There is plenty to play for this week for most of the teams in state - playoff seeds and region championships primarily. Some teams are fighting for their playoff lives, while some hope to win and wait for another to lose. Week nine is usually chaos when the tie-breakers come into play.
As the weather turns cold and the colors fade from green to brown so does the regular season in this 2009 season. Some teams started hot, but it's more important to finish hot. Let's see which teams are the hottest over the last 4 weeks:
TOP-5 TEAMS (over the last 4 weeks)
1A - 1-Linden, 2-Brantley, 3-R.A. Hubbard, 4-Berry, 5-Sweet Water
2A - 1-Houston Co., 2-Fyffe, 3-Reeltown, 4-Elba, 5-Winston Co.
3A - 1-Bayside Aca., 2-Pike Co., 3-Luverne, 4-Winfield, 5-Leeds
4A - 1-Thomasville, 2-Cherokee Co., 3-Handley, 4-Midfield, 5-Bibb Co.
5A - 1-Shelby Co., 2-Greenville, 3-Walker, 4-Carver-Mont., 5-Pleasant Grove
6A - 1-Gadsden City, 2-Auburn, 3-Prattville, 4-Fairhope, 5-Hewitt-Trussville
Well last week's picks failed the test, 12-6 (67%), that's a 'D'. This week may not do any better picking several road teams which is not always a good idea. Enjoy the games and don't forget to visit YRATINGS.COM
6A GAMES OF THE WEEK
#1 AUBURN (8-0, 6-0) AT #8 OPELIKA (6-2, 4-2)
Top ranked Auburn is tops in most categories: #2 offense (39.1 pts/game) and #2 defense (9.6 pts/game). While Opelika can hold their own: #7 offense (32.2 pts/game) and #16 defense (15.2 pts/game). Auburn will have it's hands full playing on the road but the season has been perfect so far so why stop this week.
PREDICTION: AUBURN BY 14 POINTS
#10 CLAY-CHALKVILLE (7-1, 5-1) AT #4 GADSDEN CITY (6-2, 5-1)
Region 7 #1 seed is on the line. If Gadsden City's #1 defense (6.6 pts/game) can impose it's will against Clay's #13 offense (30.8 pts/game) the game will come down to whether Clay's #13 defense (14.9 pts/game) can stop Gadsden City's #10 offense (31.6 pts/game). Home field may play a role, but if common opponent indicate anything it's both of these teams are beatable.
PREDICTION: GADSDEN CITY BY 8 POINTS
#14 MINOR (5-3, 4-2) AT #23 TUSCALOOSA COUNTY (6-2, 5-1)
Minor is led by it's #4 defense (10.6 pts/game) and Tuscaloosa Co. is led by it's #18 defense (15.4 pts/game). Both offenses will need to find a groove: Minor #23 (26.1 pts/game) and Tusc. Co. #35 (20.6 pts/game). Both of these teams have struggled against tough competition, and County has played much tougher (#11 SOS) than Minor (#46 SOS). The ratings like Minor, but I'll believe it when I see it.
PREDICTION: MINOR BY 4 POINTS
5A GAMES OF THE WEEK
#15 TALLASSEE (6-2, 5-1) AT #4 VALLEY (6-2, 5-1)
Two even matchups: Tallassee's #10 offense (31.4 pts/game) versus Valley's #5 defense (10.8 pts/game) and Valley's #26 offense (23.2 pts/game) versus Tallassee's #25 defense (18.9 pts/game). Valley's #7 schedule is much tougher than Tallassee's #26 which may prove to be the difference not to mention the home field advantage.
PREDICTION: VALLEY BY 6 POINTS
#9 HARTSELLE (8-0, 6-0) AT #26 MUSCLE SHOALS (6-2, 4-2)
Strength on strength: Hartselle's #3 offense (38.1 pts/game) and Muscle Shoals' #4 defense (10.0 pts/game). Not far behind, #12 Muscle Shoals offense (30.2 pts/game) and #10 Hartselle defense (13.0 pts/game). Two weak schedules make it tough to predict, but Hartselle has yet to see a loss.
PREDICTION: HARTSELLE BY 10 POINTS
#40 ERWIN (6-2, 5-2) AT #12 WALKER (6-2, 5-2)
Walker's numbers: #15 offense (29.5 pts/game) and #8 defense (11.6 pts/game) are much better than Erwin's: #30 offense (22.8 pts/game) and #34 defense (20.8 pts/game), but their records are identical and region seeding is on the line. The home field crowd will smile after this one.
PREDICTION: WALKER BY 21 POINTS
4A GAMES OF THE WEEK
#1 THOMASVILLE (8-0, 6-0) AT #6 JACKSON (7-1, 5-1)
Thomasville is paced by it's #1 offense (45.8 pts/game), and Jackson is not far behind with it's #6 offense (40.6 pts/game). The difference between Thomasville's #8 defense (11.1 pts/game) and Jackson's #16 defense (15.4 pts/game) is marginal at best. Jackson has played the tougher schedule (26th vs. 40th), but Thomasville is strong on both sides of the ball.
PREDICTION: THOMASVILLE BY 7 POINTS
#7 NORTH JACKSON (5-3, 4-2) AT #15 FAIRVIEW (7-1, 5-1)
Both teams are well represented on the offensive side of the ball: #5 North Jackson (40.6 pts/game) and #9 Fairview (36.2 pts/game). While the defenses aren't too bad themselves: #15 North Jackson (15.2 pts/game) and #19 Fairview (18.5 pts/game). North Jackson has struggled in the last four games while Fairview lost in a blowout last week. Who'll stop the bleeding?
PREDICTION: NORTH JACKSON BY 11 POINTS
#14 BROOKS (7-1, 6-0) AT #8 DESHLER (7-1, 6-0)
Top-10 everything statistically in this game. Brook's #10 offense (36.1 pts/game) and #9 defense (11.5 pts/game) versus Deshler's #7 offense (38.5 pts/game) and #3 defense (7.2 pts/game). Sometimes the stats can be deceiving if the numbers are against inferior competition and both teams are at the end of the line on schedule strength. Home field is worth a touchdown victory.
PREDICTION: DESHLER BY 7 POINTS
3A GAMES OF THE WEEK
#2 LUVERNE (6-2, 4-2) AT #21 STRAUGHN (5-3, 5-1)
Luverne's #1 offense (40.2 pts/game) and #23 defense (17.0 pts/game) must be solid to pull of the road win against Straughn's #18 offense (26.1 pts/game) and #15 defense (14.5 pts/game). Straughn's easier schedule (55th vs. 43rd) may come back to haunt them, but you never know it's hard to pick against the home team.
PREDICTION: LUVERNE BY 15 POINTS
#20 VINEMONT (6-2, 5-1) AT #6 HAMILTON (7-1, 6-0)
Hamilton's #2 offense (37.9 pts/game) versus Vinemont's #13 defense (14.1 pts/game) could be the key to this game. Or the success of Vinemont's #22 offense (25.0 pts/game) versus Hamilton's #34 defense (20.2 pts/game) may be the more important matchup. Hamilton's #33 schedule is tougher than Vinemont's #50 schedule. Hamilton at home will be a tough task for Vinemont.
PREDICTION: HAMILTON BY 11 POINTS
#26 WEST BLOCTON (6-2, 5-1) AT #7 CORDOVA (7-1, 6-0)
West Blocton's #21 defense (16.4 pts/game) will need some help against Cordova's #5 offense (33.8 pts/game) while Cordova's #12 defense (14.1 pts/game) will to to play a solid game against West Blocton's #19 offense (25.9 pts/game).
PREDICTION: CORDOVA BY 13 POINTS
2A GAMES OF THE WEEK
#2 HOUSTON COUNTY (7-1, 5-1) AT #10 ELBA (8-0, 6-0)
Houston Co.'s #2 offense (40.2 pts/game) matches up well against Elba's #9 defense (9.8 pts/game). Elba's #23 offense (26.2 pts/game) also matches up well against Houston Co.'s #17 defense (14.5 pts/game). I'm not a fan of picking against the undefeated home team, but it appears the ratings have a different idea.
PREDICTION: HOUSTON COUNTY BY 9 POINTS
#8 LINEVILLE (6-2, 5-1) AT #15 WOODLAND (6-2, 5-1)
Lineville's #4 defense (7.5 pts/game) is the stat leader in this game and Woodland's #33 offense (22.9 pts/game) will need a perfect game to cross the goal line. Woodland's #15 defense (12.9 pts/game) isn't too shabby itself, so Lineville's #30 offense (23.5 pts/game) might find the endzone tough to reach. Lineville's strength-of-schedule ranked 14th versus Woodland's #32 schedule may prove to be enough experience for the win on the road.
PREDICTION: LINEVILLE BY 7 POINTS
#14 LAMAR COUNTY (8-0, 6-0) AT #20 WINSTON COUNTY (8-0, 6-0)
These two teams are the lowest ranked undefeated teams in the ratings, so there is not better way to improve your ranking than to play another undefeated foe. Lamar Co.'s #1 offense (43.1 pts/game) must match up against Winston Co.'s strong #2 defense (5.6 pts/game). In the easier matchup Winston Co.'s #13 offense (30.0 pts/game) may wish for easier against Lamar Co.'s #19 defense (15.1 pts/game). The ratings don't reward easy schedules, and both of these teams have played two of the easiest in 2A (LC #62, WC #64). Playing at home always helps, but not this time in a close one.
PREDICTION: LAMAR COUNTY BY 5 POINTS
1A GAMES OF THE WEEK
#29 HOLY SPIRIT (5-3, 5-3) AT #2 MAPLESVILLE (7-1, 6-1)
Maplesville's #6 offense (38.6 pts/game) should score easily against Holy Spirit's #34 defense (22.9 pts/game). And it doesn't get any easier for Holy Spirit's #33 offense (23.0 pts/game) against Maplesville's #5 defense (6.6 pts/game). Schedule strength and home field will prove too much for Holy Spirit in this one.
PREDICTION: MAPLESVILLE BY 36
#8 HACKLEBURG (8-0, 7-0) AT #5 BERRY (8-0, 7-0)
Two undefeated teams with great offenses: Hackleburg #7 (38.2 pts/game) and Berry #2 (45.5 pts/game) and great defenses: Hackleburg #10 (11.8 pts/game) and Berry #6 (8.4 pts/game). Berry has not allowed an opponent to score over 14 points this season, and Hackleburg hasn't scored less than 20. Home field will play a big role in the theatre.
PREDICTION: BERRY BY 9 POINTS
#9 LOACHAPOKA (7-1, 6-0) AT #27 TALLADEGA CO. CENTRAL (6-2, 5-1)
Loachapoka's #12 offense (35.9 pts/game) will have tough time against Talladega's #13 defense (13.2 pts/game). But Talladega's #30 offense (24.8 pts/game) will have a much tougher time against Loachapoka's #4 defense (6.5 pts/game). Both teams are on three game win streaks, but the home team's streak end after this game.
PREDICTION: LOACHAPOKA BY 20 POINTS
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