As projected HTHS was eliminated last week, albeit by more than I projected. Rangers went 9-0 for the first time in school history then proceeded to drop the last two by a combined 49 points. Roughriders won handily and played it close to the vest with 400 yards of offense pretty evenly distributed between ground and air. Doubt they showed the next foe anything fancy. Nelsonville York. Only played three teams with winning records and lost to all of them. Played them at Lancaster on the way to a state title back in the early 80’s. They’ll hit hard but we should be able to run around them. Lots of shotgun and a quick, short passing game. Fort Frye likely next. Not a bad team but not nearly as good as the ’21 team we beat. That means Garaway for the region title. They are GOOD. Five games against teams with winning records and they won them all. Some over significantly bigger schools. More when it happens.

Polar Bears lost Homecoming to what used to be the worst college football team in Ohio. Buckeyes were solid. tsun is wobbly. Still a barely competent schedule. So let’s do this: tOSU is #1. tsun is ineligible. Alabam has a loss. Georgia’s schedule to date is too weak. Texas, Oregon and PSU all have a loss. We’ll put FSU in #2. Undefeated Washington gets #3 by default. And somebody from that mess above is #4.

Saints are still middle of the road. 50/50 for the playoffs. Bills & Chiefs still best in the AFC with Ravens and Bengals right behind. Eagles and Niners best of the NFC with the Cowboys barkin’.

HTHS and WJHS BOTH lost their finales. Cost HTHS the outright title and about 4 spots in tournament seeding. They’ll play Miami Trace (home of Art Schlichter) and I’m thinking the Panthers win by 5 -7 tops. WJ held on to the #2 slot and will play GC Christian. It’ll be as close as WJ wants to keep it. They should get Nelsonvill York next. Saw them play one of the best HS football games EVER back in the 70’s at Lancaster. If seeding holds it’ll be Fort Frye next. We bested them in the fourth round back in ’21. It’ll be a fight.

ONU managed to beat the Muskies last week and face the Pioneers for homecoming this week. Two in a row? Big school top four: tsun (facing a cheating scandal, a so-far easy schedule and an off week,) tOSU. Bama and PSU have a loss. Georgia has a week schedule. Oklahoma is a solid #3. Texas and LSU are both fighting that loss which brings up FSU in the #4 slot. Buckeyes over Bucky 28-14 this week.

Saints keep doing Saint-like things. Expect a moderately high scoring squeaker against the Indy (formerly Baltimore) Minshews. Still going Chiefs, Bills, Eagles, Niners but there are a bunch of teams yappin at the heels.

WJHS won by 2 TD’s – closer than most would’ve liked. And HTHS pulled off the upset over BC to go to 9-0. The school has NEVER gone 10-0 and it’s likely to happen this week. They’re in the playoffs but still need a win or some help to host a home game. Regardless they’re likely to host a losing team in the first round. Roughriders will be first or second seed. They should have no trouble with thier first game.

College top 4? tsun, tOSU, Oklahoma and PSU. Washington and Florida State are sniffing around. Buckeyes over the N Lions by a score. And take the under.

In the NFL I’ll stick with my same four, even after Cleveburg slapped the Niners. Saints still mired in the middle and I’m afraid they’ll lose another squeaker, this time to the Jags.

Enjoy the weather!