Football: Bentonville, Fayetteville rematch comes early this year

So, the Fayetteville-Bentonville rematch is in the semifinals tonight instead of the championship game in Little Rock?

That's OK, especially for those who'll make the short drive to Tiger Stadium instead of the long drive to War Memorial. But before anyone declares this one as the real championship game, let me remind you of a common thread the teams share.

Both lost to Springdale Har-Ber, which carries a 10-game winning streak into tonight's other semifinal game against Fort Smith Southside.

Fayetteville vs. Bentonville is always exciting, especially in the playoffs. Fans at War Memorial Stadium in 2011 still remember an epic championship game when Austin Allen passed for a two-point conversion to give Fayetteville a 29-28 victory over Bentonville. The Tigers were heavily-favored in the game after beating Fayetteville 41-6 during the regular season. Bentonville beat Fayetteville 24-21 in last year's championship game and earned home-field advantage for tonight's matchup with a 37-26 victory over the Bulldogs on Nov. 6.

So, what does it all mean?

Absolutely nothing, especially when you consider the 2011 game when Fayetteville turned a 35-point defeat into a one-point win in the most important game of the year.

Tonight's showdown will feature two of the state's top quarterbacks in senior Kasey Ford for Bentonville and junior Taylor Powell for Fayetteville. But with the forecast calling for heavy rain, the outcome may be determined by which team runs the ball better and avoids turnovers.

This game is a toss-up, but I'll take the team that lost in the regular season to win the rematch in the playoffs. I've seen it happen this way too many times.

RICK'S PICK Fayetteville

Other games involving teams from Northwest Arkansas (selections are capitalized).

CLASS 7A/6A

Fort Smith Southside at SPRINGDALE HAR-BER

Benton at GREENWOOD

CLASS 4A

Pea Ridge at CENTRAL ARKANSAS CHRISTIAN

Star City at PRAIRIE GROVE

CLASS 3A

SMACKOVER at West Fork

LAST WEEK 6-2 (75 percent)

OVERALL 142-37 (79 percent)

Sports on 11/27/2015

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