This crazy 2020 season continues as weather and COVID has cancelled more games and schedules are continuously being reshuffled across the state, including some high-profile matchups.
Still, there are plenty of great games across the area that are definitely worth taking note. We take look at six of the biggest games on Thursday night and the biggest questions.
#7 Southlake Carroll vs. #13 Rockwall
Offense. Offense. Offense. Rockwall will be the place to be to watch two of the best high school quarterbacks in the state, if not the nation. Carroll's Quinn Ewers and Rockwall's Braedyn Locke are dynamic passers with strong arms, quick wits and high trust in their receivers. Carroll put up 72 in its lone game of the season. Rockwall threw up 60 in a win over Jesuit last week. Points will be plentiful, and this could be decided on the game's last possession.
#4 Wichita Falls Rider vs. Midlothian
It's a battle of 2-0 teams as Rider has been moving steadily up the 5A Division II rankings after a 7-point win over Friscc Independence last week. Midlothian has put up 49 points in both of its wins this season, although against some subpar competition. Still the defense has only given up 30 points on the year and will need that defense to try to slow down a strong Rider team.
Hebron vs. Northwest Eaton
Hebron enters this contest not having played in two weeks after a 23-point loss to Denton Guyer. Eaton is 2-0 with wins over Boswell and Mansfield Legacy. Both teams entered 2020 having graduated a lot from playoff teams a year ago, so the early season schedule provides some idea as to how the new faces will do with significant playing time. Both teams could be playoff bound this year again, so this matchup provides a good test for both squads to see where they really stand.
You can catch the game on our network here: Hebron vs Eaton
Frisco Heritage vs. #10 Frisco Lone Star
Lone Star is one of three teams in 5A or 6A that are ranked despite being winless. Both of those losses have been close, losing last week in a back-and-forth matchup with #2 Aledo. That followed a 3-point loss to North Forney as its comeback bid fell just short. On the flip side, Heritage is 2-0 after only having won 5 games the past two seasons. Those wins came against new program Prosper Rock Hill and Saginaw. This matchup will serve as to see if each team will return to as expected or if 2020 is truly going to be that wild.
Denton Braswell vs. Richardson Pearce
Braswell picked up the program's first win as a 6A school with an overtime thriller last week against Keller. Quarterback Tristan McClary is leading the area in passing yards and has 10 touchdowns to zero interceptions on the year. Pearce enters 0-2 and managed just 7 points last week against Wakeland. Can Braswell ride that big-time momentum and get another win as a big-time favorite or will Pearce find some rhythm and pick up a win before district play starts next week.
McKinney vs. Skyline
After a pushback to the start of the regular season and more cancellations because of COVID, Dallas Skyline begins its season against and upstart McKinney team - a team that rode some crazy momentum into the playoffs last year and won a wild season-opening game against Plano. McKinney did lose last week to Marcus, so it's looking for a bounceback win this week. Will the long delay to the start of the season benefit Skyline or will it have some rust to knock off?
2020 PROGNOSTICATION SEASON
Another great week for me last week, going 11-1 with the lone loss being Euless Trinity falling at home to Prosper. My goal was to be better than the 74.67% last year, which meant being at least 75% correct on picks. As you can see below, I'm well on my way.
Overall: 54-9 (85.7%)
Week 1: 8-2
Week 2: 9-2
Week 3: 10-0
Week 4: 6-2
Week 5: 10-2
Week 6: 11-1
Week 7 Picks (combines Star-Telegram picks and Dallas Morning News assignments)
Ennis over Waxahachie
Allen over Cedar Hill
Southlake Carroll over Rockwall
IMG Academy over Duncanville
Richland over Keller Timber Creek
Highland Park over Coppell
Weatherford over Cleburne
Arlington Lamar over Lewisville
Hebron over Eaton
Birdville over Crowley
Frisco Reedy over Argyle Liberty Christian
Bradley Collier
Bradley Collier
