Ten Colorado high school football games to watch for October

The top five teams in the conference have a combined record of 27-3, and three of them are a perfect 6-0. Four of them are ranked in the top seven in the most recent CHSAANow.com 5A poll, led by top-ranked Cherry Creek (Greenwood Village).

Class 5A
• Grandview (5-1) at Cherokee Trail (6-0), 7 p.m., Oct. 5, Legacy Stadium
One of several big Metro East games in October, this one pits Grandview against a Cherokee Trail team that has its most victories since 2013.
Grandview had allowed a combined 17 points over its three previous games before giving up 36 to Eaglecrest. The Wolves are getting the job done offensively on the ground once again, averaging 272 yards a game. Jordan Billingsley has 854 yards and 10 scores, and Noah Schmidt has eight rushing scores. The defense has 17 sacks and 10 turnovers.
• Cherry Creek (6-0) at Eaglecrest (6-0), 7 p.m., Oct. 12, Legacy Stadium
The Bruins have had their share of blowout victories and close calls (including a 35-34 overtime victory over No. 5 Pomona (Arvada) on Sept. 13). Senior quarterback Alex Padilla has been sensational, averaging nearly 183 yards per game and 16 touchdowns to just one interception. Senior Alec Pell leads an aggressive defense with four sacks.
• Pomona (4-2) at Columbine (6-0), 7 p.m., Oct. 19, Jeffco Stadium
Old Jeffco rivalries are renewed as Columbine and Pomona meet in the regular season for the first time since 2015.
It's no surprise that the third-ranked Rebels are off to another strong start. Columbine has scored at least 41 points in each of its previous four games, including a resounding 42-13 thumping of Mullen (Denver) in the Metro West Conference opener last weekend. The team is averaging more than 300 yards rushing a game, paced by Tanner Hollens' 614 yards and nine touchdowns. Nine players have at least one rushing score, and the defense has accumulated 29 sacks – Cole Parrott leads the way with 7.5.
Pomona's two losses came to 5A's top two teams by a combined nine points in back-to-back weeks. The Panthers responded by routing Highlands Ranch and Lakewood, and a balanced offense is averaging 200 passing yards and nearly 250 rushing yards a game. Senior Riley Welch has eight touchdown passes in three games since taking over signal-calling duties.
Both teams still have eighth-ranked Ralston Valley (Arvada) (5-1) on the schedule this month as well.

Class 4A
• Montrose (5-0) at Heritage (Littleton) (5-0), 6 p.m., Oct. 5, Littleton Public Stadium
Only three teams in 4A enter this week with perfect records, but that will change after Friday night with third-ranked Montrose traveling across the state to meet No. 5 Heritage in the Metro League opener.
Montrose seems rejuvenated after going a combined 17-13 over the previous three seasons. The Indians defeated three ranked teams already in 4A's Fruita Monument and 3A's Palisade and Durango, but this is the team's first game away from the Western Slope this fall.
Heritage was only 2-8 a year ago, but the Eagles have rolled through the first half of their schedule. Quarterback Conner Cummiskey has 11 touchdown passes and Gianni Palazzo has rushed for seven scores. This will be the team's first big test since a 28-24 victory over Arapahoe in a rivalry game Sept. 7.
Seventh-ranked Ponderosa (Parker) goes back-to-back with both teams to end October and start November.

Class 3A
• Discovery Canyon (Colorado Springs) (5-0) at Thomas Jefferson (Denver) (5-0), 7 p.m., Oct. 12, All-City Field
Another battle of unbeatens is set for the second week of October as second-ranked Discovery Canyon visits Thomas Jefferson in a 3A Central League that also includes defending state champion and third-ranked Palmer Ridge (Monument). The Bears face Thomas Jefferson on Oct. 19 and close the regular season with Discovery Canyon in early November.
Discovery Canyon has poured on the offense in recent weeks, putting up 42 points against Pueblo South and then going for 52 points in back-to-back weeks against No. 7 Holy Family (Broomfield) and No. 8 Pueblo East. The ground game is getting the job done for the Thunder to the tune of 369 yards a game and 25 touchdowns. Junior Marshall Pike has 719 of those yards and eight touchdowns.
Thomas Jefferson has outscored its past two opponents 104-18 heading into its league opener against Lewis-Palmer (Monument). Junior Daveon Hunter anchors a ground game that averages more than 200 yards a game, and the defense recorded 15 turnovers in four of its five games.

Class 2A
• Basalt (5-0) at Rifle (5-0), 7 p.m., Oct. 19
The 2A Western Slope League got that much tougher with the addition of Rifle for 2018, and the third-ranked Bears are off to a strong start. A victory over No. 10 Delta this week would put Rifle in prime position for a big showdown Oct. 19 against sixth-ranked Basalt.
The Longhorns have already notched three shutouts this fall and have allowed only 19 points overall. Senior Jake Reardon is getting the job done offensively at 141 rushing yards a game and eight touchdowns. Reardon also has a team-leading six fumble recoveries and an interception.
• Bayfield (4-1) at Salida (5-0), 7 p.m., Oct. 26
The 2A Intermountain League could come down to the final week of the regular season, with defending champion and fourth-ranked Bayfield visiting No. 7 Salida.
Bayfield's only loss this season came to 3A's No. 9 Durango. The Wolverines bounced back with a 30-6 league triumph over Alamosa last weekend thanks to 224 yards on the ground and four rushing touchdowns. Senior David Hawkins has helped pace a punishing running game with 577 yards and five scores. Senior Isaac Lorenzen leads the team with eight sacks.
Salida, save for a 28-22 victory over No. 10 Delta in early September, has allowed only two touchdowns in its other four games. Senior Vince Deleo leads the Spartans with 554 yards on the ground and 11 scores, and the team's defense has recovered eight fumbles.

Class 1A
• Limon (5-0) at Burlington (4-1), 7 p.m., Oct. 12
These two teams have combined for 26 state championships, but none since 2011. Both squads are hoping to change that this fall, and will square off in a big North Central League contest Oct. 12.
Top-ranked Limon has allowed more than seven points only once this season, and two weeks ago knocked off defending state champion Strasburg. Senior Cannan Bennett has six touchdowns passes and four rushing scores for the Badgers, and the defense has forced 13 turnovers.
Fifth-ranked Burlington's only loss came to Strasburg in the season opener by a touchdown. The Cougars, who face undefeated and ninth-ranked Holyoke on Friday, are coming off a hard-fought 19-8 victory over No. 8 Wray last weekend.

Class A 8-Man
• Mancos (5-0) at Sanford (5-0), 6 p.m., Oct. 5
The Mountain League is tightly contested at the moment, but either fifth-ranked Mancos or No. 6 Sanford will get a leg up after this weekend.
The Bluejays are 3-0 in Mountain play, but will get a stiff test from Sanford. Senior Chance Garcia has sparked a running game that averages 291 yards a game, with Garcia rushing for 781 yards and 11 touchdowns through five games.
One more victory will give Sanford its most victories since the 2013 season. The Indians won only two games in 2017, but the defense has been stalwart with three shutouts over the previous four games.

Class A 6-Man
• Stratton/Liberty (5-0) at Kit Carson (5-0), 7 p.m., Oct. 26
Two of the three undefeated teams left in 6-man go toe-to-toe to close out the regular season.
Stratton/Liberty is averaging nearly 67 points through five games, including a 77-6 belting of No. 3 Otis two weeks ago. A ground game that averages 330 yards a contest is led by sophomore Jaret Lichty (615 yards and 11 TDs) and senior Ethan Richmond (583 yards, 10 TDs). Tyson Lichty has thrown nine touchdown passes as well. The Knighted Eagles still have to get past two ranked teams in Granada and Arickaree/Woodlin before setting their sights on Kit Carson.
Speaking of the Wildcats, they are averaging 63 points a game and have allowed only 20 points in five contests. Junior Cordell Farmer leads the team in sacks, and freshman Daniel Arnold has three interceptions. Arnold also leads the teams in rushing touchdowns.
The other undefeated team is Mountain Valley (Saguache, Colo.) and they face a very tough Manzanola (Manzanola, Colo.) squad who comes in 4-1 on Oct. 5. This matchup features the No. 3 and No. 4 teams in Class A 6-man football.