DII-AA State Semifinals

[WesVLT]

Brentwood Academy at MUS

The Eagles and Owls have a rich postseason history. The teams have met in the playoffs 12 times since their initial game in 1980. BA holds an 8-4 advantage in those games and an 18-8 series mark. As for this year, BA has allowed an average of 26 points in its last three games after holding six opponents to single digits earlier in the year. MUS has won six straight games, including last week's 20-14 victory against Baylor. This game features DII's best two passing offenses. We should see plenty of points in a tight semifinal showdown.

 

MBA at Ensworth

West Nashville's bitter cousins square off Friday for the second time this year. MBA led Ensworth by 7 at halftime of the first meeting before surrendering a 35-point second-half barrage. The Big Red have won four straight games since that loss, scoring 31 or more points in three of those victories. Expect the Tigers to earn their sixth series win and advance to their third consecutive state title game.

 

Your thoughts?

Edited November 13, 2012 by WesVLT

[sweeptheleg]

Brentwood vs Ensworth in an all nashville final!

[MBAGSA]

I would not say Ensworth and MBA are bitter cousins. It was a little rough at the beginning but both schools respect each other and there are many mutual friends and families with children in both schools. They both want to beat each other every time they play but it is because everyone knows each other..... Also MBA did beat Ensworth in 2010 but then lost in the playoffs.

 

It should be a really good game with a huge crowd and either team could win. I say EHS with a late TD 28-21.

 

I give the Owls the edge over BA because of home field advantage 21-17.

 

 

Brentwood Academy at MUS

The Eagles and Owls have a rich postseason history. The teams have met in the playoffs 12 times since their initial game in 1980. BA holds an 8-4 advantage in those games and an 18-8 series mark. As for this year, BA has allowed an average of 26 points in its last three games after holding six opponents to single digits earlier in the year. MUS has won six straight games, including last week's 20-14 victory against Baylor. This game features DII's best two passing offenses. We should see plenty of points in a tight semifinal showdown.

 

MBA at Ensworth

West Nashville's bitter cousins square off Friday for the second time this year. MBA led Ensworth by 7 at halftime of the first meeting before surrendering a 35-point second-half barrage. The Big Red have won four straight games since that loss, scoring 31 or more points in three of those victories. MBA has never beaten Ensworth in five meetings. Expect the Tigers to earn their sixth series win and advance to their third consecutive state title game.

 

Your thoughts?

[RedRobin]

I would not say Ensworth and MBA are bitter cousins. It was a little rough at the beginning but both schools respect each other and there are many mutual friends and families with children in both schools. They both want to beat each other every time they play but it is because everyone knows each other..... Also MBA did beat Ensworth in 2010 but then lost in the playoffs.

 

It should be a really good game with a huge crowd and either team could win. I say EHS with a late TD 28-21.

 

I give the Owls the edge over BA because of home field advantage 21-17.

 

I agree - it is a great rivalry - more like brothers going at each other than cousins, but I don't really see it as "bitter". MBA has won more than once; unless I am mistaken, Ensworth is 5-3 all-time against MBA in football. I do see Ensworth pulling this one out on Friday, but it will not be easy, especially early in the game. I also see MUS beating BA in a high-scoring, fairly close game. Hope everyone gets through this week with no injuries!

[shakinthefat]

Should be 2 great semi-final games. Hope for injury free games.

MUS beats BA in a close and high scoring game. BA beat MUS 2 years ago at Memphis, handily. So MUS will use that as an incentive in this game.

Cousins, brothers, whatever, Ensworth vs MBA is a major DII rivalry now. Lots of emotion in this game. Coach Rickey will pull all stops. If MBA can stop Corn it will be close if not....Enworth by 21.

[baylorbigdog1976]

I wish I knew which BA team will show up so I could pick a winner ..at times they have looked un stoppable and at times they have looked asleep..for parts of the game.

Are they hungry enough for a possible rematch against Ensworth? I hope so...Will the offense sputter early on while the defense gives up the big play to MUS before they wake up? I hope not.. I was at the CBHS game last year and was stunned by what I witnessed .. It seems BA plays its best when they come out swinging right from the get go.. I hope they lay it all on the line and are motivated to make it back to Cookeville.

[meritage]

BBD1976 - just don't see BA pulling it out. Their D has looked awful the past 3 games. Corners were burned multiple times last wk against a team that is not the caliber of MUS. I'm as big of a BA homer as anyone but i just don't see it happening. And i've continued to be disappointed in our fan base (outside of the E game). we had hardly any students attending a home game for heaven's sake. You'll hear a pin drop on Fri in memphis. I think 2012 comes to a close Fri nite - will be a sad nite esp with my son being a sr. I hope for the best but we seemed to have peaked. plus on the road? tough to win always on the road

[owlbooster]

MUS had execution problems last Friday, which allowed Baylor to stay in the game. If they repeat this next Friday, BA will win, unless, of course, they do likewise, as they did against EHS. Since everybody, including myself, is expecting a horse race, the game probably ends up being a defensive struggle. MUS must keep JR's game impact at a minimum. They also need to find a way to keep the opposing QB from running for big yards and crucial 1st downs when the receivers are covered. If the game is close, MUS wins, but BA could win big, as they did 2 years ago.

[deadaim]

BBD1976 - just don't see BA pulling it out. Their D has looked awful the past 3 games. Corners were burned multiple times last wk against a team that is not the caliber of MUS. I'm as big of a BA homer as anyone but i just don't see it happening. And i've continued to be disappointed in our fan base (outside of the E game). we had hardly any students attending a home game for heaven's sake. You'll hear a pin drop on Fri in memphis. I think 2012 comes to a close Fri nite - will be a sad nite esp with my son being a sr. I hope for the best but we seemed to have peaked. plus on the road? tough to win always on the road

BA needs some badly needed mojo to pull this one out on the road. Meritage, you are right in that they may have peaked too early. They are missing the electricity now and MUS is a good team. MUS favored by 3 1/2. Line may go up but unlikely to come down.

 

MBA played a very fine game against CBHS and made a complete reversal from a poor performance the week before against Ryan. Another mediocre effort with poor execution will result in a death sentence against Ensworth and Ricky will try to win by 100 points if he can....the question is does this coaching staff and team know how to beat Ensworth? They certainly did not at the last meeting.They should look to the wins in 2010 and 2009 and study the games.Big hits and alot of pain. Ensworth has not changed-big linemen and fast backs and Corn on the field some of the time. MBA is very different..and better...they have alot more speed on both sides of the ball and a quarterback who can throw the ball-all good but it matters not unless they beat Ensworth up physically which has not been done since Baylor did it early last season. Will MBA learn from the past or will they ignore it and allow history to repeat itself? Do they-for the only game this year-have the guns to stop Corn? Do they know what it takes to beat this team? We will see. Line is Ensworth -11 1/2 but could move at end of week.

[BigOwl]

Watched the game and would like to know what execution problems MUS had last Fri? The Qb was very good and Rb ran for 175.

[landro]

I agree owl, I am a Baylor parent I didn't see any execution mistakes I think baylor played really well against a really good team.

I agree it will be a high scoring game the defense that steps up the most will win this game. My pick is MUS by 3 late.

[MBAGSA]

No question this will be a physical game. Both teams will come to play. I don't think either team will beat up on the other one. It will just be a hard fought game. Ensworth has a few more athletes and should win. However, if MBA executes perfectly they could make it a game. Ensworth is not unbeatable. Should be a great high school football with great atmosphere. I only hope the boys playing realize how lucky they are to be playing. My sophomore is playing on Saturday but says he misses Friday nights alot.

 

 

 

BA needs some badly needed mojo to pull this one out on the road. Meritage, you are right in that they may have peaked too early. They are missing the electricity now and MUS is a good team. MUS favored by 3 1/2. Line may go up but unlikely to come down.

 

MBA played a very fine game against CBHS and made a complete reversal from a poor performance the week before against Ryan. Another mediocre effort with poor execution will result in a death sentence against Ensworth and Ricky will try to win by 100 points if he can....the question is does this coaching staff and team know how to beat Ensworth? They certainly did not at the last meeting.They should look to the wins in 2010 and 2009 and study the games.Big hits and alot of pain. Ensworth has not changed-big linemen and fast backs and Corn on the field some of the time. MBA is very different..and better...they have alot more speed on both sides of the ball and a quarterback who can throw the ball-all good but it matters not unless they beat Ensworth up physically which has not been done since Baylor did it early last season. Will MBA learn from the past or will they ignore it and allow history to repeat itself? Do they-for the only game this year-have the guns to stop Corn? Do they know what it takes to beat this team? We will see. Line is Ensworth -11 1/2 but could move at end of week.