The final MaxPreps Top 10 Games of the Week for what's been a topsy-turvy September leads off with a wild-west shootout between last year's California Open Division state titlist and the five-time defending state champ from Nevada.
No. 4 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) will be the sixth-consecutive out-of-state opponent for No. 5 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) in this nationally televised tilt. In a month that has already seen three different No. 1 teams in the
MaxPreps Xcellent 25 National Football Rankings, Friday night's winner is likely to remain very much in the national title hunt as we head into October.
Other action involving ranked teams this weekend includes top-ranked Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.) traveling more than 1,100 miles south to play Central (Fort Pierce, Fla.) as well as a NorCal-versus-SoCal matchup between No. 6 De La Salle (Concord) and preseason Xcellent 25 squad Servite (Anaheim).
There is a now a three-way tie atop the leaderboard in our season-long predictions contest. Jamie DeMoney, Stephen Spiewak and Leland Gordon are knotted up with matching 34-16 records through the first five weeks. Kevin Askeland currently owns fourth place, only one game behind the leaders. Coming off a 9-1 week, Mitch Stephens is in fifth place but just two games off the pace.
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.
MaxPreps Top 10 Games of the Week
The top game of the week features the best teams from California and Nevada last season battling it out on national TV.
Photos by Heston Quan/Jann Hendry
Another big out-of-state game for Bishop Gorman, this one with possible national championship implications. The Gaels (5-0) already picked up wins over former Top 25 team Servite (Anaheim, Calif.) and current No. 22 Bingham (South Jordan, Utah) prior to last week's 41-10 blowout of previously unbeaten Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.). Bishop Gorman tailback
Russell Booze ran for 170 yards and two touchdowns on only 12 carries. It was the uncommitted senior's fourth-straight 100-yard rushing game. St. John Bosco (3-0) had a bye last week, allowing for extra preparation time for its trip to Las Vegas. The Braves' last contest was a resounding 42-14 win over defending Oregon 6A champion Central Catholic (Portland) on Sept. 12. Although UCLA-bound senior quarterback
Josh Rosen was held without a passing touchdown for the first time since his sophomore season, he did have two rushing scores in the game.
Follow live scoring of this game on QwixcoreJust the facts: Bishop Gorman's win over Santa Margarita was its 11th in 13 games against California teams since 2004. … When St. John Bosco beat Central Catholic, it improved the Braves' record versus out-of-state opponents to 5-0 since 2008.
Mitch Stephens: Bishop Gorman 28, St. John Bosco 27
Kevin Askeland: St. John Bosco 35, Bishop Gorman 34
Jamie DeMoney: St. John Bosco 33, Bishop Gorman 27
Stephen Spiewak: Bishop Gorman 35, St. John Bosco 34
Leland Gordon: St. John Bosco 34, Bishop Gorman 28
Colin Ward-Henninger: Bishop Gorman 42, St. John Bosco 35
