The Boyle County Rebels football team may be new to the 4A classification in Kentucky, but it’s already favored to take home the state title, according to kentucky.com.

After the reshuffling of schools in classification this offseason, the 4A rank may have ended up being the toughest division in the state. 

Joining the Rebels is last year’s 3A state champion — Central High School in Louisville — and defending 4A state champions Franklin-Simpson.

First year Iroquois football coach Donte Ellison joked that his program may play the toughest 4A schedule in the state despite being a 5A school. The Raiders open the season against Boyle in the Little Caesars Ft. Harrod Bowl in Harrodsburg and take on Central the following week in the Central BSN bowl.

In a preseason survey of coaches done by @HLpreps, Boyle County and Franklin-Simpson tied with seven first place votes. The Rebels had higher rankings among the other votes to give the edge over the Wildcats.

Chuck Smith’s squad returns 19 seniors off from last year’s team who ran the table in the regular season before falling to Corbin in the semifinals of the state tournament.

Among those returning starters are West Virginia commit and the Advocate-Messenger 2018-19 Male Athlete of the Year Reese Smith as well as Notre Dame commit and the number two rusher all-time at Boyle Landen Bartleson. Reed Lanter will be under center again for the Rebels coming off a year where he was the most accurate passer in the state and completed 39 touchdowns and threw for just shy of 3,000 yards.

Boyle County will be in action against Iroquois in the Little Caesars Ft Harrod Bowl at Mercer County on Saturday, Aug. 24 at 5:00 p.m. The first game at Rebels Stadium will be against Bullitt Central at 8:00 p.m. on Saturday Aug. 31 as part of the McDaniel Wealth Management Rebel Bowl.