By Perry Swack – Sporting Times
El Donaldson Stadium – October 9, 2020 – 7:00pm
Last Week
McCracken County won at Daviess County, 56-22
Bowling Green lost to South Warren, 10-7
Last (and only) 3 Meetings in the Series
2019 – Bowling Green 42 @ McCracken County 14
2016 – Bowling Green 42 @ McCracken County 14
2015 – McCracken County 14 @ Bowling Green 38
Preview
Bowling Green is coming off of a 10-7 loss to crosstown rival South Warren in which the Purples were held to only 230 yards of offense. Quarterback Conner Cooper completed only 8-of-19 passes for 116 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. Senior running back Javy Bunton tallied 77 yards on the ground and scored the team’s only touchdown of the night. Jordan Dingle was the team’s leading receiver with three catches for 49 yards in the absence of Dez Wilson, who missed the game – and will be out for the year– with a leg injury suffered against PRP in Week 2. Rece Jones led the Purple defense again with 16 total tackles, while junior Jeremiah Lightfoot recorded 13 tackles.
McCracken County comes into the matchup on a roll and currently ranked fifth in Class 6A. Sophomore Pryor Lamb has completed 45-of-72 passes on the season with ten touchdowns and only three interceptions. Running back Hunter Bradley has been dominant through the first four games, amassing 717 yards (179.2 yards per game) and scoring ten touchdowns on the ground. In a 56-22 victory at Daviess County last week, Bradley rushed for 329 yards and five touchdowns as the Mustangs cruised to the win. Coach Marc Clark’s offense is averaging 50 points per game, while the defense is only giving up 13.5 points per contest.
Prediction
Bowling Green 21, McCracken County 18
McCracken County is averaging 50 points per game this season, but I think the offense will be stymied by a Purple defense that is allowing only 5 points per game. The main matchup to watch will be in the trenches as the Mustangs try to get Hunter Bradley going against a Bowling Green line featuring Lightfoot and Bradley Gurley, along with a linebacker core of Jones and TyTavus Hampton.
If the Mustangs are able to score 18 points on Bowling Green, it would be more points than the Purples have given up in all three of its games combined (16). Although the matchup to watch will be the Mustang O against the Purple D, I believe the game’s defining moment will come when the Purples have the ball and the Mustangs are on defense. It may be a Cooper-to-Dingle completion or a big Bunton run, but the Purples ability to score when the game is on the line will be the key to Bowling Green moving on to 3-1 on the season. McCracken will improve upon its first three meetings in this series with BG (average score Bowling Green 41-14), but it will not be able to get over the hump. I’ll take Bowling Green in a close one at the El.
Next Week
McCracken County hosts Hopkinsville on October 16 at 7:00pm
Bowling Green travels to district foe Christian County for a 7:00pm kickoff on October 16
