Peerless Pigskin Picks

By Sterling Guesser

I finished the regular season with 7 out of 8 high school picks being correct last week. I missed the PC game, but I will never go against a Dudley Hilton coached team, and over time that will pay off. 

After ten weeks of predicting high school football games, I am now 68 out of 77 (88.3%). This will be the last prediction column, coinciding with the finish of the regular season and start of the playoffs.

Below is each team’s final record, their playoff opponent in the first round, where applicable, and how far I think they will go (local high schools in alphabetical order):

1. Boyle County (9-1)-The Rebels open the playoffs against a weak Whitley County team. Their chance of winning this game is 100%. Boyle County could win it all or lose in the third or fourth rounds. However, if I was betting real money, I’d lay it on them winning Class 4A.  
2. Casey County (1-9)- Casey County did not qualify for the playoffs in a five-team district and their season is over. Here’s hoping the Rebels find more success next season.
3. Danville (8-2)- Danville bounced back strong this season after back-to-back winless seasons. They will have a very stiff test with Green County in the opening game of the 2A playoffs. I think they probably lose the first-round game, but a win would likely give them a second-round game against Somerset and former Ads’ head coach Clay Clevenger, now at Somerset. I think the story book season ends this week, but definitely next week at the very latest.
4. Garrard County (5-4)- Garrard County has a very winnable first-round game against Desales. A win, though, sends them to Christian Academy of Louisville, one of the best teams in the state regardless of class size. Unfortunately, I don’t see Garrard getting past the second round in any scenario. 
5. Lincoln County (8-2)- Lincoln County will host Perry County Central in the first-round. With a win, Lincoln would probably play Corbin in the second round. Lincoln’s chance of a first-round win is about 90%. The odds of a second-round win drop to 40% but is not impossible. There are possible scenarios where Lincoln County could get to a third-round game and not have to face Boyle County, based on RPI seeding, and depending on what other teams win and lose. Lincoln County is currently 6^th in 4A based on RPI, but is 4^th among teams in districts 5, 6, 7, and 8 (the teams that get reseeded for round 3).
6. Mercer County (1-9)- Mercer County limps into the 3A playoffs based on their regular season win over Casey County. They drew the short straw and open up postseason play at Christian Academy of Louisville. The Titans have a 0.00% chance of winning. 
7. Pulaski County (8-2)- Pulaski is the class of the eastern part of 5A. I see them getting to the semifinals and maybe to the title game. A rematch with South Laurel looms in the second round and that would be interesting to see if the Cardinals can make adjustments from the regular season 42-7 loss. Except for that possible anomaly, the Maroons roll to the fourth-round semifinals.
8. Rockcastle County (9-1)- The Rockets host Estill County in the first-round of 3A where their chance of winning is 87%. The odds go down to 48% in the second round where they will likely face Lawrence County, but if they win that game, their odds go up for a third-round win to 75% because they will likely avoid Bell County in that round based on RPI rankings and the reseeding. Basically, Rockcastle could lose in the second round or make it to the championship. Their soft schedule still makes them an enigma and hard to predict against quality opponents.
9. Somerset (9-1)- The Briar Jumpers host Washington County in the first round with an 85% chance of winning. I think Somerset makes it to at least the semifinals if not the title game in Class 2A.
10. Southwestern (1-9)- The Warriors are also limping into the 5A playoffs with a one-win regular season. They will travel to West Jessamine and have a chance, albeit a slim one at 14%, of winning and advancing. There is no scenario where they make it further than that.

Kentucky Semi-Pro Games (College Football):

Kentucky beat Auburn on the road 10-3 and Auburn fired their coach because he lost to Kentucky. The college games are too hard to pick and I give up. Maybe I will try again next season but there is a hard-to-predict parity caused by the transfer portal and the constant mixing of talent.

Editor’s Note: Sterling Guesser has always been a local football fan.  He became a savant prognosticator when he was involved in a car accident with a semi-truck carrying a load of footballs. He was not badly injured, but ever since a pallet of footballs fell on his head in that collision, he can see the future of football games. He is also a fictional character, and his picks are purely for entertainment purposes.