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The Big Games Keep Coming in Big D

Allen (14-0) vs. Dallas Skyline (14-0)

6 p.m. Saturday, Gerald Ford Stadium, SMU

It seems like every week now we have two legendary powerhouse teams facing off in the DFW area - and most of the time Allen is involved.  These two teams met before (2012) in the the Quarterfinal round and Allen came away with the 37-17 victory. Dallas Skyline has been getting a lot of buzz recently by the Dallas area media.  It seems as though they are being talked about more than Allen these days, but I attribute that to them wanting to talk about something other than the Allen Eagles for a bit.

I personally have doubted Allen would stay undefeated all season and they have proven me wrong, but waaaay back in August we did predict they would face and defeat Dallas Skyline here in the Semi-Finals.

LSG 2014 6A Championship Predictions

Allen looks like another undefeated season may be in the works as these two teams appear to be a notch above both Converse Judson and Cypress Ranch if they can get past this tough Dallas Skyline team.  Their road to this point in the playoffs has been one of constant testing with narrow victories over De Soto (25-22) and Euless Trinity (30-27.)  This game should be no different. Kyler Murray who won the past two State Championships, the last two Gatorade Player of the Year awards for Texas and this year's Gatorade National Player of the Year has only one focus right now - defeating Dallas Skyline and their stingy defense.

Skyline hasn't faced competition nearly as strong as Allen along their playoff path - running into the surprising Klein teams (Klein Collins W 34-14 & Klein Oak W 38-20) and Belton but no real statewide powers.  The Skyline D is allowing less points than Allen, but against weaker competition.  There is also some question about the health of K.C. Johnson who has been nursing a sore ankle for a couple of weeks.  The ankle doesn't seem to be slowing him however and the Raiders passing game appears to be firing on all cylinders.

If all things were equal and we did a prediction based solely on points scored and points allowed, Dallas Skyline would take a narrow win:

Dallas Skyline 36 - Allen 33

Games aren't decided however, on history.  They are decided on the field.  So what is it going to be?  Will the fire and drive to knock off the reigning champs be enough motivation for the Raiders?  Will the experience and poise of winning the two previous titles be difference enough for the Eagles to grab their 3rd straight?

If you take a look at those same numbers, but calculate in the rankings of opponents, the outcome is:

Allen 48 -  Dallas Skyline 45

Will Skyline's Johnson to Strickland connection be too much for Allen to stop or will the Eagles' "bend but not break" defense step up at the right times as it has done?

The question once this game is decided, "Will there be a let down by the winner that allows Judson or Cy-Ranch to come in and surprise everyone?"

by Chris Doelle

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