MaxPreps Top 10 High School Football Games of the Week

Our weekly look inside the nation's Top 10 high school football games begins in Northern California, where No. 17 Folsom plays host to fellow unbeaten Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills).

If Oak Ridge is going to have any shot at pulling the upset, it will need to find a way to slow down a Folsom offense that has averaged more than 50 points and 550 yards the first five games of the season.

In other matchups that involve teams ranked in the latest MaxPreps Xcellent 25, No. 2 DeSoto (Texas) will bring its explosive offense to bear against unbeaten district rival Mansfield Timberview (Arlington). Also, No. 19 Colerain and its steamrolling rush attack prepares for a key Greater Miami Conference matchup against Sycamore (Cincinnati).

After putting together a solid 8-2 record in picks last week, Stephen Spiewak remains atop the standings in our season-long predictions contest. Stephen's overall record of 48-21-1 is two better than Jamie DeMoney and Leland Gordon and five clear of Colin Ward-Henninger and Kevin Askeland.



Here's a look at this week's Top 10 games along with predictions by MaxPreps staff writers and contributors Mitch Stephens, Stephen Spiewak, Kevin Askeland, Leland Gordon, Colin Ward-Henninger and Jamie DeMoney.

Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills, Calif.) at Folsom (Calif.)

What to watch: Unbeaten Oak Ridge attempting to end a six-game losing streak against Folsom and, in the process, knock the Bulldogs out of the national rankings. To get that done Friday, the Trojans must somehow find ways to mitigate Folsom's prolific passing game. Junior quarterback Jake Browning already has 1,986 passing yards and 30 touchdowns. He had an eye-popping 5,248 yards and 63 scores last year. One plausible strategy for Oak Ridge is to employ a game of keep-away using its running game. Led by Air Force-committed fullback Tanner Hughes (6-foot-1, 220 pounds), the Trojans are averaging 122 rushing yards per game.

Just the facts: Folsom has won at least 11 games and totaled more than 4,000 passing yards every season since 2009. … Oak Ridge went 12-2 last year but lost in the Division I Sac-Joaquin Section championship game to eventual state champion Granite Bay. The Trojans' last section championship was in 2004.

Mitch Stephens: Folsom 42, Oak Ridge 35
Kevin Askeland: Folsom 56, Oak Ridge 24
Jamie DeMoney: Folsom 49, Oak Ridge 28
Stephen Spiewak: Folsom 38, Oak Ridge 20
Leland Gordon: Folsom 34, Oak Ridge 27
Colin Ward-Henninger: Folsom 35, Oak Ridge 21
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Mansfield Timberview (Arlington, Texas) at DeSoto (Texas)

What to watch: Another a tough test for DeSoto – on paper, at least. So far, the Eagles have shrugged off their schedule -- which statistically ranks as third-most difficult in Texas -- and won their first five game by an average margin of 40 points, propelling them into the No. 2 spot of the latest MaxPreps Xcellent 25. Fellow unbeaten Mansfield Timberview has a very good defense, but will it be stout enough to impede the DeSoto Express? The Wolves have surrendered only 10 points total the last three games and feature three BCS-level committed players on that side of the ball in Edward Paris (LSU), Brandon Simmons (Stanford) and Brandon Garner (North Texas).

Just the facts: DeSoto quarterback Desmon White has made regular weekly appearances in MaxPreps' National Football Player of the Year Watch this year. Through five games, the senior has 1,365 yards passing and 585 yards rushing with 20 total touchdowns despite sitting out much of the second half in the Eagles' five blowout wins. … Friday's game will be only the second meeting between these schools, who became District 7-5A rivals last year. The first matchup was a very one-sided 61-7 win for DeSoto.

Mitch Stephens: DeSoto 35, Mansfield Timberview 21
Kevin Askeland: DeSoto 42, Mansfield Timberview 20
Jamie DeMoney: DeSoto 42, Mansfield Timberview 17
Stephen Spiewak: DeSoto 50, Mansfield Timberview 28
Leland Gordon: DeSoto 28, Mansfield Timberview 17
Colin Ward-Henninger: DeSoto 42, Mansfield Timberview 21
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Sycamore (Cincinnati) at Colerain (Cincinnati)

What to watch: An upset alert for No. 19 Colerain Friday night at "The Cage." Although the Cardinals have eight consecutive wins in this series, Sycamore (5-1) presents a real challenge because of its hard-nosed defense that's allowing an average of only 187 total yards and 11 points per game. That said, going up against a Colerain offense averaging 466 yards – including 392 on the ground – will be by far the Avs' toughest test of the season. Offensively, Sycamore relies heavily upon senior quarterback Greg Simpson. He leads the team in passing and rushing yards and also has a 41.7-yard average as a punter.



Just the facts: Colerain has the top two leading rushers in the Greater Miami Conference. Senior quarterback Kelvin Cook has run for 829 yards and nine touchdowns, followed closely by senior running back De Tuan Smith with 809 yards and 10 touchdowns. … The leader of Sycamore's defense is senior linebacker Tinashe Bere. The 6-1, 225-pound Duke recruit has four sacks, four forced fumbles and an interception through six games.

Mitch Stephens: Colerain 35, Sycamore 21
Kevin Askeland: Colerain 38, Sycamore 18
Jamie DeMoney: Colerain 27, Sycamore 20
Stephen Spiewak: Colerain 38, Sycamore 14
Leland Gordon: Colerain 28, Sycamore 17
Colin Ward-Henninger: Colerain 35, Sycamore 14
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Stephenson (Stone Mountain, Ga.) at Tucker (Ga.)

What to watch: A No. 1-versus-No. 2 matchup pitting the top teams in the latest Class AAAAA state newspaper rankings. Friday night will be only the second time the teams have met since 2004. Stephenson won a tight battle, 13-6, last season. Another defensive struggle could be on tap this year. Stephenson (5-0) has given up only 32 points and Tucker (5-0) has allowed just 40. A productive outing from Stephenson running back Dallas Rivers (a Vanderbilt recruit) or a big play by Tucker linebacker Detric Dukes (Georgia) could help decide which team remains undefeated in Class AAAAA Region 6.

Just the facts: Stephenson has nine players in the Class of 2014 rated two stars or higher by 247Sports. Tucker has five. The teams produced a combined 45 FBS scholarship players for the classes of 2010-13. … Stephenson has won at least eight games every season since 2005. Tucker has won nine or more games every season since 2007.

Mitch Stephens: Stephenson 24, Tucker 21
Kevin Askeland: Stephenson 28, Tucker 27
Jamie DeMoney: Tucker 13, Stephenson 9
Stephen Spiewak: Stephenson 21, Tucker 20
Leland Gordon: Stephenson 18, Tucker 17
Colin Ward-Henninger: Tucker 17, Stephenson 14
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Hough (Cornelius, N.C.) at Mallard Creek (Charlotte, N.C.)

What to watch: Mallard Creek, ranked No. 1 in North Carolina by MaxPreps, is seeking its fourth-consecutive win against fellow unbeaten Hough on Friday night. A 28-3 loss last year is the closest Hough has come to beating the Mavericks so far. Senior Josh Stilley has been Hough's starter since the program played its inaugural season in 2010. The four-year starter led the Huskies to their highest-ever point total in last week's 73-0 rout of Robinson (Concord). Not to be outdone, Mallard Creek is fresh off a 69-0 beating of Hopewell (Huntersville) last week. In fact, the Mavericks have crushed their last four opponents by a combined score of 249-16.

Just the facts: Stilley threw a career-high six touchdown passes in Hough's 42-13 win over Hopewell on Sept. 27. … After the school opened in 2007, Mallard Creek went just 1-10 during its first two seasons but has compiled a record of 55-6 ever since.



Mitch Stephens: Mallard Creek 34, Hough 21
Kevin Askeland: Mallard Creek 50, Hough 35
Jamie DeMoney: Mallard Creek 38, Hough 20
Stephen Spiewak: Mallard Creek 31, Hough 17
Leland Gordon: Mallard Creek 52, Hough 35
Colin Ward-Henninger: Mallard Creek 27, Hough 20
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Washington (Massillon, Ohio) at Austintown-Fitch (Youngstown, Ohio)



What to watch: Austintown-Fitch's defense is shaping up to be one of the top units in Northeast Ohio. The Falcons (6-0) – ranked fourth in the latest Division I state media poll -- have back-to-back shutouts and have allowed only 33 points total this season. Massillon (6-0) is No. 1 in the Division II state poll. Divisional realignment has dropped the Tigers down a class after their long reign as an elite state power in Division I. Friday's game will be the 20th meeting in the series but only the second in the last decade. Massillon beat the Falcons, 34-14, a year ago to take a 14-5 lead in the all-time series.

Just the facts: Austintown-Fitch's top offensive weapon is running Darrin Hall. The 6-foot, 195-pound junior – rated a three-star recruit by 247 Sports -- is averaging more than 100 yards rushing per game. … Pro Football Hall of Fame coach Paul Brown is a Massillon grad and former head coach. He led the Tigers to an 80-8-2 record with six state championships from 1932-1940.

Mitch Stephens: Massillon 21, Austintown-Fitch 20
Kevin Askeland: Massillon 28, Austintown-Fitch 20
Jamie DeMoney: Austintown-Fitch 31, Massillon 21
Stephen Spiewak: Austintown-Fitch 28, Massillon 24
Leland Gordon: Austintown-Fitch 28, Massillon 22
Colin Ward-Henninger: Massillon 20, Austintown-Fitch 17
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Oak Grove (Hattiesburg, Miss.) at Meridian (Miss.)



What to watch: Oak Grove (6-0) trying to knock off a state-ranked team for the second-straight week. The Warriors, who are ranked No. 1 in Mississippi by MaxPreps, downed previously unbeaten Petal, 31-14, last Friday. Senior quarterback Kirk McCarty threw three touchdown passes, bringing his season total to 20. Meridian's only loss was against state-ranked South Panola (Batesville) on Sept. 6. The Wildcats feature a talented junior in Jamarius Smith at quarterback. He has 1,062 passing yards with 12 touchdowns and only one interception in six games.

Just the facts: Few – if any -- high school offensive coordinators are future members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but Oak Grove's is. Since the start of last season, the Warriors' OC position has belonged to former NFL quarterback Brett Favre. MaxPreps will have a profesional photographer there taking pictures … Friday night will mark the 16th time these teams have played in the last 10 seasons. Oak Grove won their lone meeting, 31-28, last year. But Meridian still has an 9-6 edge in games played since 2004.



Mitch Stephens: Meridian 28, Oak Grove 27
Kevin Askeland: Oak Grove 35, Meridian 32
Jamie DeMoney: Oak Grove 33, Meridian 28
Stephen Spiewak: Oak Grove 28, Meridian 21
Leland Gordon: Oak Grove 31, Meridian 27
Colin Ward-Henninger: Meridian 21, Oak Grove 20
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Westfield (Chantilly, Va.) at Centreville (Clifton, Va.)



What to watch: The latest renewal of a series between perennial Washington D.C. suburban powers that has been surprisingly lopsided in recent history. Westfield has won nine of the 10 games played since 2004. However, Centreville's lone win in that span came when it mattered most: a 27-24 victory that earned the Wildcats the AAA Concorde Region championship in 2011. Centreville (5-0) enters Friday night's game without having been tested sternly all season. The Wildcats' combined scoring so far is 244-30. On the other hand, Westfield (4-1) recovered nicely from a Week 3 loss to Lake Braddock (Burke). The Bulldogs crushed state-ranked Stone Bridge, 30-6, last Friday and shut out otherwise unbeaten Fairfax (41-0) the week before.

Just the facts: Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie quarterback Mike Glennon, who recently made his first NFL start, quarterbacked Westfield to the Class AAA Division 6 state championship in 2007. … Centreville is aiming for its first state championship since 2000. Two players off that team – Marcus Hamilton and Will Montgomery – later became NFL draft picks.

Mitch Stephens: Centreville 28, Westfield 21
Kevin Askeland: Westfield 40, Centreville 28
Jamie DeMoney: Centreville 28, Westfield 11
Stephen Spiewak: Centreville 17, Westfield 10
Leland Gordon: Centreville 42, Westfield 33
Colin Ward-Henninger: Centreville 24, Westfield 14
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Trinity Christian (Jacksonville, Fla.) at Godby (Tallahassee, Fla.)

What to watch: Friday's tilt between Trinity Christian – which is ranked No. 1 in this week's media state 3A rankings – and Godby – ranked No. 2 in the latest Class 5A poll – could be one of the best intersectional non-district games in Florida this season. Led by a trio of juniors ranked four stars or higher by 247 Sports (Kevin Toliver, Jeff Holland and Kendrick Norton), Trinity Christian's defense has surrendered only two touchdowns in five games. Godby (5-1) returned six starters on both sides of the ball from last year's Class 5A state championship team. Seniors Jacob Pugh (LB) and Stephen Gabbard (LS-TE) – who played last season at Leon (Tallahassee) -- have committed to Florida State. Defensive back De'Eric Culver is headed to Louisville.

Just the facts: Godby senior quarterback JT Bradwell ran for a season-high 125 yards and two touchdowns on only nine carries in a 53-12 rout of Wakulla (Crawfordsville) last week. … Trinity Christian running back Jalin Buie -- a sophomore who already has several BCS offers – has run for 694 yards on 81 carries (8.6 average) with six touchdowns this season.

Mitch Stephens: Godby 31, Trinity Christian 28
Kevin Askeland: Godby 35, Trinity Christian 14
Jamie DeMoney: Godby 27, Trinity Christian 21
Stephen Spiewak: Trinity Christian 20, Godby 17
Leland Gordon: Trinity Christian 21, Godby 20
Colin Ward-Henninger: Godby 35, Trinity Christian 20
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Bismarck (N.D.) at Century (Bismarck, N.D.)




What to watch: Crosstown rivals that are the consensus No. 1 and No. 2 teams in North Dakota's largest classification meeting Friday night at Bismarck Community Bowl. Top-ranked Bismarck (6-0) has won four of the last five Division AAA championships and enters the game with a 23-game winning streak. The Demons' most productive offensive weapon is emerging running back Ricardo Galindo. The junior ran for 410 yards and six touchdowns in a 56-49 in a road win over Fargo South on Sept. 27. Century (5-0) features one of the top receiving targets in the state in Tyler Rudolph. The 6-foot-5 senior was named all-state in basketball last season.

Just the facts: Bismarck has won six of the last seven games in this series. The Demons beat Century in the regular season and playoffs in both 2011 and 2012. … There is one player each from Bismarck High and Century on the current roster of North Dakota State, a team that has won back-to-back FCS national championships.

Mitch Stephens: Bismarck 21, Century 20
Kevin Askeland: Bismarck 28, Century 20
Jamie DeMoney: Century 34, Bismarck 31
Stephen Spiewak: Bismarck 28, Century 21
Leland Gordon: Bismarck 21, Century 14
Colin Ward-Henninger: Bismarck 24, Century 21

Jamie DeMoney is in his 20th season covering high school sports and recruiting. He is a Regional Content Manager and Product Specialist for XOS Digital and compiles the National Prep Poll for World Features Syndicate.