Kaz’s Fearless Forecast

Games This Week

WEST ORANGE-STARK over BUNA—Although the Mustangs have never played in Buna, they know they not only want another District 21-3A victory, but they also are gunning for their sixth shutout of the season and shutout No. 86 in school history. Besides the Chain Gang Defense, the ‘Stangs are boasting a pretty powerful offense to go along with it. So the Cougars had better beware!!!

LITTLE CYPESS-MAURICEVILLE over LUMBERTON—The Raiders are still looking for their first win of the 2012 season and realize that if they don’t pull it off at Bear Stadium Friday night, it may never happen for them this season. The Battlin’ Bears have to continue to play sound football, respect their winless opponent and everything will work out just fine so they can remain in the hunt for a playoff berth.

BRIDGE CITY over HARDIN-JEFFERSON—The Cardinals need another solid performance in front of the home folks Friday night to solidify their hold on the third and final playoff position. H-J is still searching for their first District 21-3A win.

VIDOR over PORT NECHES-GROVES—Pirate Stadium should be overflowing with avid high school football fans who will be rooting for their respective teams Friday night. The Indians need to get back into the playoff hunt while the once-beaten Pirates need to remain eligible for the postseason.

DEWEYVILLE over HEMPHILL—The Pirates travel to meet Hemphill Friday and try to get above the .500 mark in the District 12-2A standings. But it won’t be an easy task, so they must pick up where they left off last week.

ORANGE COMMUNITY CHRISTIAN over ALVIN LIVING STONES—The Lions are fresh off an 84-50 non-district victory over Houston Mount Carmel which upped their season record to 6-1. The Lions swing back into district play Friday trying to keep their perfect 3-0 record intact on the road.

VINTON over WELSH—The Lions (3-5) were steamrolled 35-6 last week by Lake Arthur and need to win their final two games to have an outside chance for the state playoffs. However, the Greyhounds definitely have other ideas about the outcome of this game.

SAM HOUSTON STATE over LAMAR—The Cards got down in the first half at Central Arkansas but came back strong in the second half only to barely fall short. The Bearkats have won three of their four Southland Conference games—including a 45-10 shellacking of my alma mater McNeese State last week-- and plan on adding to the win column Saturday in Beaumont.

McNEESE STATE over STEPHEN F. AUSTIN—The Cowboys are underdogs in this contest, but it’s Homecoming and the Pokes always seem to play better than average in front of us exes. But the Lumberjacks have lost only one league game and want to keep it that way when they leave Lake Charles Saturday night.

HIGH SCHOOL—Silsbee over Hamshire-Fannett, Livingston over Beaumont Central, Nederland over Beaumont Ozen, Port Arthur Memorial over Baytown Sterling, North Shore over Beaumont West Brook, Carthage over Jasper, Newton over Anahuac, Hardin over Warren, Woodville over Kirbyville, East Chambers over Kountze, West Hardin over Colmesneil, Hull-Daisetta over Iola, West Sabine over San Augustine, Houston St. Pius over Beaumont Kelly, League city Bay area Christian over Beaumont Legacy, LaPorte over Channelview, Brenham over Magnolia, Lufkin over College Park, Crosby over Kingwood Park, Dayton over Barbers Hill, Humble Summer creek over New Caney Porter, Splendora over Tarkington, Coldspring over Liberty, Huffman over Shepherd, La Marque over Dallas Bishop Lynch; Katy over Houston Strake Jesuit, Evadale over Burkeville, Mount Enterprise over Sabine Pass and Oakwood over High Island (all Sat.).

COLLEGE—Clemson over Wake Forest (Thurs.); Louisville over Cincinnati and Nevada over Air Force (both Fri.); Central Arkansas over Southeastern Louisiana, Northwestern State over Nicholls State, Iowa State over Baylor, Oklahoma State over TCU, Texas over Kansas, Kansas State over Texas Tech, Oklahoma over Notre Dame, Texas A&M over Auburn, Houston over UTEP, Southern Miss over Rice, SMU over Memphis, Middle Tennessee State over North Texas, San Jose State over Texas State, Utah State over UT-San Antonio, Southern over Prairie View, Texas Southern over Grambling, Alabama over Mississippi State, Oregon over Colorado, Florida over Georgia, Penn State over Ohio State, Oregon State over Washington, USC over Arizona, Florida State over Duke, Clemson over Wake Forest, Rutgers over Kent State, Stanford over Washington State, Nebraska over Michigan, Boise State over Wyoming, Ohio over Miami, O., Central Michigan over Akron, Alabama A&M over Alabama State, Arizona State over UCLA, Arkansas over Ole Miss, Arkansas –Pine Bluff over Mississippi Valley State, Ball State over Army, Maryland over Boston College, Bowling Green over Eastern Michigan, Georgia Tech over BYU, Toledo over Buffalo, Californian over Utah, Central Florida over Marshall, Colorado over Hawaii, East Carolina over Navy, Troy over Florida Atlantic, Fresno State over New Mexico, Indiana over Illinois, Northwestern over Iowa, Missouri over Kentucky, Louisiana-Monroe over South Alabama, Louisiana Tech over New Mexico State, Vanderbilt over Massachusetts, Wisconsin over Michigan State, Purdue over Minnesota, North Carolina over North Carolina State, Northern Illinois over Western Michigan, Pittsburgh over Temple, San Diego State over UNLV, South Carolina over Tennessee, South Florida over Syracuse, UAB over Tulane, Western Kentucky over Florida International.

PRO PICKS—Minnesota over Tampa Bay (Thurs.); Green Bay over Jacksonville, Tennessee over Indianapolis, Chicago over Carolina, NY Jets over Miami, San Diego over Cleveland, Philadelphia over Atlanta, Seattle over Detroit, Washington over Pittsburgh, New England over St. Louis, Oakland over Kansas City, Dallas over NY Giants, Denver over New Orleans; San Francisco over Arizona (Monday Night). Bye week for Houston, Baltimore, Buffalo and Cincinnati.