Statistics are cold and lifeless to some people.
But, numbers are revealing to others.
Bedford and Montezuma, both 9-1, collide over the football on Friday, Nov. 1 at 7 p.m. at Badger-Gabriel Field in the second round of the Class 8 playoffs.
Bedford has the best scored against defense in the class, giving up just 7.6 points a game. The Bulldog’s offense puts up 57 a game, 10th in the state.
Montezuma’s numbers are 59 on offense – fifth-best, and 22 on defense, 14th-best.
In big games, an edge sometimes goes to the team that can make the other side do things they don’t want to.
Both of these teams have strong rushing games. But their pace is decidedly different.
Both feature the quarterback and two running backs.
Bedford’s leading trio has gained 1,262 yards on 138 carries – 9.1 per attempt – and has scored 25 touchdowns.
Montezuma’s top threesome has 2,484 yards on 352 attempts, an average of 7.1 yards per snap – and 43 touchdowns.
Montezuma doesn’t huddle between offensive plays. The Braves line up and go again, and the athleticism of the linemen and backs allows them to be so persistent. That may account for having 214 more snaps over 9 games.
What about throwing? Bedford’s season-best thrower has gone 26-for-38, for 385 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Montezuma’s QB is 66-119 for 1,056 yards and 16 touchdowns.
The Braves’ down linemen are tall and athletic. Observers at the Winfield-Mt. Union game reported how the guards often got out to the edge on running plays before W-MU’s linebackers arrived.
Common opponents? Yes, three, despite the 186 miles and three hours that separate Montezuma and Bedford. Belle Plaine, Moravia and Southeast Warren are the three. Bedford beat all three; the Braves beat two.
Teams change from one end of the season the the other.
Belle Plaine was the most recent team (last Friday) on both team’s schedules.
The Plainsmen led 12-10 going into the fourth quarter, but Bedford scored a touchdown and added a two-point conversion and won their playoff game, 18-12.
Montezuma scored a 28-24 win over the Plainesmen earlier in the season.
The telling stat in the Bedford win was the Bulldogs’ ability to limit Belle Plaine to just 1.9 yards per rushing attempt.
This promises to be a real slobber-knocker, with the only numbers that really matter being the ones on the scoreboard at the end.
Don’t forget: You have to buy your tickets online.
Side benefit to being in the playoffs: You get to practice for a week for each game you’re in. That pays off, now and next season.
Who beat Bedford? Lenox did, 42-14, way back on Sept. 13.