The next to last week of the football regular season will find the Todd County Central Rebels fighting for their playoff lives. The Rebels will travel to Hawesville to take on Hancock County in a matchup with significant playoff implications.
In Class 2A District 2, Owensboro Catholic has locked up the top seed for the playoffs. The Aces are 3-0 in district play and travel to McLean County Friday night. Even if O-Cath should stumble in Calhoun, the only team that could tie them in the district standings is Hancock County, who was hammered by the Aces earlier in the season, so Catholic would hold the tie-breaker with the Hornets.
After the top seed, things get a bit more complicated. If Todd County Central wins at Hancock County Friday night, the Rebels would tie the Hornets at 2-2 in the district and would hold the tie-breaker by virtue of the head-to-head win. If the Rebels could get the #2 seed they would host a first-round playoff game. The only way that could be muddied up is if McLean County upsets Owensboro Catholic, which would then put the Cougars, the Rebels, and the Hornets in a three-way tie. All would make the playoffs in that scenario, with Butler County being left out after last week’s loss to Todd County Central.
In that case, Hancock currently has the higher RPI and would be in line to get the #2 seed, with McLean County taking the #3 seed, and Todd County Central the #4. The Rebels would face a trip to Steele Stadium to take on the Aces in the opening round.
If the Rebels fall at Hancock County Friday night, Todd County Central would really need McLean County to knock off Owensboro Catholic to have a shot at getting in the playoffs. If the Rebels lose, and McLean County stuns Catholic, the Aces will be tied at 3-1 in the district play with Hancock County. The Aces are still the number one seed by virtue of their win over the Hornets. McLean County would sit alone in third place at 2-2. The Rebels would then be tied with Butler County at 1-3 in the district, but hold the tie-breaker with last week’s win in Morgantown.
However, if Catholic wins as expected, and the Rebels fall at Hancock County, things do not look good for the Rebels. Under that scenario, Catholic is the #1 seed at 4-0. Hancock County would take the #2 seed at 3-1 in the district. McLean County, Butler County, and Todd County Central would all be tied for third at 1-3. Butler County currently has the highest RPI over McLean and Todd County Central. McLean County has the next highest RPI.
So while there are still several “what-ifs” about Todd Central’s playoff status, the one thing that is clear is that if the Rebels win at Hancock County Friday night, they are in the playoffs, with a good chance to host an opening-round game. So effectively for Todd County Central, the playoffs begin this week in Hawesville in a big showdown with the Hornets.
Hancock County has won five of the last six games against the Rebels. The last Todd Central win came back on September 21, 2018, when Todd Central picked up a 27-20 win in Elkton.
