There is quite the bevy of games this week across the DFW high school football landscape. We're not going to make predictions, but more talk about what makes the matchup intriguing.
#9 Humble Atascocita vs. #6 Allen
This should be a barn-burner as both teams like to score. Allen put up 49 last week in a season-opening win over rival Plano East while this is the first game for Humble Atascocita. Despite winning by 23, it took Allen a bit to get going and that could be a problem against a high-powered Atascocita team. Allen doesn't lose at home and it fended off a couple of tough early-season challengers a year ago in Cedar Hill and Dickinson.
#12 Converse Judson vs. #10 Desoto
Another 6A-state ranked matchup is a battle of long-time juggernauts. This is the opener for both teams, so it'll be interesting to see how the delayed start will impact each team. This game looks to be the definition of a slugfest as both like to hit their opponents hard and hit them often.
No. 15 Cedar Hill vs. No. 22 Arlington
The third, 6A-ranked matchup of the night pits two teams with dynamic quarterbacks - Kaidon Salter for Cedar Hill; Kris Sim for Alrington. Arlington dominated Mansfield last week in a 30-point win but will face quite the test in against Cedar Hill. For Cedar Hill, it will need the Salter that electrified the team in the first half against Arlington Martin in the playoffs last year, not the one that folded when the momentum shifted drastically in the second half.
#1 Denton Ryan vs. #5 Denton Guyer
The amount of talent in the Denton area is phenomenal, and the majority of that will be on display as No. 1-ranked 5A DI team, Denton Ryan, meets its cross-town rival Denton Guyer, which is ranked No. 5 in 6A. Both Ryan and Guyer systematically dominated their respective opponents last week and the expectations for how these teams finish this year are incredibly high. Collins Athletic Complex in Denton will be loud - even at limited capacity - and should not disappoint with Power 5 D1 talent on both rosters.
#7 Frisco Lone Star vs. #2 Aledo
Polar opposite debuts for these teams as No. 7 Lone Star (5A DI) fell in its opener to North Forney while No. 2 Aledo (5A DII) completely annihilated Weatherford. Had this game taken place last year, it would definitely have a lot more attention, but it should still be interesting. How does Lone Star bounce back after a stunning loss? Does Aledo play complacent after dominating its cross-county rival?
#7 Melissa vs. #1 Argyle
The marquee matchup in 4A Division I pits two teams that have played four times, though Melissa owns a 5-0 record because of last week's forfeit from Paris. Argyle is dominating on both sides of the ball and are a clear-cut favorite for the state title, especially after its big win over Waco La Vega two weeks ago. Melissa is a surprise team right now, so it'll be interesting how much it can hang with Argyle.
#2 Duncanville vs. Dallas South Oak Cliff
It's the season-opener for both teams as 6A No. 2 Duncanville begins its quest for third straight appearance in the state championship. The defense is not the question for Duncanville. That would be at quarterback as it lost its two-year starter to graduation and his heir apparent transferred to Red Oak. South Oak Cliff is a bit down this year but always has a bunch of skill athletes all over the field, so a big test against a state powerhouse will show where the Golden Bears are early on.
Rockwall-Heath vs. #7 Southlake Carroll
We didn't quite know what Rockwall-Heath was entering the 2020 season, and in last week's game against Lewisville we found out they are a high-flying team. Rockwall-Heath put up 72 points on Lewisville but gave up more than 600 yards, defensively. Southlake Carroll has a 5-star QB and is opening the game at home. Can Rockwall-Heath keep up with Carroll or will it force Carroll to have to play at that similar pace. It could easily be another game where 124 yards are put on the board.
2020 PROGNOSTICATION SEASON
It was a solid Week 5 for me, going 10-2 in my picks, which brought my record to 43-8 on the year. I was way wrong on Grapevine against Colleyville Heritage and Byron Nelson over Mansfield Legacy. The inconsistency of games each week, unfortunately, has to do with the ever-changing landscape of the season due to COVID.
Week 1: 8-2
Week 2: 9-1 (9-2; adding the Lake Worth-Sanger preview)
Week 3: 10-0
Week 4: 6-2
Week 5: 10-2
Week 6 Picks:
Denton Ryan over Denton Guyer
Euless Trinity over Prosper
Arlington Bowie over Mansfield
Northwest Eaton over Mansfield Legacy
Nolan Catholic over Midland Christian
Southlake Carroll over Rockwall-Heath
Braswell over Keller
Cedar Hill over Arlington
Argyle over Melissa
Colleyville Covenant over Lubbock Trinity
Frisco Memorial over Hallsville (not in Star-Telegram, but picking because I am covering it for the Dallas Morning News)
Picks can be seen here at the Star-Telegram.