INDIANAPOLIS — The first week of the 31st season of Operation Football features a rematch of last season's Class 6A regional between the Ben Davis Giants and the Cathedral Fighting Irish.
In their most recent meeting, the Giants held off the Irish 27-24 en route to their eventual state championship.
Ben Davis lost just once last season — and it wasn't even to an Indiana team. In their fourth game of 2023, the Giants faced Florida's IMG Academy, arguably one of the best prep football programs in the country, losing 34-14.
Russ Mann is returning for his second season as the head coach of the Giants, looking to lead the team to back-to-back state titles for the first time since the 2001 and 2002 season.
Despite being the defending 6A champions, the Giants are ranked 3rd in the preseason AP poll.
Bill Peebles returns to the Fighting Irish sideline for his seventh year at the helm. Despite a slow start in his first season as Cathedral's head coach in 2018, where the team finished with a 6-6 record and losing in the sectional championship, Peebles has boasted a winning record every year since.
However, last year Cathedral lost the most games (4) it had lost in a single season since 2018. Hard-fought losses to Brownsburg, Bishop Chatard and Center Grove during the regular season appeared to show brief moments of weakness with the Cathedral team.
Cathedral is ranked 7th in the preseason AP poll.
Will Ben Davis keep their record of dominance or will Cathedral avenge last year's senior class with a victory over the defending state champions? Find out Friday night at 11 p.m. on Operation Football during 13News.