Bluegrassrivals

Predictions/Thoughts?

I'm taking the Bluebirds in this one by a couple of TD's.

Good luck to both teams!

I'll take Highlands as well by two touchdowns.

Best of luck to both!

Highlands. dont know much about Ryle. i know Highlands has been a powerhouse as far as i can remember

Ryle might be tough. They certainly gave CovCath a butt-kicking on Friday. I like my Birds, but an upset wouldn't surprise me.

Ryle has all the tools that can make this one of the most exciting and entertaining games of the weekend. If Ryle held Hempel down this week, it was because they did not want to ti their hat to HHS.

On paper, the Birds win this by 2-3 TD's. I think it will be closer than that though.

This is going to be a great game. Not going to make a prediction, other than I think this will be one heck of a set up for the rematch of these two teams at the end of the season.

I want Ryle but predict Highlands takes this one.

tradition Wrote:This is going to be a great game. Not going to make a prediction, other than I think this will be one heck of a set up for the rematch of these two teams at the end of the season.

This will be a much bigger game for Ryle than it willb e for teh Birds. I only mean that for Ryle, they are playing a team that they have not been able to beat; playing the perrinial #1 in NKY; and a Nationally ranked team.

For the Birds, this is business as usual and Dale will not let them get lost in "Do you Job".

That said, Ryle will be the emotional team. If they sustain any degree of success, they could well come out on the victorious side. But for my money, I'll stick with Highlands and their "Business as Usual" attitude. I still think Ryle has to play the perfect game to win. Highlands does not have to.

Stardust Wrote:That said, Ryle will be the emotional team. If they sustain any degree of success, they could well come out on the victorious side. But for my money, I'll stick with Highlands and their "Business as Usual" attitude. I still think Ryle has to play the perfect game to win. Highlands does not have to.

Excellent post. Ryle has been the kind of team in the past that doesn't contain emotions well, especially against Highlands. Dixie has been the same way. Ryle can go a long way toward making themselves the NKY 6A favorite by having a good showing on Friday night.

This could very well be one of the best games in the state this week.

Highlands played sloppy in week one against a very good Manual team but was able to come out with a W.

Ryle steamrolled Covcath and showed their running game is legit as they come.

With that said, I don't think Ryle has a good enough passing game to stick with the Birds and keep their defense honest. I expect Highlands to keep 8 in the box and keep Elliott in check. Defensively, I have a feeling Ryle is going to struggle against Highlands O-line which is going to create big holes for Collinsworth, Streeter, and Fennell.

I see this being a close game with Highlands pulling away in the second half:

Highlands 35
Ryle 17

I like Highlands 35 to 16

Highlands D better show up or The Ryle running attack will have another field day. But in the end Highlands will show everyone why they're ranked #1.

HHS-34
Ryle-20

Birds 28
Ryle. 14

Birds break off a couple long TDs early but Elliot keeps it close for a half. May even be tied at half but too much talent for the Raiders to hang4 qtrs.

I think this is going to be a very close game, and Ryle will pull it out. Very entertaining and either way it will set up a great game for the end of the season between the two to see improvements and avenge a loss for whoever loses. I think Ryle may be better than we think, and Highlands may not be AS good as we all think. Just my opinion.

This is a tough call. You have to think with all the talent on Highlands that last week was just a case of them playing sloppy. If so... Do they come out ready to play and tighten things up this week? or do they still need time to get things going?

If Highlands is really only as good as they showed last week then is Ryle better?

I think Highlands comes out of the gate ready to go in this one. They are probably sick of hearing about last week's W, which is almost hard to remember that they did in fact win that game. I'm hoping for a good game since I'll be out covering this one, but I do think Highlands comes out of the gate firing in this one and rolls. However, if they don't, like someone else said... Ryle will feed off of emotion. If Travis Elliot runs over somebody and scampers for a 80 yard TD that could be all the Raiders need to believe.

Ryle has to get Nichols involved this week if they want a chance at beating the Birds. Elliott is good as they come, but running against CCH and then running against Highlands is a big difference.

I think some may be touting Ryle a little too much because of their convinvcing W over a not so good Covcath team. Ryle's defense better show up. They won't be able to rely on HHS committing turnovers the way CCH did. We'll see though.

kywldcat01 Wrote:Ryle has to get Nichols involved this week if they want a chance at beating the Birds. Elliott is good as they come, but running against CCH and then running against Highlands is a big difference.

I think some may be touting Ryle a little too much because of their convinvcing W over a not so good Covcath team. Ryle's defense better show up. They won't be able to rely on HHS committing turnovers the way CCH did. We'll see though.

I don't think it's over touting Ryle, but I do believe that Ryle has the right kind of ingredients to compete with Highlands. They have a very solid running game, that have a poised QB and a true go-to receiver. They are solid up front. I do not think that Ryle can contain the Birds, but that can put up points. I do believe that if HHS allows the Raiders to get any momentum in this game, it could be another close game for the Birds.

Stardust Wrote:I don't think it's over touting Ryle, but I do believe that Ryle has the right kind of ingredients to compete with Highlands. They have a very solid running game, that have a poised QB and a true go-to receiver. They are solid up front. I do not think that Ryle can contain the Birds, but that can put up points. I do believe that if HHS allows the Raiders to get any momentum in this game, it could be another close game for the Birds.

I expect Ryle to try and run, run, run. They want to keep Highlands' explosive O off the field as long as possible. If the Birds get up by 2 scores and Ryle has to start passing the ball, I could see it turning in to a rout. Let's not forget Highlands has AC in the secondary and he IMO will lock Eubanks down when he's out wide and not in the backfield.

kywldcat01 Wrote:I expect Ryle to try and run, run, run. They want to keep Highlands' explosive O off the field as long as possible. If the Birds get up by 2 scores and Ryle has to start passing the ball, I could see it turning in to a rout. Let's not forget Highlands has AC in the secondary and he IMO will lock Eubanks down when he's out wide and not in the backfield.

I don't think that Eubanks is the guy that can hurt the Birds in the passing game. Nichols size will pose problems for the Birds. If they choose to double team him, Ryle will run plenty of screens to the backs.

Mr Elliot meet Mr Roller! Several times that is. I believe the Birds need a Sr. To step up Friday night and Brandon is my pick to lead the emotional charge on Defense.

The more I think about it, the more I feel like Ryle will pull this out and make a good game of it. No one is over-touting Ryle, I think it is just weird to see people not massively over-touting Highlands.

Im rooting for Ryle but Highlands takes this one by 2 tds.

This is going to be a better game then most people think. Ryle has improved so much so I think its going to be a good game but Highlands will pull it out.

Highlands 35 Ryle 10

Ryle-- this may finely be the year the larger schools beat the smaller school power houses in NKY!

bump

After thinking about it a little more, I think Highlands really takes it to Ryle in this game. Maybe I'll be wrong, but I don't see this being within 3 td's.

kywldcat01 Wrote:After thinking about it a little more, I think Highlands really takes it to Ryle in this game. Maybe I'll be wrong, but I don't see this being within 3 td's.

You are right if HHS is truly a top team in the nation, they should be 3 TD's better. But I think many would have thought that they would be better than last week as well. I still think Ryle has the ingredients to make this a game, but I tend to beleive the Birds take care of business.

In the 33 months since it last lost to a Northern Kentucky opponent, the Highlands football team has posted a 30-1 overall record. It has won back-to-back Class 5A state titles. It has played in one of the country's most high-profile events (the Kirk Herbstreit Ohio vs. USA Challenge) and against one of the country's most high-profile programs (Colerain). It has appeared in various national rankings.

http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll...908280362/