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The Highland Rams and Pocatello Indians enter this year's "Black & Blue Bowl" with different season trajectories.
Highland is off to a typical Highland start: 4-0 and among the top teams in Idaho (this time around, the #1 team in 5A according to the State Media Polls). They are coming off of a 24-21 win over highly-touted Coeur d'Alene. Everything at the school up on the hill seems to be great.
Pocatello, meanwhile, is really struggling right now. Several injuries and a relatively young squad along with a 1-3 record put the Indians in a tough spot against the Rams. But, despite the unevenly matched teams on paper, anything... and I mean ANYTHING... can happen when it comes to rivalry games.
The Black & Blue Bowl is one of the top rivalry games in the state for sure. Back in 2009, ESPN ranked it as the top game in Idaho. I have a feeling that this play might have had something to do with that:
That hit sure sparked a lot of controversy and just upped the level of the rivalry even more.
High school football is THE TICKET in the Gate City. The crowds that ISU gets for their football games pale in comparison to the Black & Blue Bowl.
If you're in the area, this might be a game you want to check out. Of course, football fans will have a bevy of good games to go to on Friday Night, including that one game up the road in Idaho Falls called the "Emotion Bowl". But wherever you go, you'll be sure to find local high school athletes pouring their heart and soul into their performances on the field.
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