Games This Week

WEST ORANGE-STARK over BRIDGE CITY—This is a classic cross-county rivalry between two district champions of last year. However the Mustangs posted a unblemished 16-0 record to win the state championship and the Cardinals would love nothing better than post a huge upset victory to start the weather-delayed season.

LITTLE CYPRESS-MAURICEVILLE over WOODVILLE—The Battlin’ Bears have a great chance to get the 2017 season off on the right foot. The highly-rated Eagles will come to Bear’s Stadium Friday angry about their 30-22 loss to Madisonville last week and with fire in their eyes. The Bears need to avoid being upset in their home opener.

DEWEYVILLE over EVADALE—This game pits two winners from last week’s action and will determine which team beat the weaker opponent. The Pirates had better forget about their big 62-0 win over Burkeville last week and concentrate on the game at Evadale Friday night.

ORANGE COMMUNITY CHRISTIAN over HIGH ISLAND—Don’t know much about the Lions this year but they have the home field advantage which is good enough for me.

LAMAR over NORTHWESTERN STATE—The Cardinals don’t fare very well away from home, but last week’s trouncing over UT-Permian Basin should give them the incentive to pull off the upset in Natchitoches Saturday night.

MCNEESE STAE over ALCORN STATE—The Cowboys should be heavy favorites in this road game, but they must continue to play well after whipping Florida Tech 42-21 last week.

HIGH SCHOOL—Beaumont West Brook over Houston C.E. King, Jasper over Silsbee, East Chambers over Hamshire-Fannett, Newton over Diboll, Kirbyville over Palestine Westwood, Anahuac over Buna, New Waverly over Hardin, Kountze over Hull-Daisetta, Huntington over West Hardin, West Sabine over Hemphill, Beaumont Legacy Christian over Beaumont Kelly.

COLLEGE—Boise State over New Mexico (Thursday); Temple over Massachusetts, South Florida over Illinois and Arizona over UTEP (all Friday); Abilene Christian over Houston Baptist, Stephen F. Austin over Incarnate Word, Nicholls State over Prairie View, Central Arkansas over Southeastern Louisiana, Alabama over Colorado State, Ohio State over Army, Clemson over Louisville, Penn State over Georgia State, Oklahoma over Tulane, Southern Cal over Texas, Washington over Fresno State, Michigan over Air Force, Wisconsin over BYU, Florida State over Miami, Oklahoma State over Pittsburgh.

LSU over Mississippi State, Auburn over Mercer, Stanford over San Diego State, Georgia over Samford, Virginia Tech over East Carolina, Kansas State over Vanderbilt, Washington State over Oregon State, Florida over Tennessee, TCU over SMU, Notre Dame over Boston College, West Virginia over Delaware State, Syracuse over Central Michigan, Rutgers over Morgan State, Buffalo over Colgate, Virginia over Connecticut, North Carolina State over Furman, Duke over Baylor, UAB over Coastal Carolina, Wake Forest over Utah State, UCLA over Memphis, North Carolina over Old Dominion, Marshall over Kent State, Jackson State over Grambling state, Louisiana Tech over Western Kentucky, Southern Miss over Louisiana-Monroe, Georgia Tech over Central Florida, South Carolina over Kentucky, Iowa State over Akron, Nebraska over Northern Illinois, Kansas over Ohio, Ball State over Tennessee Tech, Indiana over Florida International, Minnesota over Middle Tennessee State, Purdue over Missouri, Western Michigan over Idaho, Northwestern over Bowling Green, Cincinnati over Miami, O., Toledo over Tulsa, Texas A&M over Louisiana-Lafayette, Appalachian State over Texas State, Arkansas State over Arkansas-Pine Bluff, UTSA over Southern, Texas Tech over Arizona State, Houston over Rice, Colorado over Northern Colorado, Nevada over Idaho State, Oregon over Wyoming, New Mexico State over Troy.

PRO PICKS—Cincinnati over Houston (Thursday); Kansas City over Atlanta, Arizona over Indianapolis, Pittsburgh over Minnesota, Baltimore over Cleveland, New England over New Orleans, Tampa Bay over Chicago, Carolina over Buffalo, Jacksonville over Tennessee, Oakland over NY Jets, LA Chargers over Miami, Seattle over San Francisco, LA Rams over Washington, Dallas over Denver, Green Bay over Atlanta; Detroit over NY Giants (Monday Night).