2023 Schedule Analysis: Bedford Kicking Mules

By Frank Vajcner

We now head off to where you can find me on the mic for volleyball matches and basketball games. From a football standpoint, Bedford is coming off of their most wins in a season since 2016. Will the schedule allow for a similar path to continue?

2023 Schedule:

Aug 25: @ Canton

Sept 1: Ann Arbor Skyline

Sept 8: @ Dexter

Sept 15: Saline

Sept 22: @ Ann Arbor Pioneer

Sept 29: Ypsilanti Lincoln

Oct 6: Ann Arbor Huron

Oct 13: @ Monroe

Oct 20: Toledo St. Francis (OH)

Gut-Check Game: Last year, the Mules traveled up to bitter rival Saline, and handed the Hornets a 7-0 defeat. That win snapped a 50-game winning streak in the SEC Red for the Hornets. Given how these two teams do not like each other, the rematch in Week 4 will be theatre. John Phillips and his staff will have to put together another masterful game plan on defense to fluster Saline QB CJ Carr. Special mention to Ann Arbor Huron coming to town in Week 7, as the River Rats have taken the last two meetings by a combined six points

Trap Game: A Week 3 road trip to Dexter is the first thing that jumps out, as it happens right before Saline visits. Phillips will need to keep his squad from looking ahead. I should also mention Lincoln in Week 6. Not only does this fall in a look-ahead spot (before Huron), but the pesky Railsplitters did not go away quietly in last year’s meeting.

Snoozer: Take your pick between the other two Ann Arbor schools. Skyline has lost their last 23 games, while Pioneer has not beat anyone not named Skyline since 2019. Woof…

Non-Conference Challenge: The Mules’ out-of-conference slate doesn’t bring much sizzle to the table, with a road trip to Canton in Week 1, and a visit from Toledo St. Francis to end the season. The Chiefs went 3-6 last season, but have traditionally been consistently decent to good in the last 20 seasons. The Knights were 2-8 last year.

Notable: This will be the first meeting between the Mules and the Chiefs on the gridiron…Week 9 will mark the tenth meeting in football with St. Francis, but first since 2018. This will also be the Knights’ first season as a member of the Catholic High School League Central Division…The Battle for the Golden Cleat at Monroe returns to Week 8 for the first time since 2019.

Final Thoughts from Frank: Bedford’s road schedule does not appear to be too daunting. If they can knock off Saline in Week 4, there may be a talk of an unbeaten regular season, as well as an SEC Red crown, which has not happened since 2013.

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Chris Schultz

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View Comments

ANONYMOUS says:

July 9, 2023 at 3:11 pm

Great post. I think Saline will be even better than last year, especially on offense. They have all but one returning starters on the line, senior star QB, 2 returning receivers and a fast sophomore running back. It’s gonna be even harder to beat them, so I’m gonna have to go against Bedford this year. And Ann Arbor Huron won’t be good this year. They lost almost all of their talented starters from last year and have a new head coach who doesn’t have a good record. And I think dexter is a toss up. They won’t be as good as they were last year, but will still be a good team. I think the mules have a good chance at going 8-1.