[Granny Bear]

I already have my picks chosen for Week 1, and the GOTW is VERY 50/50.
I almost did the playoffs that way last year. We may mix that up a little bit.

[RAMDAD50]

Did someone ask for a change? I like pick em the way it is. If anything, just put more 50/50 games in the 10 we pick and make it really challenging. Thats the fun of picking is the hard ones. The easy ones don't give you much of a chance to make ground in a week when you get down. You could do additional games as a 2 point game each week of playoffs till the final week when they all are 2 point games. Just to mix it up. Just thoughts. Im good on my end. I'm going to play and just as long as I'm ahead of Ramdad, and Hoot Gibson, 64SUR, PJDoug and Jet Pilot is all that matters. 

Bull …imma beat you like you stole something hehe

[Hi Risk Warrior]

Okay guys, sound off!!  Would you want to add an additional bonus game of college teams??  Or keep it high school?

Let me hear what you thinI would rather keep it high school.

Rather keep it high school.....if college do it separate perhaps?

[Hoot Gibson]

I would prefer sticking to high school only, but I will probably not be doing any of the work. I have zero interest in college football, so I would probably not participate in a combined pick'em - but those who are investing their time should set the rules that make the most sense to them.

Something to consider, Granny, is to let an AI put together a pool of games for you to select from. I have never used it for that purpose, but once you have a source of schedules and ratings, it should be doable. I will give it a shot for kicks, although it may be too early for an AI to put together a reasonable slate of games.

[Hoot Gibson]

I asked one of my AIs to put together a list of 20 games that might make interesting pick'em games and here is its response:

(I see a problem in the first game, as the AI claims that Pikeville is the defending 1A champ. As with CalPreps, Massey, etc., the AI will improve as the season progresses. It could include only games where the predicted spread is less than 10 points, for example.)

Here is an updated list of 20 Kentucky high school football games for Week 1 of the 2025 season (primarily scheduled for Friday, August 22, 2025), curated for your Pick'em contest. I've weighted it more heavily toward the eastern half of the state, including games from Northern Kentucky (e.g., Covington area), Lexington/Central Kentucky, and far Eastern Kentucky (e.g., Pikeville, Ashland region), while still incorporating a few major Louisville-area matchups and one or two from Western Kentucky for balance and appeal. Selections prioritize competitive rivalries, ranked teams, and intriguing storylines based on available schedules. For each game, I've included the date, time (where specified in sources; most are standard 7:00 or 7:30 PM ET kickoffs, with some variations), and format as Away @ Home. Brief rationales are provided for contest interest.

1. Pikeville @ Christian Academy-Louisville - Friday, August 22, 7:00 PM: Defending Class 1A champ Pikeville travels from Eastern KY to face a Louisville private school power in a potential upset alert.
   
2. Belfry @ East Carter - Friday, August 22, 7:30 PM: Eastern KY clash featuring Belfry's traditional Wing-T offense against a gritty district foe.
   
3. Raceland @ Ashland Blazer - Friday, August 22, 7:30 PM: Northeastern KY rivals in a game loaded with local pride and playoff implications.
   
4. Pike County Central @ Greenup County - Friday, August 22, 7:30 PM: Appalachian Eastern KY matchup with physical trenches and history of close finishes.
   
5. Highlands @ Frederick Douglass - Friday, August 22, 7:30 PM: Northern KY powerhouse Highlands heads to Lexington to battle a rising Class 5A contender.
   
6. Ryle @ Covington Catholic - Friday, August 22, 7:00 PM: Northern KY heavyweights in a defensive showdown between two perennial playoff teams.
   
7. Conner @ Madison Central - Friday, August 22, 7:30 PM: Northern KY vs. Central KY, with both Class 6A squads looking to set an early tone.
   
8. George Rogers Clark @ Scott County - Friday, August 22, 7:30 PM: Clark County rivalry in Central KY, always intense with high-scoring potential.
   
9. Franklin County @ Great Crossing - Friday, August 22, 7:00 PM: The Franklin Flyer Bowl between nearby Central KY schools with explosive athletes.
   
10. Lexington Catholic @ Ballard - Friday, August 22, 7:30 PM: Lexington private school travels to Louisville for a Class 4A vs. 6A test of speed.
    
11. Bryan Station @ South Warren - Friday, August 22, 8:00 PM: Lexington's Defenders face a defending champ in Bowling Green, blending Central and South-Central styles.
    
12. Collins @ Lafayette - Friday, August 22, 7:30 PM: Shelby County vs. Lexington, highlighting dual-threat QBs in a Central KY affair.
    
13. Kentucky Country Day @ Sayre - Friday, August 22, 7:00 PM: Small-school Lexington-area battle between Class 1A programs with recent success.
    
14. Fleming County @ Magoffin County - Friday, August 22, 7:30 PM: Eastern KY mountain region game with potential for high drama and turnovers.
    
15. Greenup County @ Lewis County - Friday, August 22, 7:30 PM: Northeastern KY county rivalry, often decided in the fourth quarter.
    
16. Central @ DuPont Manual - Friday, August 22, 7:00 PM: Iconic Louisville Jefferson County rivalry to kick off the urban slate.
    
17. Pleasure Ridge Park @ Trinity - Friday, August 22, 7:30 PM: Louisville public vs. private powerhouse, with Trinity's tradition on display.
    
18. Owensboro @ St. Xavier - Friday, August 22, 7:30 PM: Western KY's Owensboro challenges Louisville's St. X in a clash of styles.
    
19. Paducah Tilghman @ McCracken County - Friday, August 22, 7:00 PM: Western KY county derby known for offensive fireworks.
    
20. North Hardin @ Lexington Christian - Friday, August 22, 7:00 PM: Hardin County travels to Lexington for a public-private matchup with state title aspirations.
    

These are based on official KHSAA alignments, team announcements, and preseason schedules. Dates and times could shift, so check for updates. Let me know if you want any other changes!

[Hoot Gibson]

The AI's final response, after I pointed out its errors and asked it to include each team's class for this season. Never, ever assume that AI's do not make mistakes. They are great tools, but placing too much trust in them can land a person in hot water. A judge just sentenced a lawyer to attend an AI class after he filed papers with the court that included a list of non-existing precedents to support his case.

Here is the revised and reformatted list of 20 Kentucky high school football games for Week 1 of the 2025 season. I've incorporated each team's official KHSAA class for 2025 (e.g., formatted as Away (Class) @ Home (Class)) and updated any rationale references to classes for accuracy. The structure remains clean and copy-paste friendly for your forum post.

1. Pikeville (1A) @ Christian Academy-Louisville (3A) - Friday, August 22, 7:00 PM: Recent Eastern KY powerhouse Pikeville travels to face defending Class 3A champ Christian Academy in a potential upset alert.
   
2. Belfry (2A) @ East Carter (3A) - Friday, August 22, 7:30 PM: Eastern KY clash featuring Belfry's traditional Wing-T offense against a gritty district foe.
   
3. Raceland (1A) @ Ashland Blazer (4A) - Friday, August 22, 7:30 PM: Northeastern KY rivals in a game loaded with local pride and playoff implications.
   
4. Pike County Central (2A) @ Greenup County (4A) - Friday, August 22, 7:30 PM: Appalachian Eastern KY matchup with physical trenches and history of close finishes.
   
5. Highlands (4A) @ Frederick Douglass (6A) - Friday, August 22, 7:30 PM: Northern KY powerhouse Highlands heads to Lexington to battle a rising Class 6A contender.
   
6. Ryle (6A) @ Covington Catholic (4A) - Friday, August 22, 7:00 PM: Northern KY heavyweights in a defensive showdown between two perennial playoff teams.
   
7. Conner (5A) @ Madison Central (6A) - Friday, August 22, 7:30 PM: Northern KY vs. Central KY, with Class 5A Conner facing Class 6A Madison Central to set an early tone.
   
8. George Rogers Clark (6A) @ Scott County (5A) - Friday, August 22, 7:30 PM: Clark County rivalry in Central KY, always intense with high-scoring potential.
   
9. Franklin County (4A) @ Great Crossing (6A) - Friday, August 22, 7:00 PM: The Franklin Flyer Bowl between nearby Central KY schools with explosive athletes.
   
10. Lexington Catholic (3A) @ Ballard (6A) - Friday, August 22, 7:30 PM: Lexington private school travels to Louisville for a Class 3A vs. 6A test of speed.
    
11. Bryan Station (6A) @ South Warren (6A) - Friday, August 22, 8:00 PM: Lexington's Defenders face a multi-time state contender in Bowling Green, blending Central and South-Central styles.
    
12. Collins (5A) @ Lafayette (6A) - Friday, August 22, 7:30 PM: Shelby County vs. Lexington, highlighting dual-threat QBs in a Central KY affair.
    
13. Kentucky Country Day (1A) @ Sayre (1A) - Friday, August 22, 7:00 PM: Small-school Lexington-area battle between Class 1A programs, with Sayre as the defending state champ.
    
14. Fleming County (3A) @ Magoffin County (3A) - Friday, August 22, 7:30 PM: Eastern KY mountain region game with potential for high drama and turnovers.
    
15. West Carter (2A) @ Lewis County (3A) - Friday, August 22, 7:30 PM: Northeastern KY county rivalry, often decided in the fourth quarter.
    
16. Central (3A) @ DuPont Manual (6A) - Friday, August 22, 7:00 PM: Iconic Louisville Jefferson County rivalry to kick off the urban slate.
    
17. Pleasure Ridge Park (6A) @ Trinity (6A) - Friday, August 22, 7:30 PM: Louisville public vs. defending Class 6A champ Trinity, with the Shamrocks' tradition on display.
    
18. Owensboro (5A) @ St. Xavier (6A) - Friday, August 22, 7:30 PM: Western KY's Owensboro challenges Louisville's St. X in a clash of styles.
    
19. Paducah Tilghman (4A) @ McCracken County (6A) - Friday, August 22, 7:00 PM: Western KY county derby known for offensive fireworks, featuring defending Class 4A champ Tilghman.
    
20. North Hardin (6A) @ Lexington Christian (2A) - Friday, August 22, 7:00 PM: Hardin County travels to Lexington for a public-private matchup with state title aspirations.
    

[Granny Bear]

Thank you Hoot!! I've already made my choices for Week 1, and all my choices are included in these AI picks!!!

This would be a great tool. Could you do that every week? I would need the information so I could post a week before the game.

I've tried AI. I don't like it because I don't understand it and worked to the point of frustration with it.

[Hoot Gibson]

Thank you Hoot!!  I've already made my choices for Week 1, and all my choices are included in these AI picks!!!

This would be a great tool.  Could you do that every week?  I would need the information so I could post a week before the game.

I've tried AI.  I don't like it because I don't understand it and worked to the point of frustration with it.

I'd be glad to generate a similar list each week. I have paid subscriptions to three different AIs. I use it some for my work, but I also use it a lot to generate recipes, menus, etc. How many games do you want in the list. I picked 20 because if I were creating the list of games, I would want to have extra games listed, but it is no more work to generate a list of 30 than it is to create a list of 20.

[Granny Bear]

20 is perfect!!! And thank you so much!!