Week Zero Top Ten Games
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It’s finally game week in Oklahoma! After a long offseason, we finally have real games on the horizon. Every Monday, we’ll take a look at the top ten match-up’s across the state of Oklahoma. We’ll break down the two teams, tell you what to look for and who to look for from a player perspective. For this week’s post, we are just looking at games that feature Oklahoma teams facing other Oklahoma teams. Week zero also features plenty of out of state match-up’s but we’ll have more on those on Tuesday. So be sure to look out for that and also check back every Monday so you know where the best games will be every single week!
1) 2A’s #3 BEGGS AT 3A’s #3 LINCOLN CHRISTIAN
For the second straight year, Beggs and Lincoln Christian will open up the season against one another. And for yet another season, both of these teams are highly ranked and have championship aspirations. Lincoln Christian comes in at #3 in our 3A rankings and have made back to back trips to the state championship, winning in 2019 but falling short in 2020. Beggs is hungry to make it back to the championship game but they are in a loaded 2A and a district that features defending champ Metro Christian. Beggs has one of the more talented teams in Class 2A, as they’re loaded with prospects that will end up at the next level. And Lincoln Christian isn’t afraid of a little competition. For the second straight year, their non-district schedule features some of the best teams in Class 2A as they’ll face Beggs, Jones and Vian in the first few weeks of the season.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Beggs:
Maliek Bogard
Maliek
Bogard
6'5" | DL
Beggs | 2022
State
OK
– 2022 Defensive Lineman
Beggs has several players who fit in this category, including OSU commit
CJ Brown
CJ
Brown
6'1" | RB
Beggs | 2022
State
OK
at running back. However, we’re going to the defensive side of the ball with defensive end
Maliek Bogard
Maliek
Bogard
6'5" | DL
Beggs | 2022
State
OK
. He’s coming off a knee injury and we want to see how he looks after a lengthy offseason, full of rehab. And a big key for Beggs to be successful is Bogard and the Beggs defense pressuring Lincoln Christian’s player to watch.
Lincoln Christian:
Max Brown
Max
Brown
6'2" | 200 lbs | QB
Lincoln Christian | 2022
State
OK
– 2022 Quarterback
Max Brown
Max
Brown
6'2" | 200 lbs | QB
Lincoln Christian | 2022
State
OK
comes into the 2021 season as one of the top quarterbacks in Class 3A and in the 2022 class. Already committed to Central Michigan, Brown is a true dual-threat quarterback. He did well against Beggs in 2020 but he was mainly running the ball. He’ll be asked to do much more this time around. If he can stay away from Bogard and the Beggs defensive front, he can put some points on the board.
2) #5 COWETA AT #6 BISHOP McGUINNESS
It’s a top six battle in Class 5A as Coweta travels to Oklahoma City to square off with Bishop McGuinness. They met in the quarterfinals a year ago and the Irish got the win, 39-12. Coweta has had this date circled ever since having former McGuinness QB Luke Tarman Luke Tarman 6'2" | ATH Bishop McGuinness | 2021 State OK run all over them and boot them from the playoffs. The Tigers and the Irish both have aspirations of contending for the Class 5A championship. The Irish have made four trips to the state title game in the last five years but had to walk away with the silver ball. Coweta has been building to this year as they have a wealth of talent returning on both sides of the ball that should make them one of the top contenders in 5A football. But the biggest question will be around their depth towards the end of the year after playing what will be one of the toughest schedules in 5A football.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Bishop McGuinness:
Mike Taffe
Mike
Taffe
6'0" | 190 lbs | RB
Bishop McGuinness | 2023
State
OK
– 2023 Running Back
This is a player that we’ve had circled basically all offseason. Junior running back
Mike Taffe
Mike
Taffe
6'0" | 190 lbs | RB
Bishop McGuinness | 2023
State
OK
was a solid contributor to
Luke Tarman
Luke
Tarman
6'2" | ATH
Bishop McGuinness | 2021
State
OK
and the Irish offense a year ago. Now, he’s going to be the face of this offense and have a chance to have a really big season. Last year, Taffe was used in a variety of ways within the Irish offense. We believe that will be expanded this year. It won’t surprise us to see him lining up at running back, wide receiver or even as a quarterback this fall.
Coweta:
Mason Ford
Mason
Ford
5'11" | DB
Coweta | 2023
State
OK
– 2023 Athlete
If you don’t know this name already, write it down.
Mason Ford
Mason
Ford
5'11" | DB
Coweta | 2023
State
OK
is one of the best athletes in 5A football and will continue to be this fall. Ford is Coweta’s top receiver, a shutdown corner on defense and also returns kicks. Just like with Taffe at McGuinness, Ford is a complete game-changer and the Tigers will get creative with how they’ll utilize him. As far as being a prospect, Ford is at his best when he’s on the defensive side of the ball as a cornerback.
3) #1 OWASSO AT #4 EDMOND SANTA FE
This one got out of hand very early on in the 2020 season opener. Owasso would score on five of their first eight offensive plays and before you could blink, they lead Santa Fe 35-7 in the first quarter. The final score was slightly more respectable as the Rams rolled to a 48-21 win. However, the statement was made. Owasso’s offense was clicking on all cylinders last year and they could end up doing a repeat performance this year. The Rams and Wolves were both at the Gridiron Classic at Union last week. Owasso’s offense looked in midseason form as they beat Bentonville, Arkansas, while Santa Fe lost to Union, but the offense got going late. We definitely don’t expect another 35-7 first quarter for Owasso, but the Rams do come in as the favorites.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Edmond Santa Fe:
Talyn Shettron
Talyn
Shettron
6'3" | WR
Edmond Santa Fe | 2022
State
OK
– 2022 Wide Receiver
Santa Fe senior receiver and All American
Talyn Shettron
Talyn
Shettron
6'3" | WR
Edmond Santa Fe | 2022
State
OK
is the easy pick here because he’s an All American and one of the best receivers in the country. How could he not be a player to watch? But in all reality, he could have a massive game on Friday night. He had over 100 yards and two touchdowns in their mini game against Union last week. And Owasso’s secondary really struggled against Bentonville’s passing attack in their mini game. So not only is Shettron the best offensive player in this match-up, but Owasso has to do a lot better than last week if they’re going to limit the All American.
Owasso:
Derrick Overstreet
Derrick
Overstreet
5'7" | RB
Owasso | 2022
State
OK
– 2022 Running Back,
Deshawn Kinnard
Deshawn
Kinnard
5'11" | RB
Owasso | 2022
State
OK
– 2022 Running Back &
Emery Neeley
Emery
Neeley
5'11" | RB
Owasso | 2023
State
OK
– 2023 Running Back
So this is the only area where we’ll pick more than just one player. But when you talk about the skill players at Owasso, you can’t just pick one. All three running backs will see equal reps on Friday night and that will be a problem for Edmond Santa Fe. In their mini game loss to Union, the Wolves struggled slowing down the Union run game. Granted, Union has arguably the best rushing offense in the state. Nevertheless, the three-headed monster of Overstreet, Kinnard and Neeley could really give the Rams an advantage as they go into Friday night.
4) 4A’s #7 BETHANY AT 2A’s #2 JONES
It’ll be 4A VS 2A here as 4A’s #7 Bethany travels to take on 2A’s #2 Jones. Both teams have state championship aspirations and both teams play tough non-district schedules that will get them ready for a potential playoff run later this season. However, it’s still August and we’re a long way away from November. Both teams will be ready to open up their 2021 seasons. For Jones, they are ready to return to the state title game and raise another gold ball. Bethany took a step back last year after the graduation of Sammy Brandt. However, all of those younger players are a year older and has Bethany back as a team to watch out for in Class 4A. Last year, Jones had no problems with Bethany, winning 31-7 in the season-opener for both teams. Quarterback Carson May Carson May 6'5" | QB Jones | 2022 State OK led the Longhorns with two passing touchdowns and another one on the ground.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Bethany:
Jocelyn Malaska
Jocelyn
Malaska
6'1" | 180 lbs | ATH
Bethany | 2022
State
OK
– 2022 Defensive Back
He’s not only Bethany’s best player, but he’s arguably the most important part of this match-up for Bethany. Senior standout
Jocelyn Malaska
Jocelyn
Malaska
6'1" | 180 lbs | ATH
Bethany | 2022
State
OK
, a Texas Tech commit, does a little bit of everything for Bethany. He’s an outstanding receiver, a lock down corner and one of the best return specialists in the state, regardless of class. However, Malaska is headed to college to play cornerback and that’s where he’ll be at his most valuable on Friday. Jones has one of the best quarterbacks in the state and Malaska and the Bethany secondary need to be ready.
Jones:
Carson May
Carson
May
6'5" | QB
Jones | 2022
State
OK
– 2022 Quarterback
We mentioned above how Jones senior quarterback and Iowa commit
Carson May
Carson
May
6'5" | QB
Jones | 2022
State
OK
had a good game last year against Bethany. The battle between May and Malaska and this Bethany defense will certainly be fun to watch. Both players are two of the absolute best in Oklahoma’s senior class. It should make for a good match-up as May has rarely ran into teams that could slow him down. Even if teams stop the passing attack, May has the ability to make plays with his legs. It will certainly be strength on strength with May and Malaska.
5) 5A’s #9 BISHOP KELLEY AT 4A’s #5 POTEAU
For the second straight year, Bishop Kelley and Poteau will square off in a solid 5A VS 4A battle between ranked teams. If you’re going to this one, be sure to get there early because if you show up late, it might be halftime already. Both the Comets and the Pirates have clearly established themselves as run-first teams and that won’t be different as they open up the season on Friday. Last year, Bishop Kelley handled the Pirates with a 28-7 victory. Now they have to travel southeastern Oklahoma to take on a Pirate team that is very tough to beat when they’re on their home turf. Both of these teams play tough non-district schedules and the district slate isn’t much easier. They will probably keep a few tricks up their sleeves for later this season but this one should be pretty entertaining.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Bishop Kelley:
Cash Hudson
Cash
Hudson
6'3" | 270 lbs | OL
Bishop Kelley | 2022
State
OK
– 2022 Offensive Lineman
We mentioned that both teams want to run the ball. For Bishop Kelley, they have the best offensive lineman in the match-up with senior lineman
Cash Hudson
Cash
Hudson
6'3" | 270 lbs | OL
Bishop Kelley | 2022
State
OK
. The senior standout is one of the better offensive lineman prospects that has come out of Bishop Kelley in recent memory and he’ll be lined up on the interior of the O-Line throughout the season. Poteau’s defense, specifically their front-seven is one of the toughest units that the Comets will be facing this season. The Pirates pride their program on defense and will give Hudson and the Kelley offense a big test.
Poteau:
Dean Odom
Dean
Odom
6'3" | 210 lbs | LB
Poteau | 2022
State
OK
– 2022 Linebacker
Leading that defensive unit will be Poteau senior linebacker and defensive end
Dean Odom
Dean
Odom
6'3" | 210 lbs | LB
Poteau | 2022
State
OK
. He’ll be moved around quite a bit on the Poteau defense but he’s arguably their top playmaker on that side of the ball. He’ll also chip in on offense as a tight end but when he’s at his best is on defense. Odom is a prospect that we really like as being an underrated prospect right now that will have a big senior season. Bishop Kelley has some new faces on the offensive side of the ball so this could end up being a big game for Odom, kicking off his senior campaign.
6) 3A’s #9 CHECOTAH AT 2A’s #1 METRO CHRISTIAN
This is almost a bonus game as it wasn’t on either team’s original schedule a few months ago. This game between Checotah and Metro Christian was just scheduled about a month ago as both teams had teams drop out before the season began. These two will be 3A rivals next year as two-time defending 2A champ Metro Christian is slated to move up to 3A a year from now. These teams haven’t played in over a decade, when they were district opponents in Class 3A. We’ll dive further into this in our “Players To Watch” feature, but this could end up being a clash of styles between the two teams as Checotah will look to run the ball and Metro Christian has been one of the top passing offenses in the last decade. We’re looking forward to this 3A VS 2A battle of top ten teams.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Checotah:
Dontierre Fisher
Dontierre
Fisher
6'0" | RB
Checotah | 2022
State
OK
– 2022 Running Back
We mentioned Checotah’s desire to run the football and there are several reasons behind that. The first and most obvious one is senior running back
Dontierre Fisher
Dontierre
Fisher
6'0" | RB
Checotah | 2022
State
OK
. He’s one of the top running backs in the state’s senior class but he’s flown somewhat under the radar over the last year or so. Fisher is a legit D1 prospect and could be a nightmare for the Metro Christian defense. Another big reason they’ll want to have Fisher and the run game control things is to keep Metro Christian’s offense off the field.
Metro Christian:
Kirk Francis
Kirk
Francis
6'1" | 185 lbs | QB
Metro Christian | 2023
State
OK
– 2023 Quarterback
Leading that dangerous Metro Christian offense is junior quarterback
Kirk Francis
Kirk
Francis
6'1" | 185 lbs | QB
Metro Christian | 2023
State
OK
. Following his freshman year, playing JV ball, we had a feeling that Francis could be the next great quarterback to come out of Metro Christian. That ended up being correct so far as Francis had a breakout sophomore season and led the Patriots to a second straight state championship. He also looked like one of the best quarterbacks in the state in that championship victory. We’re looking forward to seeing how Francis looks with another year under his belt.
7) A’s #7 PAWNEE AT 2A’s #4 WASHINGTON
Another match-up featuring ranked opponents takes us down to Class 2A and Class A as Washington will host Pawnee. Washington is coming off a great 2020 campaign that saw the Warriors make it all the way to the state championship game. Now they’re back for more this season and that starts by opening up the year at home against another state championship contender. Pawnee is certainly a team to look out for in Class A. This match-up has an interesting dynamic with the two teams that are state title contenders. Washington is in arguably the deepest and most competitive class in the state. Meanwhile, Pawnee is in Class A, a class that is not nearly as deep, but the mountain to climb is just as tough when you consider Cashion, Pawhuska and Ringling are at the top. However, a road win here would certainly show that Pawnee belongs at the very least in the title conversation.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Pawnee:
Barrett Stevenson
Barrett
Stevenson
6'2" | LB
Pawnee | 2023
State
OK
– 2023 Linebacker
Pawnee will have a lot of new faces this fall but one of the younger and talented players that had a breakout season last year was their junior linebacker
Barrett Stevenson
Barrett
Stevenson
6'2" | LB
Pawnee | 2023
State
OK
. As a sophomore, Stevenson was one of Pawnee’s leading tacklers and should take more of a leadership role this year. Stevenson and the Black Bear defense will have their work cut out for them but if Stevenson can get some stops and force Washington’s offense into quick possessions, they’ll have a shot.
Washington:
Kobe Scott
Kobe
Scott
6'3" | 190 lbs | WR
Washington | 2022
OK
– 2022 Wide Receiver
Washington is going to have a new quarterback under center this fall. However, making QB1’s job a lot easier is the return of senior wide receiver
Kobe Scott
Kobe
Scott
6'3" | 190 lbs | WR
Washington | 2022
OK
. The senior looks the part at 6’3 and could end up being a game changer for the Warriors this fall. Scott also plays on the defensive side of the ball and you can make the argument that he’s their best athlete. If Scott gets loose for a couple plays and this turns into a shootout, Washington should have enough firepower to win.
8) ATOKA AT A’s #3 RINGLING
Another top Class A school is Ringling as they come in at #3 in our Class A preseason rankings. They’ll kick off their 2021 football season against Atoka. We wrote about Atoka in our Class 2A Preview released earlier on the site. This is a team that is a borderline top ten team in Class 2A and it wouldn’t surprise us at all if they end up there at some point this year. This is a good football team traveling to face off with a Ringling team that has been borderline unbeatable in the last few seasons. The biggest question will be whether or not Atoka can score enough points to potentially pull off the upset. Ringling’s defense has been one of the best units in the state over the last two years and we don’t expect that to be any different in 2021.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Atoka:
Kollin Ritchie
Kollin
Ritchie
6'2" | DB
Atoka | 2023
State
OK
– 2023 Defensive Back
Over the last two seasons, few players have more interceptions than Atoka’s
Kollin Ritchie
Kollin
Ritchie
6'2" | DB
Atoka | 2023
State
OK
. He’s one of the best ball hawks in the state and he’s arguably Atoka’s best playmaker. Ritchie is a big reason why Atoka is a dark horse team in Class 2A that could end up making some real noise this fall. However, he might have limited opportunities to make plays on Friday night. Ringling loves to run the ball and won’t be passing it too often. However, if they do make a mistake in the passing game, Ritchie will more than likely be the one to take advantage.
Ringling:
Karson Daniel
Karson
Daniel
6'1" | 190 lbs | QB
Ringling | 2023
State
OK
– 2023 Quarterback
While the defense gets the majority of the praise with Ringling, the player to watch in this particular match-up has to be Ringling’s junior quarterback
Karson Daniel
Karson
Daniel
6'1" | 190 lbs | QB
Ringling | 2023
State
OK
. The Blue Devils will want to run the ball and rely on their defense. That has been the game plan for a few years and it’s worked out. However, Daniel and the passing game will have to make some plays eventually. Daniel has to be careful against this Atoka defense and Ritchie in particular to avoid turning the ball over and giving Atoka extra possessions.
9) SAPULPA AT 6A-2’S #7 SAND SPRINGS
It’s the annual Highway 97 rivalry game to open the year as Sand Springs will host Sapulpa. This was a district match-up but with Sapulpa dropping to 5A, and they’ll be staying there for at least two more years, these two have opened the season against one another here recently. The Sandites are going into year two under head coach Bobby Klinck and they are one of our surprise teams in 6A-2. They could end up making a run that not many saw coming this fall. And as for Sapulpa, the Tim Holt era begins as he is in his first year leading his alma mater. So it goes without saying, but Holt knows all about the Highway 97 rivalry and will get his first dose of it as a coach on Friday night. Sapulpa is in a similar boat as their rivals. We think the Chieftains could be an underrated team in 5A this fall.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Sand Springs:
Gabe E Brown
Gabe
E Brown
6'0" | 220 lbs | LB
Charles Page Highschool | 2022
State
OK
– 2022 Linebacker
This offseason, we’ve written quite a bit about Sand Springs senior linebacker
Gabe E Brown
Gabe
E Brown
6'0" | 220 lbs | LB
Charles Page Highschool | 2022
State
OK
. It’s pretty simple where that’s coming from and it’s a combination of size, speed and what he’s done in the weight room this offseason. Brown, in our opinion could end up being one of the best linebackers in this class this fall. Right now, his recruitment is somewhat quiet but we believe that will explode with a strong senior season. And he can kick that season off in style with a win over their rivals at home.
Sapulpa:
D’Angelo Mitchell
D’Angelo
Mitchell
5'11" | WR
Sapulpa | 2022
State
OK
– 2022 Athlete
On the other side of the rivalry is senior standout
D’Angelo Mitchell
D’Angelo
Mitchell
5'11" | WR
Sapulpa | 2022
State
OK
. He’ll primarily be used at wide receiver but we like Mitchell as a player that could help in a variety of ways for the Chieftains this year. In our opinion, he’s the best athlete on the team and one of the more experienced guys as well. The Sandites have a pretty stout defense, led by Brown at linebacker, so Mitchell and the Sapulpa offense will have to take advantage of scoring opportunities when they come. This could end up being a fairly low-scoring game.
10) #7 GUTHRIE AT SHAWNEE
Our final game is a Class 5A battle as Shawnee hosts Guthrie. In most years over the last few decades, this game would be much higher on the list. However, it’s been a while since either of these teams were among the best in Class 5A. However, this is a great opportunity to show that 2021 will be a different story. After both teams had several stoppages due to Covid in 2020, both teams are ready for a somewhat normal 2021 football season. Guthrie comes in at #7 in our preseason rankings in 5A and Shawnee was one of the first teams on the outside looking in on those rankings. With a win here over ranked Guthrie, you can bet that the Wolves will be jumping up into the rankings next week. No matter what, the winner here will gain a ton of momentum going into the rest of non-district play.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Guthrie:
Spade Pool
Spade
Pool
6'1" | 200 lbs | LB
Guthrie | 2022
OK
– 2022 Linebacker
Guthrie has some of the best history in 5A football and this is a program that prides itself on defense. Leading that Guthrie defense this year will be senior linebacker Slade Pool. He’s not the biggest linebacker when it comes to being a college prospect, but he is one of the hardest hitting linebackers in 5A. And when it comes to the match-up with Shawnee, Pool and the Guthrie defense will have their work cut out for them. They face a Shawnee offense that has a really strong running game and they’ll have to be on their A game to get the win.
Shawnee:
Jaylon Orange
Jaylon
Orange
5'10" | RB
Shawnee | 2022
State
OK
– 2022 Running Back
We mentioned it above with Pool, this is the match-up to watch. Shawnee is not going to be shy about what they want to do on the offensive side of the ball. With two of the better offensive linemen in 5A with
Braden Kirkland
Braden
Kirkland
6'4" | OL
Shawnee | 2022
State
OK
and
Lane Williams
Lane
Williams
6'5" | 280 lbs | OL
Shawnee | 2022
State
OK
, running the ball is even easier for senior standout
Jaylon Orange
Jaylon
Orange
5'10" | RB
Shawnee | 2022
State
OK
. The senior had a fantastic 2020 season, putting up some monster numbers. However, because Shawnee didn’t make a deep run, those numbers didn’t get as much pub. He’s wanting to wake everyone up this fall.