The Bowling Green (KY) varsity football team will play a home playoff game against Atherton (Louisville, KY) on Friday, November 22 at 7 p.m. This game is part of the 2024 Kentucky High School Football Playoff Brackets for Class 5A.

What: Kentucky High School Football
Who: Bowling Green (KY) vs Atherton (KY)
When: Friday, November 22, 2024
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Bracket: 2024 Kentucky High School Football Playoff Brackets: KHSAA – Class 5A
Live stream: Watch live on NFHS Network

Comparing Atherton and Bowling Green: A Breakdown of Two High-Performing Football Teams

As the 2024-2025 football season progresses, two teams have shown exceptional performance and have become dominant forces in their respective districts—Atherton and Bowling Green. With near-identical overall records and an exciting array of statistics, both teams present exciting prospects for their fans. Let’s delve into a head-to-head comparison of these teams, highlighting their key statistics, team leaders, and overall strengths.

Overall Records and Win Percentages

Both Atherton and Bowling Green boast an impressive 10-2 record for the 2024-2025 season, underscoring their consistent performance. Here’s a closer look at how each team performed across different categories:

• Atherton: With a record of 10-2, Atherton went undefeated in district play, finishing 3-0 in the district, 5-1 at home, 4-1 away, and 1-0 at neutral sites. This consistency helped them achieve a solid .833 win percentage, coupled with a perfect district record.
• Bowling Green: Bowling Green mirrors Atherton’s success with a 10-2 record, but their district performance stands slightly different, finishing 2-1 in district games. They went 3-1 at home, a perfect 7-0 away, and 0-1 in neutral games. Their win percentage is equally impressive at .833, and their district win percentage stands at .667.

Both teams display outstanding win rates, showcasing their ability to dominate both at home and away.

Scoring Averages

When it comes to scoring, both teams demonstrate high offensive efficiency, although they show different styles of play throughout the game:

• Atherton: Averaging 35.8 points per game, Atherton excels in scoring during the middle quarters, with notable performances in the second quarter (10.3 points) and fourth quarter (6.7 points).
• Bowling Green: Bowling Green averages slightly more at 37.6 points per game, with a strong first half (especially in the second quarter, scoring 13.2 points). Their second-half scoring slows down, but they maintain their overall high average.

Statistical Comparison

Analyzing the teams’ statistical strengths provides deeper insights into their styles of play.

• Offensive Comparison:
  • Atherton is known for their passing game, averaging 237.0 yards per game in the air and 103.3 rushing yards per game. The passing attack, led by Deuce Bailey, has been a key weapon, accumulating 254 total yards per game.
  • Bowling Green, on the other hand, emphasizes a balanced offense, averaging 451 total yards per game. Their passing game stands at 235.8 receiving yards per game, and they rush for 103.3 yards per game—equal to Atherton in terms of rushing yards.
• Defensive Comparison:
  • Atherton boasts strong tackling with an average of 61.5 tackles per game and 3.6 sacks per game.
  • Bowling Green also shows a strong defensive presence but has lower averages in both categories: 2.7 tackles per game and 0.2 sacks per game. However, their ability to shut down opponents on the road (7-0 record away from home) speaks volumes about their defensive resilience.

Key Team Leaders

Both teams have standout players who lead by example on both offense and defense:

• Atherton:
  • Jaxen Smith leads the team in rushing yards per game with an impressive 31.8 yards.
  • Deuce Bailey, who also ranks as one of the top quarterbacks, leads the team in passing yards per game at 226.6 yards.
  • Trevy Barber contributes with 91.2 receiving yards per game, proving to be a major receiving threat.
  • On defense, Montez Trussell stands out with 7.9 tackles per game and 1.1 sacks per game.
• Bowling Green:
  • Deuce Bailey, similarly to Atherton’s leader, holds an impressive passing yards per game figure of 226.6 yards, helping drive the offense.
  • Trevy Barber also leads the team in receiving yards per game, contributing with 91.2 yards on average.
  • On defense, Montez Trussell leads with 7.9 tackles per game and 1.1 sacks per game, making him a dual threat in both offensive and defensive duties.

Head-to-Head Performance and Playoff Success

Both teams have seen success in the postseason, maintaining a 10-2 overall record in-state, proving their playoff readiness. Atherton and Bowling Green are evenly matched in terms of playoff performance, both going 2-0 in playoff games.

Atherton’s perfect district performance (3-0) and Bowling Green’s resilience on the road (7-0) highlight their strong campaigns. Their only neutral-site performances have yielded mixed results, but both teams are still highly competitive in any setting.

Conclusion

The 2024-2025 seasons for Atherton and Bowling Green are proving to be exceptional, marked by strong offensive outputs, solid defenses, and standout individual performances. Atherton excels in the passing game and district play, while Bowling Green has proven its dominance on the road, further solidifying its reputation as a formidable opponent.

As these two teams continue to push toward the postseason, their near-identical records, high-scoring offenses, and dominant performances will make for exciting matchups as they battle for supremacy in the region. Whether it’s Atherton’s superior passing game or Bowling Green’s perfect road record, both teams are well-equipped for a deep playoff run, and fans can expect thrilling games ahead.