3 Underrated Matchups To Watch in Week 7

Most of the state is transitioning to the conference schedule, and there are plenty of premier matchups across the state. Here, I want to break down some of the under-the-radar games, some of the matchups that won't capture headlines, but could end up having massive implications.   Which players will make the biggest impacts in some of the cooler games of Week 7? Here are three underrated Week 7 matchups you should pay attention to.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Underrated Week 7 Matchups</h2>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Ayden-Grifton vs. Kinston</h3>   I love a fun matchup and expect a lot of offense in this one. Kinston has one of the state's best passing attacks, led by quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1337049' first='Tyler' last='Jones'] and receivers [player_tooltip player_id='1368098' first='Tyreek' last='Copper'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1539536' first='Brennan' last='Chambers']. Ayden-Grifton has one of the state's most electric playmakers in [player_tooltip player_id='1704839' first='EJ' last='Ruffin'], as well as a dynamic receiver in [player_tooltip player_id='1704848' first='Nygel' last='Morgan']. Quarterback John Fields has added an element of the downfield passing game that has made the offense even more potent.   The records and <a href="https://prepredzone.com/north-carolina/team-database/?team_name=&class%5B%5D=3A">Power Scores</a> rankings are misleading, as Kinston has losses to a 6A and a 7A team while Ayden-Grifton lost a crazy 40-35 opener to Princeton and last week to 7A D.H. Conley.   The skill talent in this one is among the best you'll find all season at the 3A level, and each of these teams has the talent to make a deep playoff run. A win early in conference play would put either team in contention for a Coastal Plains 2A/3A title. A loss wouldn't ruin either team's season, but the stakes are still high for a Week 7 matchup.   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">New Bern vs. Jacksonville</h3>   Count me as a fan of mixed-classification conferences. We get matchups from top teams in different classifications that have huge conference implications, but also feature teams that will compete at different levels when the playoffs come.   New Bern is coming off two big losses to two of the best teams in the state, but has otherwise played well. In my opinion, the winner this Friday is in the driver's seat of the Big Carolina conference.   We've written about Jacksonville recently as one of the <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/10/6a-midseason-check-in-teams-storylines-to-watch/">state favorites in the 6A class</a>. I'm interested in this one to see if the Cardinals can lean into the passing game, getting [player_tooltip player_id='1844273' first='SaRonn' last='Thompson'] involved as a threat to take pressure off the running game.   New Bern has the passing numbers to suggest they throw it all over the field, but in reality, it all goes through the running game. [player_tooltip player_id='1084981' first='Karvin' last='Magwood'] is averaging nearly six yards a rush and over 17 yards a catch, getting tough yards when the Bears need them. I think we'll learn a lot about both of these teams here, and I have Jacksonville by a touchdown.   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">East Chapel Hill vs. Chapel Hill</h3>   Two teams that struggled in the nonconference last year come into Friday's matchup with winning records. A win for either would put a winning season on the horizon with a gettable Tobacco Road 6A/7A Conference. The story I'm following here is Chapel Hill's reshuffling now that the Tigers are finally healthy.   Samual Zimmerman has become more efficient this season, but it's always going to be a matter of whether the Tigers can stay balanced on offense. On the whole, they're a decent rushing offense, though no player is averaging over 30 yards a game throughout the entire season so far. Do-it-all athlete [player_tooltip player_id='935584' first='Kenneth' last='Dula IV'] is in our rankings as a defensive back (and we think he projects best as a future FCS corner), but he can line up anywhere on offense as well. He doesn't have a ton of volume on that side of the ball this season, but is still a threat to take a screen to the end zone or get some work in the option game.   The pass offense has been balanced, with David Campos, Austin Campos, and DJ Jeter all averaging between 40 and 50 yards per game. The defensive secondary is a strength; both Dula and sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1717897' first='Deuce' last='Geer'] are top corners, though Greer got hurt in mid-September and it's unclear if he'll be back on a defense that's been ravaged by injury.   East Chapel Hill feels like a bigger threat this season, thanks to some consistency in the passing game. Sophomore Leo George has thrown six touchdowns to just two picks on 65% completion. [player_tooltip player_id='1717885' first='A'Maree' last='Evans'] is the biggest threat on the offensive side, averaging nearly nine yards a carry.   Defensively, safety Jake Cannady has stuffed the stat sheet. In five games, he leads the Wildcats in tackles, has two picks, and has forced and recovered a fumble. He can play close to the line or as a deep safety.   Neither team can afford to make mistakes. The East Chapel Hill defense is a bit better at forcing turnovers. Without takeaways to swing the momentum, I like Chapel Hill, but if the Wildcats can get a takeaway off an offense that has taken care of the ball, it'll get interesting.   Who should we preview next week? Let me know on Twitter (<a href="https://x.com/whelms21">@whelms21</a>).

Most of the state is transitioning to the conference schedule, and there are plenty of premier matchups across the state. Here, I want to break down some of the under-the-radar games, some of the matchups that won't capture headlines, but could end up having massive implications.