 28-7.

Bell will battle to the final whistle, but CAL has a little too much of everything.

I'll take the Centurions by at least four scores.

Bell County will need some turnovers in this game to make it close. If they can run the ball effectively like they have been all year, they will have a chance to pull off this upset. If things do not go their way I see this game at 35-22 CAL

Unfortunately for Bell County, CAL is one of the top 5 teams in the state in any class.  Some would even say they are the best.  The Bobcats have had a very good year, but 3A belongs to CAL right now and maybe for the foreseeable future.  

I think Bell keeps it closer than most expect, but, CAL still manages to come out on top. CAL 23 Bell Co 14 

Quote

 

 

CAL is just too good. Maybe the best team in the entire state. 
 

CAL 35 

Bell 7

J Burke is currently on pace to shatter the state record for completion % by 3.5 points ?. Not to mention if you apply Brodie Pfeiffer’s 6 TDs from when they were splitting time….not that unreasonable…would be at 51-1 TD/Int. 

That kid isn’t going out seeking any kind of accolades, but the hype train is going to discover him at some point.  Absolutely surgical.

Bell will have to basically play keep away and limit the amount of offensive possessions for CAL to win this game. Milk the clock and get scores on those drives. Bell Co has a solid defense and a solid secondary. Quarterback has quite a few career interceptions. They will need him to be big on both sides of the ball. 

CAL!!

21 hours ago, Bac2369 said:

Bell will have to basically play keep away and limit the amount of offensive possessions for CAL to win this game. Milk the clock and get scores on those drives. Bell Co has a solid defense and a solid secondary. Quarterback has quite a few career interceptions. They will need him to be big on both sides of the ball. 

They did that in the state finals a few years ago, kept the ball the entire 1st Qtr and scored the first play of the second quarter. CAL still beat them 41-16. I think about a similar score here. 

Bell County has forced 33 turnovers this year (2.53 per game), which is pretty impressive.  However, CAL has only turned the ball over 4 times this year (0.31 per game).  If Bell County is going to pull the upset, they have to force 3+ turnovers, have possession of the ball 2:1 & rush for over 200 yards.  that's a tough ask.  I simply think it boils down to speed & CAL will have too much of it.  I don’t think CAL will take their running clock streak to 8, but I do think they take their win streak to 21.  CAL wins 38-7.

On 11/22/2025 at 7:24 PM, Unrivaled97 said:

Bell County’s lone defeat this year may have been their best game they played, a 35-34 OT defeat at the hands of the class 5A semifinalist Pulaski Co.

Bell County gave that game away.

On 11/23/2025 at 3:48 PM, Bac2369 said:

Bell will have to basically play keep away and limit the amount of offensive possessions for Bell to win this game. Milk the clock

Play scared...that's the solution lol

Just playing. I get it. There has to be logic taken into account in this one. But I think Bell actually uses your scenario in most games regardless who they are playing.

Against Pulaski they milked the clock to 10 seconds left at about Pulaski's 30 and handed Pulaski the ball. Didn't even take any shots to win the game.

Ask the guy yelling " WE NEED A SENSE OF URGENCY!!!!!!!! "

CAL 28-7