All kickoffs at 7:30 EDT unless noted
RHEA COUNTY EAGLES (3-2) at CATHEDRAL (Ind.) FIGHTING IRISH (3-2)
Storyline: The game initially was scheduled for the Indianapolis Colts' Lucas Oil Field, but that was canceled when Cathedral was unable to line up a second game for a doubleheader. The stadium rental cost is prohibitive for a single game ($40,000). Cathedral is the winningest program in Indiana prep football, getting its 700th win earlier this year. Both Irish losses are to out-of-state teams, and they are coming off a loss to perennial power St. Xavier, which has sent numerous players to the college ranks and is ranked fifth in the latest Ohio poll. Cathedral has a fair rushing defense and should be a challenge to the Eagles' normally strong running game. The Irish are led by QB Max Bortenschlager, who has more than 3,000 career passing yards. Rhea's Noel Patterson has four straight 100-yard receiving games.
SODDY-DAISY TROJANS (4-0) at EAST HAMILTON HURRICANES (3-2)
Storyline: The Trojans have the area's second-highest scoring offense (44.0 ppg) and the ninth-best defense (13.8 ppg), a scoring differential of 30.2 ppg. This is the first time since 2004 that the Trojans have begun a season 4-0. That 2004 team got to 7-0 before falling to Ooltewah. This game could wind up being a passing duel between the Trojans' Justin Cooke and the Hurricanes' Nick Woods. Both teams also have capable runners in Soddy-Daisy's Christian Bell and East Hamilton's David Whiteside.
HIXSON WILDCATS (0-4) at EAST RIDGE PIONEERS (5-0)
Storyline: The 2015 start is the worst for Hixson since 2010, when the Wildcats lost four before beating DeKalb County. East Ridge, which lost to Hixson 15-0 last year and hasn't beat the Wildcats since 2011 (21-14), entered the Class 3A rankings this week at No. 10. The last time the Pioneers started a season this well was 2001: They won six straight before losing to Cleveland and finished the year 10-2. The Pioneers have benefited greatly from the emergence of QB Eric Bennett to go with Matt Yarbrough. Hixson has leaned on RBs Myles Ratliff and Tarik Twitty-Humphrey.
WALKER VALLEY MUSTANGS (1-3) at TYNER RAMS (3-1)
Storyline: These programs have met only twice and not since 2006, and Tyner posted 40-7 and 34-6 wins. The Mustangs have struggled this year, specifically on defense. While they've scored at least 19 points in each game, they've surrendered an average of 36. The Rams, who were supposed to be a physical team, were swamped 40-7 last week by Boyd-Buchanan and looked nothing like the team that slapped ranked Notre Dame 27-21 and manhandled Polk County and Signal Mountain. They continued last week to use four quarterbacks and never jelled against the Buccaneers.
NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH (3-2) at CALHOUN CITY (Miss.) WILDCATS (3-2), 8
Storyline: These teams have similar starts through five games, each yet to win two in a row. While the Irish are ranked eighth in the Class 3A Tennessee poll, Calhoun City is No. 2 in Mississippi's 2A poll. Notre Dame has averaged better than 30 points per game but is giving up 19.6, that after a 36-0 shutout of winless Howard last week. Calhoun City, a state runner-up each of the last two seasons, has scored at least 34 points in all of its games with the exception of a 9-6 loss. Coach Charles Fant reports that the Irish are all healthy.
SIGNAL MOUNTAIN EAGLES (0-5) at CLEVELAND BLUE RAIDERS (2-3)
Storyline: The Eagles are in the throes of the worst season in their school's brief history. They appear to have enough linemen but have been short of skill-position players. It's a struggle for coach Ty Wise, in his first year at Signal, but just as much for players with a fragile psyche. A relatively young team, Cleveland is coming off a surprising win at McMinn County that put them at 1-1 in Region 4-5A. This is the first meeting between the two. Sophomore RB Keegan Jones leads the Raiders with 419 yards in four games, and QB JaShawn Hill has thrown for 707. Signal soph Tom Vatter has thrown for 378 yards in four games, while Charles Gauthier and Collin Weigert have led the Eagles' rushing effort.
BRAINERD PANTHERS (0-4) at BAYLOR RED RAIDERS (4-1)
Storyline: The Panthers have faced unbeaten teams the past three weeks (East Ridge, Boyd-Buchanan, Marion County) and came closest to a win in their opener, losing by three to Chattanooga Christian. The Red Raiders are coming off a loss to Brentwood Academy, which is being touted by some as the state's best team. Baylor has won its past two games against Brainerd by a combined 99-32.
MARION COUNTY WARRIORS (5-0) at BOYD-BUCHANAN BUCCANEERS (4-0)
Storyline: Although it's the state's Nos. 1-2-ranked Class 2A teams, the biggest prize to be taken from this game is the top spot in Region 3. Each team is 2-0 in the league, and the winner will be in line to claim not only the region championship but also home-field advantage for a likely playoff rematch. The Warriors have yet to be challenged past the first half this season, and in all but one game they have had the outcome under control by halftime. Marion has plenty of backfield options, but the playmakers who must be keyed on are QB Logan Walters and Josh Henderson and Hunter McClain. Henderson is also a big-play threat on special teams, and the Warriors defense is especially tough to run on between the tackles. Boyd-Buchanan made it clear with last week's 33-point win at Tyner that it is a complete team. The Buccaneers have their own backfield threats in E.J. Matthews and QB Cooper Hodge, and TE/DE Jack Keebler is a tone-setter on both sides of the ball. The difference could be Marion's special-teams advantage, with Henderson and all-state kicker Christian Stephens, whose kickoffs typically force foes to drive the length of the field against a stout defense.
GRUNDY COUNTY YELLOW JACKETS (1-4) at SOUTH PITTSBURG PIRATES (2-2), 8
Storyline: The Pirates offense is showing signs of producing a few playmakers aside from senior Chase Blevins. RB Joseph Lilly, QB Hogan Holland and WR Cade Kennemore have helped a unit that struggled in the season opener to begin reeling off big plays as well as sustaining long drives to put points on the board. The defensive side of the ball is still a work in progress for the Pirates, and they again will be tested by Grundy County's run-first style.
NORTH JACKSON CHIEFS (2-2) at SCOTTSBORO WILDCATS (1-4)
Storyline: The fact that it's not a region game is irrelevant, and overall records aren't important in one of the area's most intense county rivalries. The Chiefs offense is again the team's strength, averaging almost 40 points per game, but it was the defense that came up big in last week's win. North Jackson owns a 21-6 series lead, including a come-from-behind three-point win last year. QB Tre Harris is a dual threat who's more dangerous as a runner but has a huge target in 6-foot-6, 225-pound tight end Austin Cummins, and Omar "Tank" Brown adds a physical style to the running game. The Chiefs secondary will have its hands full with Scottsboro WR Malik Talley (6-3, 190), who can be moved around to play several positions and is an FBS prospect with several offers already. Although Bo Nix is inexperienced at QB, he has Talley as a target and running back DeKarlos Billingsley to make plays.
SILVERDALE BAPTIST SEAHAWKS (2-2) vs. SALE CREEK PANTHERS (1-4)
At Finley Stadium
Storyline: Silverdale has been on a win-one-lose-one track, opening with a lopsided shutout victory but sandwiching two losses around a victory over neighbor Grace Academy. Sale Creek secured the school's first win on Aug. 28, but in their other four games the Panthers have managed just 21 points while giving up 138.
CENTRAL PURPLE POUNDERS (0-4) at RED BANK LIONS (1-4)
Storyline: These two teams are starving for a victory. Central, which has scored one touchdown in each of its four games, is still searching for a playmaker to get into the end zone. During the off week, coach Gary Bloodsaw said the Pounders returned to fundamentals such as throwing, catching, blocking and tackling. Devon Swafford is returning to the lineup in the backfield. Red Bank continues to look for confidence on both sides of the ball. Coach Chad Grabowski said linebackers Robert Perry and Ivan Young have been important in that process.
BLEDSOE COUNTY WARRIORS (3-1) at SEQUATCHIE COUNTY INDIANS (4-0), 8
Storyline: Even though it's not a district game like it used to be, Bledsoe-Sequatchie is still a big rivalry in the Valley. "Everyone from the drive-thru lady at McDonald's to our librarian has told me how big this is," Sequatchie coach Adam Caine said. Bledsoe RB Tavian Dodd is a bruising back who had nine carries for 174 yards in his last game, and 5-foot-5 Joseph Gore leads the Warriors in carries and plays almost every snap at safety. Yet coach Josh Owensby said Caleb Smith is who they'll hang their hat on. Sequatchie has more big-play capabilities and will take its shots, although OTs Zane Swanger and Peyton Tate will play key roles, as will LBs Hunter Davenport, Kyle Cates and Caleb Reed.
McMINN CENTRAL CHARGERS (2-3) at MEIGS COUNTY TIGERS (2-2)
Storyline: McMinn Central quarterback Jackson Guy had the game of his life last Friday when he accounted for seven touchdowns in the Chargers' 66-35 win at Louden. A repeat performance is almost impossible against the Tigers, who have limited three of four opponents to one or two touchdowns. The Tigers are coming off an off week that allowed them to heal bumps and bruises.
COPPER BASIN COUGARS (1-4) at GRACE ACADEMY GOLDEN EAGLES (3-2)
Storyline: The Golden Eagles, 2-0 in their region, are missing a few linemen due to injuries for a second straight week. They survived last week in a 40-8 win over Sale Creek. But the Cougars, with their massive size up front on both sides, present a different challenge. Grace coach Bob Ateca is looking for big games from LB Zach Fisher and DB Dalton Morrison as well as WRs Caleb Sanders and Austin Walls.
HERITAGE GENERALS (2-1, 0-0) at SOUTHEAST WHITFIELD RAIDERS (3-1, 1-0)
Storyline: A year after struggling to find consistency in the passing game, the Generals in coach E.K. Slaughter's second season have found it in QB Corbee Wilson and a strong stable of receivers. Wilson has 725 yards and nine touchdowns in three games, with super soph Luke Grant and Trent Kiniry catching three TD passes each. While Heritage does most of its damage through the air, Southeast prefers the ground route, led by prolific RB Tyler Brown, athletic QB Colter Faith and an improving line anchored by center Noah Ramsey. Each team also has a pair of elite defensive linemen - Heritage's Tanner Nance and Zaine Burton and Southeast's Britt Hasty and Leo Gardana. Which duo has the better night in containment could well determine the winner.
RINGGOLD TIGERS (2-2, 1-1) at CALHOUN YELLOW JACKETS (4-0, 2-0)
Storyline: Ringgold gave the eventual state champions a scare last season, leading at halftime and controlling the trenches before a patented Calhoun rally after intermission. The Tigers, after a sound spanking at the hands of state-ranked Adairsville two weeks ago, have nothing to lose tonight. That means a big dose of Devin Lancaster's big arm. He's already got 1,040 yards and eight touchdowns and faces a Calhoun secondary that's missing some key parts. The Jackets, in fact, are beat up on both sides of the ball, including RB Olico Dennis, who had three touchdowns on as many carries against North Murray before sitting out to rest a minor injury. QB Kaelan Riley, completing 71 percent of his passes, could take to the air often tonight, with WR Baylon Spector and TE Landon Rice his main targets.
ADAIRSVILLE TIGERS (3-0, 1-0) at SONORAVILLE PHOENIX (3-1, 2-0)
Storyline: Two stout defenses tangle in a key Region 6-AAA game. RB Sidnee Johnson, who torched Ringgold for 220 yards, and backfield mate Torrey Hale will try to move the ball on a Sonoraville defense that has allowed 130 rush yards in its last three games. DL Kenny Cooper, a Western Kentucky commitment, has been a rock in the middle of the line. On the other side, the Phoenix have struggled to score points, but QB Cody Long, despite not being 100 percent after suffering a minor knee injury in camp, has 500 yards rushing. Which QB, Long or Adairsville's Roger Redd, can make some noise through the air?
DADE COUNTY WOLVERINES (3-1, 0-0) at MODEL BLUE DEVILS (4-0, 0-0)
Storyline: A Dade defense giving up just over 10 points per game faces a Model offense that has gone for 91 points in back-to-back wins in the Region 7-AA opener for both teams. Dylan McNeese, Damien Pickering and Kamryon Jones have combined for 18 tackles for loss, while Lee Spencer has amassed 41 tackles for a stingy Wolverines unit that allowed just 22 yards rushing in last week's win over Class AAAA Northwest Whitfield. They will face a Model team that makes its living on the ground, led by QB Kyler Eldridge and RB Chris Dublin, who have combined for nearly 900 yards and 11 touchdowns. The Dade offense is also ground-oriented and will rely on the three-headed attack of backs Pickering, Zac Freeman and Teddy Cole.
NORTH MURRAY MOUNTAINEERS (0-4, 0-2) at MURRAY COUNTY INDIANS (2-1, 1-0)
Storyline: There is a genuine dislike between the two fan bases, so the atmosphere tonight will be electric. North Murray's season is on the line and the Mountaineers are slowly finding an identity offensively as QB Blake Davis and RB Brady Harper are a nice duo. The Indians have been dominant on the ground, with QB Dominick Genitempo and RB Tucker Gregg each eclipsing 180 yards in last week's win over LFO. If the North Murray defense can't slow the duo, the offense will have to try to win a shootout.
SEQUOYAH CHIEFS (1-3, 1-0) at DALTON CATAMOUNTS (2-2, 0-1)
Storyline: Sequoyah's record is a bit misleading with losses to powers Etowah, Blessed Trinity and Kell. There's plenty of offense with QB Austin Tracy (543 yards), backs Trey Mitchell (213 yards) and Luke Jensen (173) and star WR Derrion Rakestraw, who's got 306 yards and four touchdowns. Offense is what's lacking in Dalton, where six turnovers and several other misplays led to a dreadful 23-8 loss to Cass. Of the three QBs who played, sophomore J.P. Tighe had the best stats. Expect a simplified playbook tonight at Harmon Field, where a good Dalton defense might be asked to win it to avoid an 0-2 start in Region 7A-AAAAA.