The Rebels homecoming game this Thursday night against McGavock (4-3, 3-1) might their biggest of the year.
At 4-3, Franklin sits just out of the postseason picture at this point in Region 3-6A.
To earn one of the two allotted district playoff spots, the Rebels need, most likely, to win their three remaining games. Franklin is tied with Overton (4-3, 2-2) for fourth in the district, behind first place Ravenwood (6-1, 4-0), second place Mount Juliet (5-3, 4-1), and third place McGavock (4-3, 3-1). The Rebels play Mount Juliet next week, so to some extent they control their destiny.
With a win this week, Franklin would take third place form McGavock. First place is probably out of reach, with the way the Raptors are playing this season. But second is certainly within reach. Mount Juliet, with a bye this week, is secure in second- for now.
A loss, however, would pretty much eliminate the Rebels from the postseason and move McGavock into a tie with Mount Juliet for second.
The high stakes mean Franklin alumni will root all the louder on what the weather forecast says will be a beautiful, cool fall night for football.
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Run, Rebels, Run
If the Rebels play anything like they did last week,when they steamrolled Wilson Central with more than 400 yards and five touchdowns rushing, getting the win should not be a problem.
Lannom Craddock had a career game, wrecking dudes as he ran through the Wilson D for 245 yards.
More likely than not he won’t detonate quite like that this week, but for the Rebels to win they need a solid game from Craddock.
That all starts with the offensive line, and the Rebels have been playing better as a team up front every week.
Franklin does not disguise what it wants to do throwing the ball only four times for six yards against Wilson.
Thus the problem for opposing defense is not figuring out what ‘s coming, but stopping it.
And McGavock just had a whole week off to figure out how.
The Raiders can certainly be run on. Ravenwood, in its homecoming win, ran for almost 300 yards against them two weeks ago. Overton pounded out more than 200 in a loss the week before. Hendersonville, in the season opener, also passed the 300-yard mark.
Franklin, which lost 41-20 to Overton early in September, has figured things out since their early season struggles.
After giving up 95 points in their first three games, the Rebels have allowed just 40 over the last four. Consequently after going 1-2 to start the year they are 3-1 since. They square off against McGavock playing their best football of the year, riding a two-game win streak in which they outscored their opponents 73-3.
Look for a heavy dose of Craddock and a very fired up crowd. Franklin looks like the favorite.
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I thought all 6A schools went to the playoffs since the reorginIzation that took effect this year.