MaxPreps Top 10 Football Games of the Week

The national rankings picture – both human and computer versions – will be impacted with the outcomes of the MaxPreps Top 10 Football Games of the Week. Key playoff games and state championships are on the line for seven teams included this week in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 presented by the Army National Guard and eight squads listed in the computer-generated MaxPreps Freeman Rankings' Top 25.

The highest-rated team in the Xcellent 25 vying for a state championship this weekend is No. 2 South Panola (Batesville, Miss.). The Tigers play Friday night for their seventh title in eight years. Their opponent is Meridian, the only Mississippi team to defeat them since 2002. In the computer rankings, No. 2 Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.) is the highest-rated team with a state championship at stake. The Ironmen look to finish their fifth consecutive season without a loss to an in-state opponent when they play Bergen Catholic for the Non-Public Group 4 title Friday at New Meadowlands Stadium.

Season-long prediction leader Stephen Spiewak went 7-3 last week and neither gave up ground nor widened his lead over second-place contender MaxPreps Projections. His 108-42 record is one game better than the two-time defending predictions champion and 10 ahead of Jamie DeMoney in third place. You can track the season-long standings and all the weekly results here.

Here's a look at this week's Top 10 games of the week along with predictions from MaxPreps staff writers and contributors Mitch Stephens, Steve Montoya, Stephen Spiewak, Kevin Askeland, Jamie DeMoney and projections for the games by the MaxPreps computer rankings:



Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.) vs. Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.), Friday
The Non-Public Group 4 championship game is a rematch of an early October game won 38-18 by Don Bosco Prep. The 20-point margin was the closest win of the season for the Ironmen, who have 34 consecutive wins overall and are unbeaten versus New Jersey opponents since 2005. They own four straight group championships and are in the championship game for the ninth straight year. This year's team, currently ranked 11th nationally in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25, has great balance and starpower. Pittsburgh recruit Gary Nova has passed for 1,579 yards with 18 touchdowns and only two interceptions. Senior Paul Canevari has run for 1,498 yards and 27 touchdowns while junior Leonte Carroo is nearing the 1,000-yard mark in receiving with 14 scores. On defense, the leader is junior lineman Darius Hamilton, who is the son of former New York Giants tackle Keith Hamilton.

Video of Gary Nova

It might take a near perfect effort, but if any team in New Jersey has the firepower to knock off defending national champion Don Bosco Prep it might be Bergen Catholic (10-1). Under first-year coach Nunzio Campanile – the former offensive coordinator at Don Bosco Prep – the Crusaders are averaging more than 43 points and scored in the 60s their last two games. Quarterback Tanner McEvoy, a 6-foot-5 senior, has 1,987 passing yards and 1,074 yards on the ground with 42 total touchdowns in only 10 games. His top receiving target is Cameron Dickerson. The 6-3 Northwestern recruit has more than 600 receiving yards and averages a touchdown every four times he catches the ball. A win Friday would give Bergen Catholic its first group championship since 2004, when its opponent was also Don Bosco Prep.

Click here to view MaxPreps' New Jersey football playoff brackets

Mitch Stephens:  Don Bosco 28, Bergen Catholic 21
Steve Montoya: Don Bosco 21, Bergen Catholic 7
Stephen Spiewak: Don Bosco 35, Bergen Catholic 21
Kevin Askeland: Don Bosco 48, Bergen Catholic 28
Jamie DeMoney: Don Bosco 42, Bergen Catholic 24
MaxPreps Projection: Don Bosco 35, Bergen Catholic 21

Hoover (Ala.) vs. Daphne (Ala.), Friday
Hoover dominated Alabama Class 6A football last decade and is carrying that over into the 2010s. The Bucs, in their ninth championship game since 2000, are 14-0 and ranked 10th in this week's MaxPreps Xcellent 25. This game – which is the fourth meeting between the teams for a state championship – will be played at Auburn's Jordan-Hare Stadium. That is the future home of Hoover receiver Jaylon Denson, who has 63 catches for more than 1,000 yards in his senior season.

Daphne (14-0) is in the state championship round for the first time since 2005, when it was beaten badly by Hoover, 56-14. The Trojans have played their best ball of the season when it matters the most. They hammered a talented Davidson squad, 47-14, in last week' semifinals. Quarterback Russ Mosley connected on five touchdown passes to four different receivers.

Click here to view MaxPreps' Alabama football playoff brackets



Mitch Stephens:  Hoover 21, Daphne 20
Steve Montoya: Hoover 17, Daphne 7
Stephen Spiewak: Hoover 21, Daphne 17
Kevin Askeland: Hoover 28, Daphne 21
Jamie DeMoney: Hoover 31, Daphne 14
MaxPreps Projection: Hoover 28, Daphne 21

Cocoa (Fla.) at Madison County (Madison, Fla.), Friday
Cocoa has back-to-back state titles and owns Florida's longest winning streak (36 games), but will have its hands full against Madison County in what could be a low-scoring slugfest. Cocoa's defense continues to be one of the strongest units in the state, allowing less than six points per game. But the Tigers have struggled on offense, scoring only 14 points in each of their last two games. Rutgers-bound running back Chevelle Buie was held to less than 100 rushing yards for the second straight time in a 14-7 quarterfinals win over Bishop Moore last week.

Video of Chevelle Buie

A win Friday would spring Madison County (12-0) into the state finals for the first time since 2007, when it last won the 2A championship. The Cowboys haven't allowed more than one touchdown in five consecutive games. Last week, they outgained Godby 370-25 on the ground end route to a 26-0 victory.

Click here to view MaxPreps' Florida football playoff brackets

Mitch Stephens: Madison County 21, Cocoa 20
Steve Montoya: Cocoa 28, Madison County 21
Stephen Spiewak: Madison County 21, Cocoa 14
Kevin Askeland: Cocoa 14, Madison County 7
Jamie DeMoney: Madison County 23, Cocoa 14
MaxPreps Projection: Madison County 20, Cocoa 17

South Panola (Batesville, Miss.) vs. Meridian (Miss.), Friday
Only an overtime loss to Meridian in the 2008 Class 5A championship game stands between South Panola and virtual perfection in Mississippi high school football terms for the better part of the last decade. That was the Tigers' only defeat to an in-state opponent since 2002 and only their second loss overall during the time period.

Complacency has probably been South Panola's toughest challenger through 14 games this season. The Tigers, ranked No. 2 in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25, have defeated all but one opponent by at least 30 points. After a somewhat shaky 24-13 win over Olive Branch in the quarterfinals, they roared back with a 43-7 drubbing of a talented Madison Central team last week. Senior running back Qyendairs Griffin has made a strong case for National Player of the Year accolades, rushing for 2,447 yards and 37 touchdowns.



Video of Qyendairs Griffin

For Meridian, the name of the game has been defense. The Wildcats allowed merely seven points total in three previous playoff games and just more than a touchdown per game during the regular season.

Click here to view MaxPreps' Mississippi football playoff brackets

Mitch Stephens: South Panola 38, Meridian 28
Steve Montoya: South Panola 35, Meridian 21
Stephen Spiewak: South Panola 41, Meridian 28
Kevin Askeland: South Panola 28, Meridian 14
Jamie DeMoney: South Panola 28, Meridian 0
MaxPreps Projection: South Panola 35, Meridian 13

Coppell (Texas) vs. Trinity (Euless, Texas), Friday
This is already the deepest run in the playoffs for Coppell since it became a 5A program in 2000. Now, the Cowboys can do something even more historic by knocking off the defending state champion and nation's No. 1-ranked team in a quarterfinal game at Southlake Carroll.

Coppell (13-0) has two of the top offensive players in the state in senior quarterback Joe Minden and classmate Cam Mcdaniel at running back. Minden had 295 passing yards and four touchdowns in the first half of the Cowboys' 49-7 rout of Midland last week. McDaniel – who committed to Notre Dame earlier this week – ran for two touchdowns and 142 yards, bringing his season totals to 31 and 1,859.

Click here to view MaxPreps' Texas football playoff brackets



Meanwhile, Trinity (13-0) features a two-headed rushing attack with seniors Terrence Tusan and Tevin Williams combining for more than 2,200 yards and 34 touchdowns this year. But it was senior quarterback/receiver Brandon Carter who did most of the damage on the ground last week. The Oklahoma recruit ran for 184 yards on just 11 carries and scored two touchdowns, including a 70-yarder that helped break open the Trojans' 42-21 win over Martin.

Video of Terrence Tusan

Mitch Stephens: Trinity 42, Coppell 28
Steve Montoya: Coppell 31, Trinity 28
Stephen Spiewak: Trinity 17, Coppell 7
Kevin Askeland: Trinity 45, Coppell 12
Jamie DeMoney: Trinity 48, Coppell 40
MaxPreps Projection: Trinity 28, Coppell 27

Jenks (Okla.) vs. Union (Tulsa, Okla.), Friday
A child born after 1995 hasn't lived long enough to see any team win the Oklahoma 6A championship other than one of these backyard rivals. Jenks has captured the title nine times during that period while Union has won it five times, including the last two. It's the fourth consecutive year – and eighth time since 1998 – the teams have played each other in the state championship game. This contest will be played at Oklahoma State's Boone Pickens Stadium.

Jenks has more or less dominated every opponent it's faced this season – including Union, which lost to the Trojans, 33-7, in week two. Only one team has managed to stay within 20 points (Broken Arrow lost 23-7 on Oct. 29) and Jenks' average margin of victory is 44. The Trojans have more than 3,300 rushing yards as a team and senior quarterback Sawyer Kollmorgen has passed for nearly 2,500 yards. To have a chance for an upset, Union must make big, game-changing plays on defense and control the ball on offense with a running game led by Jalen Hearron. The 5-foot-7 senior eclipsed 100 yards for the third consecutive game in the Redskins' 48-41 overtime win over Lawton in last week's semifinals.

Click here to view MaxPreps' Oklahoma football playoff brackets

Mitch Stephens: Jenks 35, Union 21
Steve Montoya: Jenks 28, Union 14
Stephen Spiewak: Jenks 42, Union 30
Kevin Askeland: Jenks 50, Union 35
Jamie DeMoney: Jenks 49, Union 21
MaxPreps Projection: Jenks 38, Union 28

Folsom (Calif.) vs. Grant (Sacramento, Calif.), Friday
The CIF Division II Sac-Joaquin Section championship game is also a rematch. These teams met in an August season-opener, which nationally ranked Grant won by the much wider-than-expected margin of 49-14. In order for Folsom (12-1) to reverse that outcome, it will likely need another big game from quarterback Dano Graves. The senior has nearly 3,200 passing yards and 55 touchdowns this season, but will be less than 100 percent after straining knee ligaments during a 55-20 win over Buhach Colony last week.

Video of Dano Graves



Grant, 13-0 and ranked No. 8 in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25, has injury concerns of its own. Junior Shaq Thompson – who leads the team with more than 1,700 rushing yards and is the Pacers' top defensive back – sprained his ankle in a 20-11 win over St. Mary's (Stockton) last week. Expect plenty of scoring in this one. Both teams are averaging more than 50 points per game this season.

Mitch Stephens' preview on this game

Click here to view MaxPreps' California football playoff brackets

Mitch Stephens: Grant 22, Folsom 21
Steve Montoya: Grant 27, Folsom 20
Stephen Spiewak: Grant 28, Folsom 17
Kevin Askeland: Grant 40, Folsom 20
Jamie DeMoney: Grant 37, Folsom 30
MaxPreps Projection: Grant 35, Folsom 28

Hermitage (Richmond, Va.) vs. Bayside (Virginia Beach, Va.), Saturday
Hermitage (12-0) hopes to become the second consecutive Richmond-area team to win the Division 6 state title, but first it must get past Bayside in the state semifinals. Curtis Grant, MaxPreps' No. 1-rated inside linebacker, came up huge in the Panthers' 17-14 region championship win over Bird last week. He recovered a fumble in the end zone for what was the game-winning touchdown with less than four minutes left to play.

Video of Curtis Grant

While Hermitage gritted out a low-scoring win last week, Bayside's surprising 42-40 win against three-time defending Eastern Region champion Oscar Smith was anything but a defensive battle. Highly touted senior receiver Demetrious Nicholson had three touchdown grabs to lead the Marlins, who won their first regional championship since 1992.

Click here to view MaxPreps' Virginia football playoff brackets



Mitch Stephens: Bayside 35, Hermitage 28
Steve Montoya: Bayside 41, Hermitage 35
Stephen Spiewak: Bayside 28, Hermitage 24
Kevin Askeland: Bayside 27, Hermitage 24
Jamie DeMoney: Hermitage 23, Bayside 21
MaxPreps Projection: Hermitage 21, Bayside 20

Mullen (Denver) vs. Regis Jesuit (Aurora, Colo.), Saturday
No. 23 Mullen can capture its third consecutive 5A title and fourth in seven years with a win over fellow unbeaten Regis Jesuit at Invesco Field. While Regis Jesuit is having its best season in many years, it would be hard to pick against a Mullen team that has won 32 consecutive games including 13 by shutout. The Mustangs have almost an embarrassment of wealth when it comes to college talent. There are at least seven seniors – and several more underclassmen – who are likely to sign with Division I colleges. Senior tailback Adonis Ameen Moore scored four touchdowns in Mullen's 41-7 rout of Grandview in last week's semifinals. It was coach Dave Logan's 100th win in 109 games at the school.

This is just the second time Regis Jesuit has reached a state championship game and first since 1982. The Raiders (13-0) survived back-to-back nailbiters over Grand Junction and Cherokee Trail to make it this far. They have one of the state's top offensive players in senior receiver Casey Young. The North Dakota commit had caught a touchdown pass and ran for a score in last week's 21-20 win in the semifinals.

Click here to view MaxPreps' Colorado football playoff brackets

Mitch Stephens:  Mullen 28, Regis Jesuit 24
Steve Montoya: Regis Jesuit 21, Mullen 20
Stephen Spiewak: Mullen 35, Regis Jesuit 21
Kevin Askeland: Mullen 35, Regis Jesuit 12
Jamie DeMoney: Mullen 35, Regis Jesuit 7
MaxPreps Projection: Mullen 28, Regis Jesuit 19

Alemany (Mission Hills, Calif.) at Servite (Anaheim, Calif.), Saturday
Alemany started the year outside the state rankings and has flown under the radar for much of the season. That would change in a big way if the undefeated Warriors knock off defending champion Servite in the CIF Southern Section Pac-5 semifinals. Key to Alemany's rise has been the play of quarterback Vernon Adams. The senior has thrown for more than 2,600 yards and ran for more than 700 this season. He passed for two touchdowns and ran for another in a 42-21 quarterfinals win over Lakewood last week.

Servite, 12-0 and ranked No. 21 in the Xcellent 25, has found an extra gear on offense in recent weeks. Senior Malik Felton has excelled since moving to running back mid-way through the season. He had 195 rushing yards and three touchdowns in last week's 40-16 blowout of Crespi. Defensively, Servite remains one of the toughest units in the state, allowing fewer than 11 points per game this season.



Mitch Stephens: Servite 28, Alemany 21
Steve Montoya: Servite 31, Alemany 17
Stephen Spiewak: Servite 17, Alemany 10
Kevin Askeland: Servite 35, Alemany 14
Jamie DeMoney: Alemany 24, Servite 16
MaxPreps Projection: Servite 26, Alemany 17

MaxPreps contributor Jamie DeMoney has covered high school sports and recruiting for more than 15 years. He is editor and founder of PrepNation.com. You can reach him at PrepNation@aol.com.