KAZ’S FEARLESS FORECAST

High School Playoff Games This Week

WEST ORANGE-STARK (7-4) over SWEENY (10-1) 1 p.m. Friday at New Caney—The Mustangs aren’t facing a fourth-place, 3-7 team this week. The 10-1 Bulldogs lost only one district game to playoff-bound Wharton 17-15 and only gave up 85 points this season including a 21-13 nipping of La Grange in the bi-district playoffs last week. The only advantage the Mustangs might have for this area contest is an extra day of preparation.

LAMAR over NORTHERN IOWA—Thanks to the Cardinals’ great finish this season, they were selected for the XCF Playoffs which begins this weekend. Don’t know much about NIU except they played a similar schedule as the Big Red.

AREA PLAYOFF GAMES—Houston Strake Jesuit (10-1) over Beaumont West Brook (9-2), Nederland (10-1) over Marshall (9-2), Port Neches-Groves (8-3) over Lindale (7-4), Splendora (10-1) over Van (9-1), Henderson (7-4) over Lumberton (6-5), Jasper (11-0) over Bellville (7-4), Wharton (8-3) over Silsbee (7-4), Giddings (10-1) over Liberty (7-4), East Chambers (10-1) over West (8-3), Cameron Yoe (10-1) over Diboll (10-1), Woodville (11-0) over Grandview (9-2), Muenster (10-1) over Lovelady (9-2), Newton (10-0) over Grand Saline (7-3), Grapeland (10-1) over Detroit (4-6), Beaumont Legacy Christian (6-4) over Shiner St. Paul Catholic (3-8), Garrison (9-2) over Alto (8-3), San Augustine (9-2) over Jewett Leon (8-3).

COLLEGE—Air Force over Colorado State, Ole Miss over Mississippi State (both Thursday); Ohio over Akron, Cincinnati over East Carolina, Eastern Michigan over Kent State, Buffalo over Bowling Green, Iowa over Nebraska, Texas over Kansas, Missouri over Arkansas, South Alabama over Coastal Carolina, Toledo over Central Michigan, Central Florida over South Florida, Oregon over Oregon State, Houston over Memphis, Virginia over Virginia Tech, Oklahoma over West Virginia, Washington State over Washington (all Friday); Miami over Pittsburgh, Temple over Connecticut, Kentucky over Louisville, Clemson over South Carolina, Michigan State over Rutgers, Georgia Southern over Georgia State, Marshall over Florida International, Boston College over Syracuse, Michigan over Ohio State, Northwestern over Illinois, Georgia over Georgia Tech, Duke over Wake Forest, Wisconsin over Minnesota, North Carolina State over North Carolina, Louisiana Tech over Western Kentucky, Old Dominion over Rice, Southern Mississippi over UTEP, Boise State over Utah State, Utah over BYU, Appalachian State over Troy, Wyoming over New Mexico, UAB over Middle Tennessee State, California over Colorado, Stanford over UCLA, Vanderbilt over Tennessee, Oklahoma State over TCU, Florida over Florida State, Penn State over Maryland, Texas Tech over Baylor, Fresno State over San Jose State, Iowa State over Kansas State, LSU over Texas A&M, Purdue over Indiana, Tulane over Navy, Louisiana-Monroe over Louisiana-Lafayette, SMU over Tulsa, Florida Atlantic over Charlotte, Arkansas State over Texas State, North Texas over UT-San Antonio, Notre Dame over USC, Alabama over Auburn, Nevada over UNLV, San Diego State over UNLV, Arizona State over Arizona.

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