Four Friday and one Saturday contest in Week 5. UHigh was able to schedule a game in place of Eisenhower with non-conference opponent Champaign Central. The Saturday game between Chatham and Springfield could be the best of the week.
Friday
Champaign Central (0-3) at UHigh (1-3)
Central hasn’t won yet but has played decent competition. They have lost each game by about 20 points. UHigh has been my Achilles Heel in CS8 picks so far. They lost a winnable game at home last week by 2 scores against Lanphier. This is probably a coin flip game. My weak hunch is UHigh will have just enough to win this week. UHigh 23 Central 19
Jacksonville (2-2) at Southeast (0-4)
Southeast has struggled to stay competitive in most games. Playing at home hasn’t helped them much. Jacksonville scored 40 last week against non-conference foe Morton but also gave up 34. Jacksonville 37 Southeast 13
SHG (4-0) at Lanphier (2-2).
Lanphier got a nice win at UHigh last week and has exceeded my expectations so far. They have a solid chance to go 3-3. Unfortunately for them, they get to host SHG this week. Should be an opportunity for Ken Leonard to play a lot of Reserves by the 2nd Quarter. SHG 52 Lanphier 7
Rochester (3-1) at MacArthur (1-3)
MacArthur has struggled this season. I thought with the Eisenhower transfers they could be in the top tier of the conference. Chatham handled them easily last week, 35-7. Mac has beaten Rochester at home before in 2014 and lost by only 1 score in 2018. This time, I think Rochester rebounds solidly from last week’s loss to SHG. I’ll be interested to see if Derek keeps Beatty and Friedewald about equally at QB or begins to shift to Beatty more with the fall in mind. Rochester 49 MacArthur 14
Saturday
Chatham (3-1) at Springfield (3-1)
This has the potential to be the best game of Week 5. Two teams with QB’s who can hurt you by passing or running. Jake Burris has been very productive for Chatham. He will probably carry the ball more than the Chatham RB’s. Burris doesn’t pass that much but his completions tend to go for big gains. Rashad Rochelle can go for 90 yards on a broken play and has some solid receiving options. Springfield probably has more skill player weapons, but Chatham has a little more depth and size on the lines. I could see this coming down to the last play of the game. Chatham 34 Springfield 33
Friday
Champaign Central (0-3) at UHigh (1-3)
Central hasn’t won yet but has played decent competition. They have lost each game by about 20 points. UHigh has been my Achilles Heel in CS8 picks so far. They lost a winnable game at home last week by 2 scores against Lanphier. This is probably a coin flip game. My weak hunch is UHigh will have just enough to win this week. UHigh 23 Central 19
Jacksonville (2-2) at Southeast (0-4)
Southeast has struggled to stay competitive in most games. Playing at home hasn’t helped them much. Jacksonville scored 40 last week against non-conference foe Morton but also gave up 34. Jacksonville 37 Southeast 13
SHG (4-0) at Lanphier (2-2).
Lanphier got a nice win at UHigh last week and has exceeded my expectations so far. They have a solid chance to go 3-3. Unfortunately for them, they get to host SHG this week. Should be an opportunity for Ken Leonard to play a lot of Reserves by the 2nd Quarter. SHG 52 Lanphier 7
Rochester (3-1) at MacArthur (1-3)
MacArthur has struggled this season. I thought with the Eisenhower transfers they could be in the top tier of the conference. Chatham handled them easily last week, 35-7. Mac has beaten Rochester at home before in 2014 and lost by only 1 score in 2018. This time, I think Rochester rebounds solidly from last week’s loss to SHG. I’ll be interested to see if Derek keeps Beatty and Friedewald about equally at QB or begins to shift to Beatty more with the fall in mind. Rochester 49 MacArthur 14
Saturday
Chatham (3-1) at Springfield (3-1)
This has the potential to be the best game of Week 5. Two teams with QB’s who can hurt you by passing or running. Jake Burris has been very productive for Chatham. He will probably carry the ball more than the Chatham RB’s. Burris doesn’t pass that much but his completions tend to go for big gains. Rashad Rochelle can go for 90 yards on a broken play and has some solid receiving options. Springfield probably has more skill player weapons, but Chatham has a little more depth and size on the lines. I could see this coming down to the last play of the game. Chatham 34 Springfield 33