Week Eight's Ten Best Games

Get 25% off your subscription by entering Knight25 in the coupon code area. Enjoy!   Every single Monday, we're taking a look at the week's ten best games across the state. Disclaimer, these games are listed in alphabetical order. There is no specific order for the ten best games every single week. But they feature the best match-ups and all of the top teams and players. With school districts across the state having different ideas for when "Fall Break" should be, there are quite a few games on Thursday night. But the games listed below are on Friday unless otherwise noted.   Keep it locked in to Prep Redzone Oklahoma throughout the week for more preview content of this week's top games and players to watch. This week, we'll have two practice reports with updates on Edmond Santa Fe and Millwood. We'll also have articles all week on the best sophomores across the state. This week continues our prospect ranking updates. We had the <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2023/10/unveiling-oklahomas-2027-watchlist/">2027 group last week</a> and we have our 2026 updates coming this week. And finally, we'll have a spotlight on this week's players to watch on Thursday and we'll update the Player Of The Year Watchlist on Friday. And be sure to check back every Monday for another breakdown on the week's top games across Oklahoma!   #6 BARTLESVILLE (3-4) AT #5 SAND SPRINGS (4-3) (THURS.)   It's the game of the week in Class 6A-2 on Thursday night as #5 Sand Springs hosts #6 Bartlesville in a match-up of teams that are out of the district title hunt but they could still make plenty of noise when the playoffs roll around. The Bruins are hungry for a win after losing a heartbreaker to defending champion Stillwater at home in the final minutes. Junior running back [player_tooltip player_id='515901' first='PJ' last='Wallace'] continues to be one of the best players in the state that not enough people are talking about. And this is a fantastic match-up if you're a fan of running the football. Wallace leads a Bartlesville offense and the Sandites have a two-headed monster in [player_tooltip player_id='382992' first='Kenneth' last='Page'] and [player_tooltip player_id='992746' first='Ali' last='McCoy'] at running back leading the way for them. This should be an entertaining game with some fireworks but we expect those fireworks to come from the ground game.   #1 BIXBY (7-0) AT #5 WESTMOORE (5-2)   How serious is #5 Westmoore as a contender in Class 6A-1? We're about to find out on Friday as they host the top-ranked and defending champion Bixby Spartans. The Jaguars have won four straight games after a 1-2 start and they are still in the hunt for the district championship. Senior quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='393973' first='Micheal' last='Graham'] has been one of the best players in the state this season and week after week, he's showing why he's one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the state. But on the other side of this match-up, you have a Bixby team that is an absolute machine with no signs of slowing down. Sophomore quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='284114' first='Carson' last='Kirby'] is coming off his best performance of the season and the Spartans are putting opponents down in the first two quarters and rolling to wins week after week.   #1 CARL ALBERT (8-0) AT #3 GUTHRIE (7-0) (THURS.)   It's not even close this week in terms of what is the overall game of the week. 5A's top-ranked and defending champion Carl Albert will hit the road to face #3 Guthrie in a showdown that we've been looking forward to for well over a month. This is a classic example of "unstoppable force against the immovable object" and the district title will be on the line Thursday night. Guthrie is perfect this season and they are led by senior running back [player_tooltip player_id='448519' first='Jaylen' last='Harper'] and a defense that has shut out six of their seven opponents and given up just three points. Carl Albert also comes in with a perfect record and some of the best players in the state. They're led by their running back as well in senior [player_tooltip player_id='360239' first='Xavier' last='Robinson'] but the Titans have proven a few times this season that they have several other pieces that can beat you on any given night.   #5 CLAREMORE (7-0) AT #8 BISHOP KELLEY (5-2)   While most of the attention this week will be on the Carl Albert-Guthrie showdown, don't overlook this Class 5A match-up featuring top ten teams. #5 Claremore will travel to Tulsa to face #8 Bishop Kelley. The Zebras have climbed into the top five of the Class 5A rankings as they have remained unbeaten on the season. They have a fantastic passing attack led by quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='322948' first='Braxton' last='Etheridge'] and wide receiver [player_tooltip player_id='584313' first='Gage' last='Deckard'] and they have become one of the best QB-WR duos in the state. But they'll face arguably the toughest defense they've faced this year in Bishop Kelley. The Comets have won five in a row after back to back losses in the first two weeks. Quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='911901' first='Stice' last='Smith'] has put up big numbers as a passer and runner. This game is critical to the district title race with Collinsville and Grove both lurking.   #3 JONES (5-2) AT CHANDLER (6-1)   #3 Jones will hit the road to face a Chandler team that is knocking on the door of the Class 2A rankings but this is a class that is once again loaded. Both teams suffered early season losses to some of the best teams in the state. Jones had setbacks against 2A's #1 Washington and 3A's #2 Lincoln Christian while Chandler fell to 4A's #2 Poteau. This match-up is another that should decide the district championship. Both teams are led by senior quarterbacks that are having outstanding seasons. The Longhorns and senior quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='215199' first='Clayton' last='Creasey'] have been on fire this fall. The Lions will counter with senior signal caller [player_tooltip player_id='360243' first='Alec' last='Jackson'] and just like Creasey, Jackson is a quarterback that can beat teams with his arm and legs. We're looking forward to this one as both teams can make noise in the 2A playoffs.   #2 LINCOLN CHRISTIAN (7-0) AT #9 STIGLER (6-1)   In Class 3A, we'll see #2 Lincoln Christian hitting the road and facing #9 Stigler. It doesn't appear that anyone can slow down Lincoln Christian but Stigler is next up to try and get in their way. The Panthers have had a solid season with the only blemish on the record coming in week four in a two-point loss to Seminole on the road. On the other side of this match-up you have a Lincoln Christian team that has looked flawless. Despite losing the majority of starters on defense, the Bulldogs have reloaded. And on offense, they are being led by senior quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='127357' first='Luke' last='Milligan'] and he's appeared to take the next step as a passer this fall. The Bulldogs are once again one of the top teams in Class 3A and will challenge Heritage Hall for the 3A crown. But first, they look to take another step towards the district crown on Friday.   #3 MARLOW (7-0) AT #5 SULPHUR (5-2)   It's another battle in 3A-2 featuring top five teams as #3 Marlow looks to remain unbeaten on the season when they travel to face #5 Sulphur. This district has been the best in Class 3A with five teams routinely in the top ten rankings of the class, including three in the top five. The Outlaws have been perfect all season and arguably their toughest games this season have come on the road, including this week. And they also have a road test against top-ranked Heritage Hall to finish of the season. The winner in this game stays alive in the district championship race. Sulphur began the season 0-2 but have rattled off five straight wins and have been dominant the last two weeks. The Bulldogs have had this two week stretch circled for a while. They host Marlow before traveling to Heritage Hall next week.   #8 OKLAHOMA CHRISTIAN SCHOOL (7-0) AT #2 MILLWOOD (6-1)   #2 Millwood will host #8 Oklahoma Christian School in another game that will more than likely decide the district championship. The Falcons have won six in a row since their season-opening loss to 3A's #1 Heritage Hall. And on the other side you have an OCS team that has been perfect this season and their senior quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='154217' first='Garret' last='Wilson'] has reached new heights this season as well. He's thrown 23 touchdowns with no interceptions and he's coming off back to back games of over 100 yards on the ground. The Falcons will look to slow him down and force him into his first mistake of the season. The Falcons have a few players to watch but it's hard to ignore arguably the top player in the game. Junior wide receiver and OU commit [player_tooltip player_id='347111' first='Jaden' last='Nickens'] is an absolute gamechanger when he's on the field.   #1 TIPTON (7-0) AT #3 MOUNTAIN VIEW-GOTEBO (6-1)   There are some really good districts that are top-heavy and have some of the best teams in the class representing the same district. But Class C probably takes the crown for best district in the state when you consider the top three teams in our Class C rankings are all in the same district. Top-ranked and defending champion Tipton leads the group and they square off with #3 Mountain View-Gotebo. #2 Ryan is also represented and they are hoping that Mountain View-Gotebo can pull off the upset and force a three-way tie atop the district standings. For Tipton, they will all but lock up the district championship with a win here. The defending champs have been tested a few times this season but have passed with flying colors. They look like they are the team to beat in Class C once again.   #2 UNION (6-1) AT #4 EDMOND SANTA FE (5-1) (THURS.)   The game of the week in Class 6A-1 is hands down in Edmond on Thursday night as #2 Union travels to face #4 Edmond Santa Fe. We'll take a deeper dive into Santa Fe later this week with our next practice report article but the Wolves have been lights out, winning four straight games and junior running back [player_tooltip player_id='188013' first='Demarius' last='Robinson'] has been unstoppable in those games. He has well over 1,000 yards and 18 touchdowns in the last four games alone. And now he looks to continue that dominance against a strong Union defense. The Redhawks will look to wrap up the district championship race with a win. All eyes will once again be on freshman quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='891992' first='Kason' last='Delgado'] on Thursday night. He made his first start last week in place of [player_tooltip player_id='188014' first='Shaker' last='Reisig'] and was not asked to do too much. That will change in this top five showdown.   FIVE MORE GAMES TO WATCH   #7 APACHE (5-1) AT #8 WALTERS (6-0)   It's the game of the week in Class A as #7 Apache hits the road to face #8 Walters and the district championship should be decided in this one. Both teams will still have a little work to do but it's hard to imagine this game not deciding the district title. Apache has looked really good this season while Walters is a surprise 6-0 team that has come out of nowhere. Both teams should make noise in November.   #10 EL RENO (4-3) AT LAWTON MACARTHUR (6-1) (THURS.)   This game just got more interesting as we head into week eight. Lawton MacArthur suffered their first loss of the year last week when they were beaten up by Midwest City. #10 El Reno jumped back into the top ten rankings because they already beat the Bombers earlier this season. On Thursday night, they look to hand the Highlanders another loss while Lawton Mac looks to stay alive in the district title picture.   #2 POTEAU (7-0) AT SALLISAW (THURS.)   Can anybody slow down Poteau or are they on a one-way trip to Edmond? We'll get our first answer on Thursday night when the #2 Pirates hit the road to face Sallisaw. Poteau is the favorite in this one but the Black Diamonds are one of the bigger surprise teams in the state. They went 1-19 in the last two seasons but first year head coach Brandon Tyler has turned around another struggling program immediately.   #1 WASHINGTON (7-0) AT PURCELL (6-1) (THURS.)   2A's top-ranked and defending champion Washington is the clear favorite in the class and it doesn't look like much can slow them down. But a 6-1 Purcell team could provide an unexpected detour from another unbeaten regular season and the district title will more than likely be decided here. The Warriors haven't been tested in the last month with three straight shutouts coming into this week's road game.   #8 WEATHERFORD (5-3) AT #9 ELK CITY (4-3)   Out in western Oklahoma you have #8 Weatherford traveling to face #9 Elk City in what should be an entertaining and hard-hitting game. Clinton has already beat both teams so this match-up is for a home playoff game. Both teams have strong running games and have bounced back from the loss to Clinton earlier in the district slate. This is a big game because the loser will have a much tougher road in the playoffs.

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