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TCA came out scorching hot and was up 16-0 to start the game. It was pretty much a dead heat for 3 quarters after that, with a series of small runs back and forth for both teams, then TCA sealed the deal with a big run early in the 4th. Both JV teams played the last 5-6 minutes. USJ missed some chances to cut into the lead through the middle of the game, making 1 of 8 free throws in one stretch, and missing a few layups. TCA was undoubtedly the better team tonight, but I would be surprised if the rematch isn't a little closer.

I know "everybody gets a trophy" but what kind of all-state team has 4 QBs, 4 RBs, 4WRs, 8 ATHs and only 5 OL? Seems odd. I guess they don't care about the big boys' feelings.

USJ announced Clayton Gant as the new baseball coach today. Gant had a great pitching career at USJ, going 55-3 as a starter and was selected 4x All State, before going on to pitch at UT Knoxville and University of Memphis. He has spent the last 7-8 years as a college assistant coach, first at Union here in Jackson, followed by Oklahoma Wesleyan. He is leaving his current position as Assistant Head Coach at OKWU to return to Jackson and take the reins of the USJ program. Spencer Nelson and Ronnie Giddens both have great working relationships with Gant and both will remain as assistants on his staff. Gant knows the game well and has a nice coaching resume to be only 30 years old. He is familiar with USJ and with the overall baseball landscape of West TN, so I would expect the adjustment to be a relatively simple one. Continuity with the assistant coaches will help even more with the transition. The players all met with him today and the ones I have spoken with really liked him.

The senior QB that just finished tore both his ACLs, one in the first game of each of the last 2 seasons. He rehabbed all last year and decided to forego surgery this year until after the season. He wore a brace and had sufficient stability to play with very limited mobility the latter half of the season and the playoffs. Andrew Smith will be a senior next year after starting about half the games this year and the last 3 or 4 games last year as a sophomore. He knows the system and should be well groomed by next season. The freshman who led the JV has a big frame, great feet, and seems to read defenses well. Time will tell whether there is a true QB competition, but at a minimum he will push Andrew to continue to improve. We will lose some offensive playmakers, no doubt, but have some talented kids that have been patiently waiting their turn. We have been grooming another thunder/lightning duo that should hold their own in the ground attack and I think we will be able to maintain things in the trenches as well. Losing 2 great LBs like Craig and Wallace will be production that is hard to replace, but the cupboard is far from bare. The west region will be formidable as mentioned, but I don't believe we will be thoroughly outmanned in any of the contests. The "what happens when you go back where you belong" talk is a little tired. By my calculations, we are the 4th or 5th largest school of the 17 institutions in II-A. The enrollment drop was no fluke and time will tell where the divide is set and where we fall based on the next reclassification cycle, but I don't think its a foregone conclusion that we end up back in II-AA. Had we been there this year, I believe we would have won 4 or 5 of our 6 region games. We were no doubt a solid playoff team and likely would have made it to the semifinals or quarterfinals at minimum.

As far as the game goes, the Bruins love to dig themselves a hole early and today was no exception. Aside from the first play from scrimmage, I thought the first half was well schemed and executed. DA made halftime adjustments and the Bruins did not respond well on either side of the ball. Swinea was a workhorse and seemed to only get stronger as the game went on. USJ offense just could not find a rhythm in the second half and some untimely penalties kept us behind the sticks. There were a handful of near miss plays but we can play the "what if" game all day. USJ had a great season and they left it all on the field today, just came up a little short. I'll have to plead ignorance on the siren issue. I was in the middle of the USJ fan section and never heard it, maybe because it was in front of me? I do know the hand-crank air raid siren that was used sparingly at NCS was left in the owner's truck today, so at least you can be grateful for that. The Bruins certainly traveled well and there was plenty of good old-fashioned crowd noise to go around. At any rate, "bush league" seems a little strong and if there's anything worse than a sore loser, it's a sore winner. Congrats to the Bears on hoisting another gold ball.

Baseball will be a much younger team this year for sure. Some talented new faces but with big shoes to fill. We are also in the process of replacing our coach. I am hopeful we can put these pieces together and make another meeting between our two teams. I definitely didn't enjoy last year's football meeting!

I'm cool being the underdog and I hope all the favorites are reading the press clippings about how great they are. Even the hometown Jackson Sun writers have predicted USJ to lose in the last 2 playoff games, but didn't make a score prediction in their preview this week. I'm hoping the Bruins can pull out one more "surprise". Best of luck to your Lions. I have no doubt you guys learned way more in those tough early season battles than you could have ever learned beating up on lesser teams.

For the record, I've heard a bunch of complaints from people re: cowbells but they were all from those watching the stream or listening to the radio broadcast. The radio guys' setup was right on top of the cowbell section. It wasn't nearly as obnoxious in person. I thought both sides provided their fair share of natural and artificial noise, but it was not overly distracting. Fortunately, there was a little more bell ringing on the field and less in the stands as the game played out.

USJ seems to have played some of their best football in the last month or so, with this past Friday night being the most complete game they have played by far. Clean, smart football with fewer mistakes than the other team is usually a recipe for success. Both NCS and DA are run-heavy teams. NCS put together their best passing effort of the season in the earlier game at our place, but could not re-create that in the rematch and that was the difference in the game. If the Bruins can stall the DA ground attack, I like our chances in passing situations. Weather could once again be a factor and there has been snow in and out of the forecast for Cookeville on 12/5. I suppose I'd rather see snow than rain, but I imagine the players/coaches/spectators would prefer neither if given a choice. Regarding Trader's remarks on having more film to study, it appears that one of the teams may have been unwilling to trade full film. Fortunately, thanks to Al Gore's development of the interwebs, there is more than one way to acquire such things so I imagine that will work itself out. Both teams will face equally tough distractions with an off week, holiday activities, and travel, culminating with an 11 AM Thursday kickoff which will be unusual for all involved. I'm sure the coaches of both teams will work diligently to quiet all the outside noise. Thankfully teenage boys are not easily distracted (insert sarcasm font).

Might as well consolidate the talk into one thread. Davidson Academy looks to defend their state title against USJ in a rematch game. DA won the first one 21-12, with the first half played in a monsoon and the second half in a muddy mess. I would suspect neither team was able to execute their full game plan, but Davidson was simply more physical down the stretch and came away with the win. The leading receiver for USJ missed this game due to injury and another key 2-way senior was lost midway through the game. I believe DA has regained a key player or two in the interim as well. DA compiled about 250 yards of offense to USJ's nearly 200, with both leaning heavily on the ground game. The difference in score was provided by Davidson returning the opening kickoff for a touchdown. Both teams have been very stingy on defense down the stretch. The Bears come in hot, riding a 10 game winning streak. USJ has put up nearly 200 points in their last 4 games. I expect a close one. Who ya got?

The first match was a close one under dry conditions. This semifinal game will be different, with rain in the forecast much of the week and even potentially at game time. Both teams were forced to pass the ball last time as the defenses kept the run game in check for the most part. I believe the advantage this week in "playoff field conditions" will go to the team that establishes the best run game. NCS won the turnover battle and out gained the Bruins in the first meeting, but still required pretty fortunate turn of events to take a late lead after trailing for 3.5 quarters. McClary had his best outing of the season by far with 256 and 3 TDs. USJ had Andrew Smith at the helm most of the first half, with Cody Smith returning in the second quarter after several weeks absence due to injury. Each threw a TD pass. The senior has taken the majority of the snaps since, but mobility remains limited and field/weather conditions could be a big factor in determining how effective he can be. I expect another close one, likely a one score game late. They say it's always hard to beat a team twice, but NCS certainly found a way with Fayette last round. This one may indeed come down to coaching. If they can establish the power run game, protect the football, and avoid drive-extending penalties, the Bruins may just spoil the Eagles perfect season and punch their ticket to Cookeville. I played 7 years of football on Keeton Field before it was named such, and watched at least as many seasons from the home stands before and after that, but Friday night will be my first time in the visitor stands. I suppose it's time to see how the other half lives!

Fayette Academy seems to have been off their game a little the last couple of weeks, or perhaps just run into two consecutive teams that are peaking at the right time. Regardless, I believe they are capable of beating anyone in this division on a given night when their offense is clicking. There are a handful of teams that are all pretty evenly matched and have a reasonable chance to make a run. The teams from the West should be more battle tested and time will tell whether that proves to be an advantage as I would expect it would.

Without going into detail, NCS as a school went through some really tough times in the early 90s and enrollment dropped greatly as a result (just over 200 students K-12). The football team was winless for 2 straight years, 91-92, and scoured the state looking for teams with which we could compete. TCA had just started the football program and as you can see from the final score, it was a pretty good matchup. I can't remember if we just played that one time or if they came to us the next year. NCS righted the ship and by 1997 made it to the state quarterfinals. Life got in the way and I didn't follow them through the 2000s, but apparently there was at least one more meeting between the two in 2003, as you mentioned.

I stumbled across (perhaps?) the last meeting between TCA and NCS on YouTube from 1994. My eyes are watering from the poor video quality. I was #72 on NCS and just as slow as I remember. This would have taken place on the old campus off Westover and likely one of the first years TCA played varsity football. It was a turnover-laden battle between two not-so-great teams and TCA prevailed 20-13 when a late red-zone fumble by the Eagles sealed the deal. If you value your eyesight, I don't necessarily recommend watching, but it was a nice stroll down memory lane for me. I tried to pick up on some names from the announcer, but only caught a few. The TCA punter/TE/LB is Todd Seabrook, now a local anesthesiologist. Not sure I recognized any other names. Perhaps this throwback will be a good omen and the Lions can remain undefeated in the series (I think).

FINAL: USJ 24, Fayette 20. This was a back and forth affair with 4 lead changes. FA seemed to control the line of scrimmage more in the first half and USJ took the upper hand in the second half. Much of the Bruins damage was on the ground, but a handful of key passes to convert 3rd downs helped to balance things out. The FA QB threw some nice balls early that didn't connect, but found his favorite target #81 on a perfectly thrown ball to the corner to take the lead late 3Q. Both RBs (both #4) ran the ball well most of the night, with USJ's Willis pounding in the 4Q go-ahead TD on one of his most impressive runs of the year. Having Carlock back in the lineup (even a little short of 100%) was a nice boost and Andrew Smith was on the receiving end of a few passes for a change with Cody Smith at the helm all night. With a win tonight, the Bruins helped their position in the standings. The matchup next week between FA and DA will really clarify things.

Another former district rivalry is renewed this week as the Vikings (5-2, 4-1) travel to Jackson to face the Bruins (5-2, 4-2) in this key DII-A West matchup. Perfect football weather in the forecast this Friday will be welcome after the elements both teams faced last weekend. Both have suffered 1 point losses to NCS in each of the last 2 Fridays and the Bruins will really be looking to get back on track after consecutive region losses. USJ has been bitten again by the injury bug as a couple of key senior 2-way playmakers will be limited or questionable this week. The QB battle cleared up slightly on McClellan Road this week as a 5th string freshman added to the list of Jackson Christian defectors. Improved weather and playing conditions should restore the Bruins' advantage in the kicking game that they have enjoyed all season. By all accounts the FA QB is a true dual threat and USJ will have to game-plan accordingly and improve upon the tackling deficiencies from last week. I expect another close battle. Both teams have secured a playoff spot, but seeding implications abound. If the Bruins were to prevail, this could lay the groundwork for a 3-way tie in second place by season's end.

Must be referring to the Catholics. They've converted so many folks in the last couple of years, they're making Joel Osteen jealous.

The Bruins try to bounce back from their first loss of the season this week on the road against defending state champion Davidson Academy. Davidson Academy has won their last 4 games after a tough 0-2 start. The Bruins find themselves in a mid-season QB battle. The senior starter elected to forego ACL surgery (and miss his last season of football) and he played quite a few snaps in last week's narrow loss to NCS. Presumably, reps in practice this week will determine who gets the nod this Friday, but I would expect a fair number of snaps for both. USJ is nursing a couple of other key injuries and if those players are unable to go this week, it could have a significant impact on strategy, particularly on offense. These two teams seem to be fairly matched on paper and on film and the outcome of this game will have major playoff ramifications as both teams currently have a loss to NCS as the only blemish on their region record to date. I predict another nail-biter and the Davidson Academy Boosters have announced the "will sell us the whole seat, but you'll only need the edgeeee" {Tractor Pull Announcer Voice} Anyone have any thoughts? Any Bears fans on here?

FINAL: NCS 28, USJ 27. It was a heavyweight fight tonight and NCS landed the last blow with 1:40 remaining to take the lead. After a PI call put them deep in Bruin territory, the TD came on a wacky tipped ball was brought down by a nearby NCS receiver. USJ then moved backwards in the 2 minute drill and ultimately turned it over on downs before time expired. USJ caught the breaks early, capturing the lead on holding it for about 44 of the 48 minutes, but momentum shifted in the fourth quarter and failing to capitalize on some earlier opportunities came back to bite the Bruins. These two teams were very evenly matched and a postseason rematch would be interesting to say the least.

Both teams badly need another region win and holding the tiebreaker between the two may prove to be critical in regards to the playoff picture. They should be evenly matched in the trenches and I predict a close low scoring affair in the first half. Ultimately I don't think TRA has the horses to contain Davis and he'll break loose for at least a couple of scores. I would guess TCA by 10 or so.

I think the prediction for both teams to score 25-35 points is very reasonable. Both teams have too many weapons to contain. I expect to see about a one score margin between these two teams one way or the other. Each team as really only seen one competitive 4Q game, with NCS grinding out a win v. Davidson and USJ battling from behind against TCA. Bold prediction: a special teams play or a defensive score will be the difference in the ballgame.

I stand corrected on the DII timing, they did come over in 2017 and the last few came over this year (USJ is the one new to the region, thus the mixup). They certainly have not been quite as successful since the move and have nowhere near the athletes they had in 14-15-16, but seem to have adjusted and are faring better this year. DA has certainly been a formidable opponent for them since the move, but after losing so much to graduation, NCS bested them in their early season matchup. Those two teams will be USJ's opponents the next two weeks and those matchups should start to clarify the traffic jam at the top of the region standings. As to the statements of tradertwo, we have not had the pleasure of any postseason rematches in the first couple of years with this coaching staff. I am hoping that what you say is correct, as the rematch is always the more important of the two. This is a two way street as well. Beating a team once is one thing, but beating them a second time is a much bigger challenge. I still think turnovers are the key to this game. Every game to date for the Bruins has been heavily affected by turnovers, either for or against. The Bruin secondary has ballhawks, with double digit INTs through 5 games. If USJ is able to slow the ground game and force obvious passing situations, that can prove to be a major advantage.

The only two remaining undefeated teams in DII-A will face off this Friday when the NCS Eagles head west on I-40 the meet the host USJ Bruins. Despite both schools approaching their respective 50th anniversaries, this is the first ever meeting between the two schools to the best of my knowledge. Over the past 7-8 years NCS emerged as a perennial I-A powerhouse and claimed the gold ball in 2015. I was on hand when that team demolished Peabody in the state semifinals the week after the Tide had ended Union City's hot streak. They made the move to DII this year and have continued their winning ways. USJ has made a few trips to the bowl over the years in both DI and DII, but only brought home silver hardware. Both teams run a balanced offensive attack with NCS being a little more run-heavy than USJ. I have only seen NCS on film this year, but I believe these two teams will be well-matched on offense and defense. USJ may have a slight edge on special teams. NCS definitely has their share of weapons that the Bruins will have to work hard to contain. These teams will both score their fair share. I think this one will stay close on the scoreboard and the edge will go to the team who wins the turnover battle. Fun Fact #1: Two former NCS players represented their respective teams this past summer at SEC media days Fun Fact #2: Two current Bruins players have parents that graduated from NCS

I love the open floor plan and farmhouse sink. I think I shall continue living rent-free in that head of yours.

I am told that CA may have a stronger passing QB that will be returning in the next week or two from a preseason injury. From my POV, it seemed like protecting the passer was at least as big of an issue as the passer himself. On the few plays where he had time to read and throw, he hit a couple of out routes at the boundary to move the chains.