On paper, Marietta High is a big school, and should be able to defeat Division VI Bishop Rosecrans hands down in a football game.
Thing is, though, you might as well just rumple that paper and toss it in the waste basket.
On the gridiron, the reality is that the Adam Eichhorn-coached Tigers could have some big problems with the "little old" Bishops when the two East Central Ohio League schools square off at Don Drumm Stadium at 7 p.m. Friday.
"As we continue our stretch of ECOL football, Rosecrans will bring us another strong running game," Eichhorn said. "They have a combination of size and speed in their backfield. Playing team defense will be crucial for us this week. We know they are going to come out and run the ball at us. That's what they do."
Currently, MHS and Rosecrans are two schools streaking in opposite directions.
The Tigers own a 1-6 overall record (0-2 ECOL) and are losers of six straight while the Bishops are 6-1 (3-0 ECOL) and winners of six straight.
Rosecrans, No. 2-ranked in Ohio Division VI, Region 23, is more than likely playoff-bound, and MHS, a DII, Region 7 school, is not.
If Marietta prevails Friday, it'll be an upset.
If the Bishops win, it'll be because they're favored to do so.
A year ago at Zanesville's John D. Sulsberger Memorial Stadium, MHS dropped a 28-7 decision to Rosecrans.
Last Friday night, host Marietta may have hit a low point in its season when it got blanked 34-0 by undefeated and No. 2 state-ranked New Philadelphia, 34-0. Until that game, the orange and black had not been shut out.
During the course of the contest, Marietta finished with negative yardage on the ground and 95 in the air for 85 yards of total offense.
Freshman John Henry made his debut start at quarterback for the Tigers, and spent most of the game running laterally and backwards for his life from the New Philly defenders.
Henry has some good receivers in Quinton Coffield, Anthony Kimbrough, Chance Wright and Connor Beavers to name but a few.
Marietta's running game is iffy at best, though. But Henry will be doing his very best to move the chains - and getting the Tigers on the scoreboard and into the "W" column this week.
Last Saturday, Scott Moyer-coached Bishop Roescrans had to stage a fourth-quarter rally to defeat visiting Claymont, 29-19.
Quarterback Adrick Cronin led the way, completing seven-of-nine passes for 141 yards and two second-half touchdown strikes to Jess Moore and Cameron Roberts, respectively.
Bishop running backs Luke Lloyd (111 yards on 27 attempts) and Chase Lanning combined to rush for 203 yards on 41 carries and 14 1/2 tackles on defense.
Lloyd, Lanning and seniors' Tyler Swackhammer (3-1/2 sacks) and Daquan Lewis limited the Mustangs (4-3) to just 204 yards of total offense.
Lloyd, also the team's punter, averaged 47.2 yards a kick on five attempts.
Rosecrans needs a win over Marietta, because there are six schools with 6-1 marks in Region 23.
The Tigers need a victory - any kind of victory - no matter what the size of the opposing school is.
"Our guys need to take it as a personal challenge to force them (Rosecrans) out of their comfort zone," Eichhorn said. "Offensively, we need to get our rhythm back from the first half of the season. We need to get some momentum going and move the football to take some pressure off of our defense."
