KALAMAZOO, MI - Just as Michigan’s leaves are turning, so are the fates of the state’s high school football teams.
With two games left in the regular season, squads are making a final push to reach win No. 6 and qualify for the playoffs.
Four area teams – Portage Northern, Mendon, White Pigeon and Climax-Scotts – clinched postseason berths in Week 7, and Constantine, Centreville and Vicksburg can play their way in on Friday, but which ones will seal the deal?
Crazy things can happen on any given Friday, but I'm doing my best to sort through the madness and predict each Kalamazoo-area game in Week 8.
I've compiled a 113-26 record thus far, and Week 7 was another solid effort, with 21 of my 25 picks coming to fruition.
Only Niles, Plainwell, Hartford and Parchment tripped me up by pulling out wins last week, so kudos to the Vikings, Trojans, Indians and Panthers for proving me wrong in Week 7.
But out with the old and in with the new.
Here's a look at a full slate of predictions for Kalamazoo-area teams in Week 8, including five featured games that promise to be especially competitive.
Remember that many kickoff times have changed due to the risk of the mosquito-borne EEE virus, so bundle up and stay safe.
Mattawan (3-4) at Portage Central (4-3)
Playoff hopes for both teams hinge on this Week 8 showdown, as Mattawan has no room for error, and Portage Central has very little leeway in its quest for an eighth consecutive postseason trip.
Backing into the playoffs at 5-4 is a possibility for the Wildcats, who face a pair of tough opponents to end the season, starting with Portage Central in Week 8, then Stevensville Lakeshore in the finale.
The path for Portage Central is more straightforward -- beat two sub-.500 teams, and the Mustangs are in.
Both teams feature talented quarterbacks that have struggled at different times this season, and a good game from Mattawan's Jalen Jones or Portage Central's Luke Leto could be the difference in this one.
Give the edge to Portage Central here, as the Mustangs will come out with a ton of energy knowing they control their own playoff destiny.
Pick: Portage Central 21, Mattawan 20
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Lawton (7-0) at Saugatuck (3-4)
Saugatuck has been the perennial conference power for a while now, but Lawton is ready to take the throne. The undefeated Blue Devils haven't beaten Saugatuck since 2010, but only two teams have come within two touchdowns this season, thanks to Lawton's stingy defense led by senior linebacker Harrison Maynard.
Offensively, Lawton's line has paved the way for a methodical, ball-control attack, and Saugatuck has struggled against the run this season, so the Indians will need a season-best defensive performance to pull off the upset and stay in the conversation for a SAC Valley crown.
If Lawton wins, the conference championship is theirs for the first time since 2012, and that should be enough motivation to have the Blue Devils ready to play on the road.
Pick: Lawton 28, Saugatuck 20
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Kalamazoo United (4-3) at Constantine (5-2)
What a turnaround it has been for a Kalamazoo United team that got off to a 0-3 start against one of the state's most challenging early-season schedules. The early season losses to undefeated Jackson Lumen Christi and Berrien Springs appear to be paying dividends now, as the Titans are 3-0 in SAC Lakeshore play and very much in the playoff hunt.
However, United also has one of the toughest final stretches among area teams, as the Titans travel to Constantine and Schoolcraft to wrap up their season.
While Constantine is in better position to clinch a playoff spot, the Falcons aren't taking anything for granted against United or Delton Kellogg in Week 9, and in this small town in southern St. Joseph County, postseason football is not just the goal, it's the expectation.
The Falcons have reached the playoffs in 19 of the last 20 years, and plenty of players on the current roster remember the feeling of going 3-6 in 2017.
The on-field play promises to make this a compelling game, as both teams feature strong rushing attacks and tough defenses, but Constantine's Sweetland Stadium is one of the area's most difficult places to steal a road win, so expect the Falcons to narrowly pull this one out.
Pick: Constantine 21, Kalamazoo United 18
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Centreville (5-2) at Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian (5-2)
Third-year coach Tyler Langs led Centreville to its first nine-win season in school history last year, and the next step in building a program into a powerhouse is consistency. With five wins, the Bulldogs are in good shape to clinch their second consecutive playoff berth, but closing the season with NorthPointe Christian and Mendon won't make it easy.
Like Centreville, NorthPointe Christian also has a young coach, Brian Haveman, looking to establish his program as a dominant one in the small-school landscape. In his first year since taking over for Tim Swore, Haveman has a strong football foundation to build from, as the Mustangs have made the playoffs in seven of their first 12 seasons since their inaugural year in 2008, but after starting the 2019 campaign 4-0, they've lost 2 of 3, with their only win coming in the form of a 14-10 contest against 2-5 Leslie.
The Mustangs' five wins come against teams with a combined record of 7-28, and they're 0-2 against opponents with winning records and have been outscored 80-16.
Meanwhile, Centreville hasn't played the toughest schedule, but they've beaten a 4-3 Hartford team and played state-ranked Cassopolis and White Pigeon close, so expect that big-game experience to pay off on the road.
Pick: Centreville 22, NorthPointe Christian 20
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White Pigeon (6-1) at Mendon (6-1)
Both teams clinched the playoffs last week, so the Week 8 matchup between White Pigeon and Mendon is all about securing home field for Round 1 of the postseason. Playoff prediction guru Snooze2you forecasts Mendon and White Pigeon playing road games in the same district, but a win for either one makes a pre-district home game a very real possibility.
The big question here is whether or not White Pigeon star running back Stone Kemp is at full strength after a midseason injury. The Chiefs' offense relies on running the ball and a full stable of backs is necessary against a team like Mendon.
Mendon also relies on its ground game, and the Hornets have found a breakout star in speedy junior Jackson Crotser, who nicely complements the powerful running style of four-year varsity player Austin Rensi.
With two teams that like to pound the rock and play solid defense, points will be at a premium in this game, and I like Mendon to score just enough to pull off the win on their home field.
Pick: Mendon 21, White Pigeon 13
MORE KALAMAZOO-AREA PICKS
Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference
Battle Creek Lakeview 28, Kalamazoo Loy Norrix 7
Stevensville Lakeshore 16, Kalamazoo Central 14
Portage Northern 35, Richland Gull Lake 13
Wolverine Conference
Vicksburg 38, Dowagiac 24
Paw Paw 35, South Haven 14
Edwardsburg 40, Allegan 13
Three Rivers 34, Plainwell 28
Otsego 27, Sturgis 16
Southwestern Athletic Conference
Schoolcraft 42, Watervliet 19
Delton Kellogg 29, Coloma 14
Gobles 26, Fennville 16
Galesburg-Augusta 25, Athens 20
Southwest 10
Marcellus 22, Bloomingdale 18
Decatur 21, Hartford 14
BCS Conference
Buchanan 27, Comstock 19
Niles Brandywine 35, Parchment 16
Southwest Michigan 8-man Football League
Lawrence 29, Bangor 13
Martin 40, St. Joseph Michigan Lutheran 20
Southern Central Athletic Association
Climax-Scotts 28, Burr Oak 14
MORE HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL COVERAGE
Michigan’s top 50 high school football teams ahead of Week 8
Playoff points heading into Week 8
See the remaining undefeated teams and who they play this week
Associated Press football rankings for the week
Michigan High School Football Player of the Year watch list