BLACKGOLD2007

If this game cracks 28 I will be surprised. Snider just needs to be sound on D and not turn the ball over....Get to a week where you are playing a foe you know, and see if you can contain Carroll enough to keep you in the game...I know I have beaten this Elkhart horse to death...I just don't believe they have it. If they pull off this upset and then manage to beat Carroll....I will then give them credit.

I just cannot fathom them generating the O to score....when they could barely do it against Penn...Now if Snider gifts them a short field or two, sure...But, I am still the I wont believe until I actually see the final score with Elkhart over Snider...and still wont go around singing their praises unless they beat Carroll soundly.

Penn allowed them to move the ball, but the D held firm and special teams kept points off the board as well. If Penn doesn't fumble that punt, I think Penn wins that game 3-0. It was bad in the second half. Both teams were strong on the defensive side of the ball...but Penn's O is well pretty dismal when it needs to perform or come up clutch. I think Penn and Elkhart are at the bottom tier when it comes to potential to make a run.

Penn admin needs to see this info and be ashamed of it. THERE IS NO REASON a 6A blue blood should be playing such a crap schedule and be 7-2....two losses to local teams....it makes me want to throw up. (I know you have similar thoughts, just venting into the void)

It is my take on it as well. The teams you play have to mean something. Cathedral for decades would go into the 4A tournament with a bad record and come out state champions. If you look at the two best games each team has played, Elkhart went 1-1 and Snider went 0-2...The difference is Carroll and Warren are two of the best teams in 6A...While Concord is really good and Penn is well back to that beatable giant everyone has come to love.

Elkhart has always head talented players. If I am not mistaken they have 3 D1 commits...which is more than any school in my area....but this team is not world beaters. If they get by Snider, I will buy in. But, until then I am a skeptic of all teams from my area. Also, Elkhart is as high as 6 in the polls. So, they are getting more love than I would give them.

@BTF@Komets2727 what are your thoughts on the Snider-Elkhart game this weekend?

Yes they still won, but this year beating Penn is not a great feat. The fact that there are polls out there that have Penn sniffing the top ten is laughable. Elkhart has done what they are supposed to do, win games and at times win ugly. But, the talent that they have seen this year does not compare to what is on the field in Fort Wayne. It is entirely possible I am wrong for yet a third time this year, and Elkhart does win this game, but I have become a hardcore sceptic of this area's teams when it comes non-regional match-ups. I think Concord has had an amazing season, however I think they will struggle down state....why? Because, everything coming out of St. Joe and Elkhart Counties are overrated until they prove otherwise....that means beating a blue blood region team, Fort Wayne team and one of the Indy schools.....actually beating any Indy school at this point.

Thank you good sir!

That was also in a triple option offense. I am not saying he isn't capable of making plays. The quality of opponent has to count for something. Snider got beat by Warren (8-1) and Carroll (7-2). Elkhart has played Concord and Penn.....The Penn game they scored 7 points off of a fumbled Penn punt. I am not saying it will be a walk off, but Elkhart was stonewalled by Penn all second half.

I thought the team on the bottom of the bracket played at home....The brackets wont load for me right now, so I cant see if Carroll has multiple home games while CP is away.

Elkhart struggled moving the ball against a bad Penn team. Snider would have to be on par with Penn to get beat by Elkhart. Snider has played better competition in conference. With exception of Concord, Elkhart has not played up to the competition that Snider has seen all year. Will the game be close, probably. If it weren't for a muffed punt, Elkhart gets beat by Penn 3-0.

Penn, NP, St. Joe and Marian all move on to next week. Yes I think St. Joe gets the job done vs Northwood.

There doesn't seem to be a clear cut favorite like we had last year.

I am taking NP to the sectional finals against Hanover Central. I think Marian has a good chance to play for the sectional finals against Griffith. St. Joe will have a tough game against Northwood, but they could also be playing for a sectional finals against Mishawaka. At that point I think all NIC teams will have be eliminated from the playoffs. I think Elkhart gets beat by Snider. I think Penn gets manhandled again at home against CP. 4 teams playing for sectional championships. 0-4 as a conference in those games.

I think that Penn gets the job done against LC but then lays a turd against CP. Snider traveling to Elkhart is going to be a tough game for the Panthers.... I think Snider comes out with a one score win. While Carroll gets to rest up after halftime. I believe we will see the matchup everyone expected to see in last years regional. Carroll v CP. If I am not mistaken would be at Carroll. Carmel v Zionsville...idk coin flip. It stinks that Westfield is playing Harrison in game 1...but I think Westfield wins the sectional. HSE and Fishers should be playing one another for the sectional title, setting up a great game against Westfield in the regional. I am going to take HSE in the rematch against Westfield. I am going to take Carroll over CP if the game is played at Carroll. I will then take HSE to represent the North in the state championship game. In the south I think Brownsburg and LN will be playing in regionals While Warren will be waiting for the winner of sectional 8, which could have a new representative for the first time in a while...However, I am taking Center Grove until I am proven wrong. I am buying the hype with LN (that four week stretch to end the season is impressive to me). I think LN will play Warren again in Semi-State.... LN will play HSE for state, with LN coming out undefeated state champs. Which would be a historic run, since the Wildcats have not made it through Regionals...ever...(at least based on the data I can see on Harrell)

Well I will say I was surprised Penn won the game by double digits. I figured the D would play well, but the O I gave up on. Wont be at the St. Joe game, we are going to watch a real life murdering of Purdue next Friday night. Then a week off to consider going to the playoff game...If Penn draws CP...I hope they play at CP, so I have a built in excuse to not go. Sad state of affairs being a Penn fan.

LN has had an amazing 3 week stretch. I know BD is down, but still a huge win against a traditional power. A blowout against an undefeated Warren Central. Then beating Center Grove by 13. Keep it up Wildcats

I had someone close to the Elkhart program tell me yesterday that he fears Penn wins the game by multiple scores. He is worried about the teams lack of discipline (which encompasses penalties). I assured him Penn is like a mirror in this situation, they are struggling with inconsistency on both sides of the ball (the D seems to be finding their footing against lesser competition) and penalties. Penn likes to use the how can we sabotage this drive before it starts method of Football. I will say it really works, just not in the way they were hoping. lol

Who do you have as the #15 team...because if it is Penn, then that has already been accomplished. lol I will curb that statement and say I think the Penn game would be significantly different if it were to be played on week 9 rather than week 2. With that being said, Mishawaka took care of business when the game was played, and my hat tips to them. I hope they go on to win state in 4A.

Chatard (Columbus North 5-1) and Mishawaka (Penn 5-1...over inflated record due to a poor schedule) both beat 6A teams... Mishawaka was also 14 points down and came back with 2 mins to go against #1 (5A) Concord and lost on a failed 2pt conversion. I would say Mishawaka right now is possibly the best overall showing when it comes to record and schedule. I know the Penn game is not as nice of a win now, but nonetheless they beat a larger school who is traditionally a much better program then they are, and beat them soundly. Chatard got mashed by Cathedral but I don't think that game should reflect negatively. They are a 2A/3A school playing with some of the biggest and best programs in our State. I think, like Temp does, we should reward winning games, but we cannot just overlook the fact that two teams have better wins. wouldn't say it is clear in 4A, I think that 1-4 is tighter than you might think. Could any of those teams win a state title in 4A, I do think that.

So, if Penn beats Elkhart, lets say by 14, that proves our stance Elkhart is overrated. If Penn wins in a one score game less than 5 lets say, are the still overrated? If Elkhart beats Penn by 14 do they get a boost and a see they are for real, or do they get the well you beat a highly overrated (over expectations) Penn team. Idk. I think either way both Penn and Elkhart should not be considered for a top 10 spot. maybe keep them somewhere in the 11-15 slot. I did have a person who is close to the Elkhart program tell me yesterday that he thinks Penn will win by multiple scores.

I know, but I still need to admit when I am wrong.

I think Penn wins this game at home by 14. NP v Marian is a hard one to pick for me. Marian played Penn tough at Penn. If the NP team that came to play against Riley shows up I expect them to win this game. Washington maybe? Both teams are not good. St. Joe from what I am seeing week to week is a better team than Riley. I think Riley falls to 2-4 after being reintroduced to the NIC big schools. They end the season at 3-5.

If the winner of the Penn Elkhart game pushes either team into your top 20, as you said in a different thread...does that put Penn at 26?