Minnesota high school football Prep Bowl predictions
The 2023 Minnesota high school football Prep Bowl is here. Seven champions will be crowned by the end of the day Saturday, and SBLive has predicted the winner of every state championship game.
The Prep Bowl will be on Friday, November 24 and Saturday, November 25 at U.S. Bank Stadium.
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Here are predictions for the MSHSL football state championships:
CLASS 6A
Centennial (11-1) vs. Edina (9-3)
This is the title game we all predicted, right?
It’s fun to see some new blood in big school football rise to the top. That’s what we’ve got after Centennial (11-1) defeated Lakeville South (10-2), 20-13, and Edina (9-3) took it to Eden Prairie (11-1) by a 28-7 margin.
I had Centennial as the No. 3 team among the four semifinalists. They had yet to get a crack at either Eden Prairie or No. 2 Lakeville South in the regular season. The Cougars’ only loss all year was a close one to defending state champion Maple Grove (7-3). The resume was still pretty legit despite not playing two of the top two regular season teams.
Centennial relished its chance in the spotlight to get to the Prep Bowl for the first time since debuting in 1984.
It’s the first Prep Bowl appearance for Edina, which is in just its fourth state tournament overall. It was the Hornets’ first semifinals appearance since 1978.
It’s a sign of how far these programs have come when pointing out that this is a rematch of the two teams’ meeting in last year’s playoffs in the round of 16. Centennial pulled out a 14-7 win on home turf.
Now, the Cougars in U.S. Bank Stadium playing for a state title.
Centennial has shown a lot of toughness throughout the season. The Cougars are going to be within shouting distance all night thanks to their defense.
With that said, Edina is a team of destiny that just dominated what was head and shoulders the best team throughout the season.
Head coach Jason Potts has done a tremendous job guiding Edina back from a 1-3 start where the third loss was to a Wayzata team that won just one other game all season. His squad will find the magic one last time to go down in history.
Prediction: Edina 17, Centennial 14
CLASS 5A
Chanhassen (12-0) vs. St. Thomas Academy (10-2)
In my power rankings last week of all seven classes’ state semifinals games, I had Chanhassen and Andover (10-2) Nos. 1 and 2, respectively.
They played a game that could have passed as a Prep Bowl matchup as Chanhassen gutted out a 54-46 overtime win. It’s almost basketball season but yes, this was indeed a football score.
It would’ve been a tough loss to swallow for Chanhassen, which led for most of the game, including by as much as 11 at 46-35 after a Maxwell Woods 8-yard touchdown run with 9:39 to go.
Wood was a monster, gaining 228 yards on 27 carries with two touchdowns. The only back in the state who’s matched his production this season is about to meet him in the Prep Bowl.
St. Thomas Academy has not been perfect this season. Two losses, including one in a blowout, are examples. When the Cadets are at their best, though, they’re a team you don’t want to see.
St. Thomas Academy has made five Prep Bowl appearances since winning its last state title in 1975. This one means a lot to the Cadet faithful, but it also does for the Storm.
Chanhassen is making its first state tournament appearance in the school’s relatively young history.
I see Hart putting STA ahead in the fourth quarter, only for Woods to counter for the game-winning score.
Prediction: Chanhassen 28, St. Thomas Academy 22
CLASS 4A
Rocori (10-2) vs. Hutchinson (10-2)
Skyway Green district, stand up!
Two of its teams are meeting in the Prep Bowl as Rocori is set to lock horns with Hutchinson. It’s a rematch of Rocori’s 11-0 Week 4 win in Hutchinson.
It’s rare for one of the state’s most storied programs like Hutchinson lose a game at all. At home is even more rare. And by shutout? Unheard of.
You know the Tigers will be fired up to get another shot. They looked the part in the semifinals, thumping North Branch (10-2) 56-28. Hutchinson is averaging a whopping 45.5 points in the postseason.
Rocori may not have Hutchinson’s caliber offense, but it’s got superiority on the other side of the ball. The Spartans’ defense logged its fifth shutout of the season in a 7-0 victory over Byron (10-2) in the semifinals.
The Bears just scored 31 in the quarterfinals vs. Hill-Murray and scored 14 or more every game this season, so they were no slouches.
I think Hutchinson’s ability to coast to victory in the previous round and its revival on offense in the back half of the season will propel it toward its seventh state title in program history.
Not to mention, it’s a second crack at the Prep Bowl for these seniors, who lost 34-24 to Simley in last year’s title game.
Prediction: Hutchinson 22, Rocori 15
CLASS 3A
Stewartville (13-0) vs. Annandale (12-0)
Stewartville was able to run up the score a bit in the second half, but the Tigers looked mortal for the first time this season. In their first season moving down from Class 4A to 3A, they had yet to find anyone that could match up. A 27-13 win vs. Waseca (9-3) was the closest result thus far.
It’s a battle of the unbeatens in the Prep Bowl after Annandale got by Dassel-Cokato (10-2) 24-14. The Cardinals never trailed in this one and led 14-0 in the second quarter.
Annandale was balanced on defense with quarterback Nick Walter rushing 18 times for 109 yards and Connor Lampi getting 28 carries for 107 yards and a touchdown.
Walter was efficient through the air with no interceptions and one touchdown on 11-for-17 passing for 185 yards.
This is shaping up to be an intriguing matchup. Annandale is hungry for its first state title.
I see Springfield winning its second Prep Bowl to add to the 2005 title won right around when this year’s senior class was born.
Prediction: Springfield 29, Annandale 21
CLASS 2A
Barnesville (13-0) vs. Eden Valley-Watkins (12-0)
The closest thing to an underdog story in Class 2A fell short in the semifinals with Eden Valley-Watkins taking it to Cannon Falls (10-3) 42-24. The only team in the state that looks like it could slow it down looms next.
Barnesville is the defending state champion and winners of 26 straight games. I had the Trojans ranked No. 1 of the four semifinals teams ahead of EV-W at No. 2. Barnesville had to sweat it out a bit more in its semifinal matchup, albeit against a tougher opponent.
I think Barnesville will be able to rely on its Prep Bowl experience and either spy or put more attention than JCC did on slowing Nolan Geislinger’s rushing ability.
Prediction: Barnesville 31, Eden Valley-Watkins 29
CLASS 1A
Minneota (13-0) vs. Springfield (12-1)
There have been some blowouts this week at U.S. Bank Stadium, but none more lopsided than Minneota’s 63-6 win vs. Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa (11-1). The Vikings are winners of 19 in a row dating back to last year’s state title team.
Both semifinals were blowouts. No. 4 Springfield ended the unbeaten season for No. 2 Mahnomen/Waubun (11-1) with a 36-12 win. It wasn’t even all that close as the Tigers led 14-0 midway through the first quarter and 36-0 after the third.
Springfield aired it out with Jakob Nachreiner finishing 12-for-23 for 209 yards and two touchdowns. One interception didn’t prove costly. Carter Olson was his favorite target with seven grabs for 136 yards and a touchdown.
Springfield will have plenty of motivation in this one after last year’s 38-21 loss to Minneota in the 2022 Prep Bowl. The Tigers are built for indoor football with their passing attack that’s one of the the Vikings will face all year. Springfield will put up some points, but it will be tough to keep pace with the defending champ.
Prediction: Minneota 34, Springfield 20
9-PLAYER
Nevis (12-0) vs. Kingsland (13-0)
No matter what matchup we got in the 9-player Prep Bowl, it was bound to be intriguing.
I ranked Nevis No. 1 out of the four semifinalists last week. The Tigers backed it up by thumping No. 3 Ottertail Central (11-1) 35-0.
Kingsland was No. 4 in last week’s power ranking, but in a quintet of undefeated teams, there was no shame in coming last. The Knights still have the chance to be the last one standing after they knocked off No. 1 Fertile-Beltrami (12-1) 36-28.
I think Kingsland will be able to run the ball effectively to make this a close, high scoring game. Both programs are hungry with Kingsland, the 2002 Class 2A champion, in its first state tournament since 2003.
Nevis is gunning for its first state title as it makes its first state tournament appearance since it was the 9-man runner up in 2017.
Prediction: Nevis 36, Kingsland 30
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