And down the stretch they come.
Adam took a one-game lead in our “standings” going 7-4 last week to move to 67-32 on the year. John went 6-5 to move to 66-33 and Stone had another tough week, going 5-6 to get to 53-46 on the year. The goal now is to just finish above .500.
Hard to believe this season as flown by as quickly as it has, but we’ve got just two more weeks of Friday Night Lights and two more weeks of FCS ball. BC, UMass and UConn still have three games remaining. Anyway, here are our picks for the five best high school and college games in the area this weekend as well as our picks for Colts-Pats in Germany on Sunday morning.
High School
BC High-St. John’s Prep (D1 quarterfinal)
Stone: As I’ve said all year, I will not be picking against Prep after last year until given reason to. I have no reason to so I like SJP at home, although I have a feeling this is an instant classic, possibly even OT
Sarianides: Prep is rolling towards another title game at Gillette. I think B.C High can hang for a half but the Prep and running game ends up being too much. Give me the Eagles by 14.
Kurkjian: Love how BC High has bounced back this season, but the Prep is too strong here.
Springfield Central-Xaverian (D1 quarterfinal)
Stone: This is the best X team I’ve seen in a while, but I think the SC offense is just a little too much. Shootout that the Golden Eagles pull away in late.
Sarianides: Tough call. I want to go X but I think SC’s skill on the perimeter will be the difference in this one. I expect a high scoring affair with SC prevailing by three.
Kurkjian: Expect another close game, another shootout, and another Central win.
Dartmouth-Milton (D3 quarterfinal, Thursday)
Stone: Milton’s still very, very good as always, but it just feels like a special year for Dartmouth to me. Taking the Indians by two points.
Sarianides: Hard to pick against the fighting Dembowski’s. I am not going to do it here. Going with the Cats 27-21 in what should be a great game.
Kurkjian: Dartmouth has been money all year, but Milton is rolling again after a late rough patch and gets the win.
Choate-Deerfield (CT, Saturday)
Stone: Hell of a matchup in CT as we head down the stretch. Give me Deerfield at home, although I’d expect another thriller here.
Sarianides: Love this quarterback match-up. Rubino vs. Geer is must see. Choate is the best in the NEPSAC this season and I think they pull out another late win like they did last week.
Kurkjian: Deerfield is for real, but Choate might be the best team in the NEPSAC and wins this.
Central-Bishop Hendricken (RI D1 state semifinal)
Stone: Hendricken is Hendricken and it’s late in November. Hard to pick against them and I won’t here. Actually think this game isn’t all that close either.
Sarianides: Central is skilled but Hendricken will slow this thing down to a crawl and power their way to another state title appearance behind their potent running game. Going Hawks by two scores.
Kurkjian: Never bet against Hendricken in the playoffs.
BONUS: Burr & Burton vs. Hartford (D1 State Title Game in Vermont)
Stone: Got a feeling the regular season meeting that wasn’t all that close sets us up for a better story. B&B keeps it close in the fourth before Hartford wins it on a late rushing TD. Should be a good one.
Sarianides: Hartford blew out Burr & Burton in the first meeting. I expect this game to be closer but I am picking the Hurricanes to finish off a magical season.
Kurkjian: I’m reversing my pick from the livestream and going with Hartford here.
College
Virginia Tech-Boston College
Stone: Love everything about the attitude and swagger this Eagles team currently have. They simply don’t blow teams out so this will be close until the fourth when they pull away. Eagles by 10.
Sarianides: The Eagles magical turnaround continues. It’ll be close, but I like Boston College by three.
Kurkjian: The turnaround continues for Boston College.
Penn-Harvard
Stone: Two wins. That’s all that separates Harvard from an Ivy League title. I like the Crimson here but Penn’s going to make it difficult.
Sarianides: Jaden Craig has kept things rolling for the Harvard offense at quarterback. Expect more of the same this week against a tough Penn team. I think this game goes to the wire and Harvard pulls it out late, 20-17.
Kurkjian: In the always-wild Ivy League, anything can happen, but Harvard is the pick.
UConn-James Madison
Stone: The Dukes have everything riding on this game. UConn doesn’t. A no-pressure opponent is dangerous for JMU, but I think they beat the Huskies. I do expect UConn to hang around late into the second half.
Sarianides: The Dukes are favored by 24.5. That’s too rich in my opinion. I think UConn hangs for a half but JMU pulls away and wins by 21.
Kurkjian: James Madison is having a magical year, and it continues.
Cornell-Dartmouth
Stone: Dartmouth keeps its Ivy League title hopes alive in this somewhat stunning season under Sammy McCorkle. One of the best stories in all of college football adds another chapter this weekend.
Sarianides: Big Green rolls along with a big win against Cornell, setting a big match-up next Saturday in Providence against Brown.
Kurkjian: Dartmouth earns the big win here.
Holy Cross-Army
Stone: Holy Cross is in a winner-takes-all type of game next weekend, but they won’t overlook Army on Veteran’s Day. The Crusaders also have the luxury of practicing against this type of offense all season long, so I think they slow down the Black Knights and win by a TD for an FBS upset.
Sarianides: I think this game is close for three quarters but Army pulls away late and keeps their slim bowl hopes alive with a big win.
Kurkjian: Hard to pick against Holy Cross, but Army grabs this one.
Patriots-Colts
Stone: I have absolutely no idea on a week-to-week basis with them still. Taking Indy because I can’t imagine this offense magically gets better in a different country.
Sarianides: Pats screwed me last week and that’s why I am trailing Kurkjian by a game. I should be comfortably in the lead. I am Dr. Football after all. Taking the Colts by 7.
Kurkjian: Picking the Pats has not helped me this season, so going with the Colts.