The DII-AAA BlueCross Bowl State Title Game is set. The matchup will be a rematch of last year’s quarterfinal matchup between two conference rivals, The Baylor Red Raiders and The MBA Big Red. When these teams met in the regular season, MBA won a high scoring affair 42-34. This game will also feature a matchup between 247’s top rated corner in Evan Haynie from Baylor and the second rated quarterback in Marcel Reed for MBA.
Baylor Red Raiders
MaxPreps Tennessee Rank: 3
Head Coach: Erik Kimrey 194-20 (10-2 in his first season at Baylor)
2022 Record: 10-2
District Record: 4-1
2021 Record: 7-5, Lost to MBA in quarterfinals
All Time Playoff Record: 32-33
Baylor will be out for revenge against The Big Red Thursday night not only for the game they played in the regular season but knocking them out of the playoffs last year. This Baylor team gives up around 21 points per game, but averages 38 points for themselves. We will see if they can keep up that kind of production like they did against MU, or if they will have to win a barn burning shootout like they did against Brentwood Academy. Either way, this team has shown they can handle it.
MBA Big Red
MaxPreps Tennessee Rank: 2 (72nd Nationally)
Head Coach: Marty Euverard (112-36 in 12th year at MBA)
2022 Record: 12-0
District Record: 5-0
2021 Record: 9-4, Lost to McCallie in state title game
All Time Playoff Record: 52-28
MBA is what you would call dominant. All their games this season have been wins, and most of them have been lopsided. They are averaging 38 points per game while only giving up 16 per game. Baylor was one of the few teams that have played them close, but with wins over Baylor, Brentwood Academy, CPA, Ensworth, Ravenwood, and McCallie twice, it would seem this Big Red team can handle the pressure.
Final Thoughts
Not only has MBA shown that they can handle big games, but they also have Marcel Reed, and in the playoffs and especially the state championship game, having a difference maker at quarterback is the biggest single advantage a team can possess. Those reasons have me leaning MBA’s direction but I wouldn’t be surprised to see an upset here with how talented Baylor is.
I’ll take MBA in a close one.
MBA 45 Baylor 38
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