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This much I know for sure ... Notre Dame cannot touch McCallie or Baylor!! Any poll that has Notre Dame above those 2 teams is a joke. They are simply not on the same level. For the record, nobody in Chattanooga (or Cleveland) is close to those 2 teams. Their 2nd string can beat most of the teams in Chattanooga.

I think east #2 plays east #4 in the 1st round, which could be either GCA or CCS

I think Boyd has changed their offense quite a bit. Their QB ran for about 150 - all around the end of the line and he passed 24 times, which was about 6 times more than I expected. I'd seen games in the past where they had only thrown the ball 3-4 times - and they lost by 35+ points. They often line up in wing-t with the QB under center, but then he drops back and they go spread. That's what they did against CCS - and it worked pretty good.

I think Boyd has found their QB for the next 3 years. As good as he played, it could have been even better had his receivers not dropped several balls against CCS. Watkins & Henke also played very good, but that's expected. I think Henke in particular was preventing Mondo (CCS tailback) from breaking anything longer than 7-8 yards and he'll have to do the same against the Webb running backs. I don't know much about Webb - other than they lost to ND & two blocked punts cost them in that game. I saw Howard play in a Tennessee future stars game a couple of years ago, where I think he was the game's MVP - and he's VERY fast. I'll be at the game watching as CCS has a bye week and plays Webb the next week, which will be 2 straight trips to Chattanooga for Webb - 3 total with the McCallie game earlier this year. As bad as it's been for Boyd this year, I believe they can still make the playoffs by winning 2 of the last 3 games - Webb, Silverdale, CAK

Good game to watch. Boyd is better than their record. CCS probably not as good as theirs. Evans played fantastic for Boyd, along with Henke, which is always the case. Mondo was key again for CCS. They should have called a TO to keep him on the field at the end when his helmet came off ... right before the fumble, which gave Boyd 4 more shots at the end zone. Now comes the tough part of the CCS schedule ... Webb, ND, Knox Grace ... gonna have to play better.

He is good. There's no doubt about it. He constantly picks up 2-5 extra yards after initial contact. Baylor had him dead at the line of scrimmage one time and he turned it into a 5 yard gain. He wears a knee brace on one knee from an injury he received last year, but it doesn't seem to bother him much. I think 28 points is way too high though. Since both teams like to run so much, it will almost be like a mercy rule clock from the beginning. I'm very familiar with the Boyd seniors and don't think CCS will take anything for granted. #1 is a stud. Plus, it's Boyd's homecoming game so I expect them to be ready.

Kind of off topic, but I was looking at the DII-AA brackets earlier this week and saw something that's not really fair IMO. Every year, it's possible for the Middle #1 and Middle #2 to play for the state championship because one is always in the top of the bracket and the other is always in the bottom of the bracket. The same is NEVER true for the East & the West. So, assuming that Webb & ND are the best 2 AA teams in the state, they will never meet in the finals.

Agree on all 3 points. The teams are very similar in that neither team passes much. CCS didn't attempt their 1st pass last week against Baylor until the last play of the game, while losing 42-2 ... and that pass went for a touchdown. I predict a low scoring game with turnovers being key - as they were in the CAK/CCS game, where CAK turned the ball over 4-5 times.

Except for in games like ND vs. Knox Webb

I just saw where all 7 local sports writers/media experts in the Chattanooga Times Free Press picked Chattanooga Grace to win this football game. This just goes to show that most people (even sports experts) only look at records when making their prediction. I could be wrong - have been many times in the past - but I will be shocked if Boyd doesn't get their 1st win tonight.

Has Grace ever beat Boyd?

Who did they play the most at QB?

Obviously, Webb & ND (in that order) are the best of this group. Maybe the better poll would be - who is the best of the rest? Grace, CAK or CCS (Sorry Boyd)

I always thought he (CJR) quit coaching football to spend more time with his family - that's what he told me. You probably know more to the story than I do. I knew the transition to DII would not be an easy one for Boyd, but I had no idea it would be this bad. In my opinion, they have spent all of their money on facilities and not enough (none) on players. The rules are different now - and I know how proud they are of their football program - so they better get on board. I expected the big drop off in Boyd talent to be next year, not this year.

This group of seniors were fantastic in middle school - I think they beat everybody they played! But they lost a few to other schools (2 to ND) and they didn't add any new players (that I know of) in the classes of 2018 & 2019. The QB on that middle school team was Henke and if they ever figure out how to get him involved in the offense, they will be ok. In my opinion, he is one of the best players ever to play for Boyd.

Don't know ... I saw McCallie's schedule.

I think CCS is going in the right direction and they certainly aren't shying away from competition as they play McCallie in week 1 next year. They have also prepared for DII by recruiting a few athletes already, which is more than I can say for the other new DII schools in the Chattanooga area (not sure about ND).

Knox Catholic is scrimmaging McCallie tonight at 6:00 (at McCallie). I've been told it will be like a real game, with officials.

Let me get this straight … you expect us to believe that the ball crossed the plane BEFORE he hit the ground, the Boyd defender pulled him back to in front of the goal line, thus changing his momentum from forward to backward, then miraculously, defying all laws of physics, his momentum changes once again AFTER he hits the ground and he bounces forward another yard? You can’t be serious!

OK ... I'd just like to add a few things. I was standing behind the ropes about 10-15 feet away from the play (Boyd fan on the FC side of the field). On 2nd down, the FC runner makes it down to about the 6 yard line and a Boyd defender throws the guy down pretty hard. An FC fan said something to the official about it (same official that makes the bad call 2 plays later) and the official turns around and treatens to throw the FC fan out. I was thinking "are you kidding me"? The official should be focused on the game, especially in that situation, and this guy is jaw jacking with a fan. On 3rd down (like many have already described), there was a sack, so it should have been about 4th and 12 coming up. But then they placed the ball on the 6 like it was an incomplete pass. I don't know how the call got changed, but the play was definitely on this official's side of the field, so he would have been right there. Then 4th down, we all know what heppened. Just an incredible series of events (and bad calls). BUT ... what's done is done. It's certainly not the fault of the FC team. Had Boyd been in their shoes, I'm sure we would be laughing about it all the way home. It's a life lesson really. Life is not always fair ... and it never will be. That being said, this official should never officiate again!

There is only one truth in your post (Hint: I highlighted it for ya)

Man I don't know - that's what was in the paper. Let's just say they were at least that much.

There is a pretty big difference in these two football teams, and it showed Friday night. Boyd is much bigger, deeper, and has more talent. That being said, I was very impressed with the Grace QB. I watched him in pre-game and I think he will be playing somewhere on Saturdays next year. Somebody earlier mentioned numbers. Gilley ran for 159 and Beasley ran for 70 -- a lot of credit here goes to the offensive line, who totally dominated. The defense also played a very good game for Boyd. On a side note, our starting offensive tackle went down with a knee injury with less than a minute to go in the game (although it probably is not serious). But -- why was he still in the game?? Being up by 24 on the last possession, every player on the Boyd side of the ball should have been 2nd team. Admittedly though, that's always been kind of a pet peeve of mine. Good game Boyd.

Last year, I stood on the Grace sidelines for this game. It was a wet, messy field and Boyd totally dominated. I witnessed several Grace players who showed a LOT of heart, but the size and skill on the Boyd side was simply too much for Grace. Contrary to what many have said on these boards (especially after the Marion Co game), Boyd is a much better football team this year than last year. I think this game again will be dominated in the trenches by the Boyd team. I hope to see a close game because I don't enjoy watching mismatches (even if my team is on top), but Boyd should win this game by 3 touchdowns. It really doesn't matter who quarterbacks. This year, Boyd has a couple of very good backups.

Final - Boyd 21-20 It sounded like a very good game from both sides. I know the Boyd QB (Nic Hughes) did not play because of a sprained MCL, but Andrew Crowe (JR) stepped in and did a good job. Gilley (cramp problems) and Beasley also had good games for the Bucs.