We’ve hit Week 6, and district play is just around the corner for most teams in the Big Country Preps coverage area. But before we hit that milestone this season, we’ve got an excellent slate of nondistrict matchups to get through first. 

Headlining this week’s schedule of games is a battle of unbeatens in Cherokee in Benjamin, which earns our Game of the Week designation, but that’s just one of several big-time six-man matchups throughout the area. 

It’s time now to take a deeper look at all of those in this week’s Six-Man Lookahead column. We hope you enjoy this preview of Week 6 and encourage you to check out our Six-Man/Class 1A Central page for more information on your favorite team(s).

GAME OF THE WEEK

• Cherokee (5-0) at Benjamin (3-0) — Our top game this week is a battle of unbeaten Division II squads between No. 4 Indians and the sixth-ranked Mustangs. Cherokee has played two more games than Benjamin, which has had trouble filling its nondistrict schedule the past two years off state championships in 2022 and 2023, but both teams have been dominant to this point. Cherokee has outscored its five opponents by a combined score of 290-60, while the Mustangs boast a 168-45 scoring margin in wins over Amarillo PCHEA, Follett and Borden County. Benjamin, led by junior utility back Keegan Hayes, hasn’t played a game Sept. 12, and could have to fight through some early ring rust, but the Mustangs are favored to win this one and improve to 4-0. But it won’t be easy against a Cherokee squad that brought back 18 lettermen and five starters both ways from last year’s 10-2 product.

OTHER TOP MATCHUPS

• Jayton (5-0) at Newcastle (3-1) — Another clash of ranked opponents, this one pits the DII No. 1 Jaybirds against the DI No. 9 Bobcats in what should be both team’s biggest test to date. The only loss between these teams came on Sept. 19, when Newcastle fell to DI No. 3 May, 60-42, in a competitive road matchup. Outside of that game, the two squads have combined to allow just 30 points all year with five shutouts between them. Jayton, fueled by QB/DB Sean Stanaland, RB/DB Bode Ham and C/DE Colt Gentry, is the favorite here, but the Jaybirds haven’t played a team as talented as NHS yet this season. London Martinez, Mikey Soito and the Bobcats should push JHS deeper than it has been pushed all year in a game that will be good for both teams in the long run.
• Westbrook (3-1) at Garden City (3-2) — The Wildcats will hit the road for the third time in five games to take on a quality Garden City team that has lost only to unbeaten Robert Lee (ranked No. 5 in DI) and a solid Ackerly Sands outfit. The Wildcats themselves have only tasted defeat once this season — by a 48-44 margin to DI No. 10 Rankin. Westbrook, which has gotten strong starts from sophomore Landon Rodriguez and seniors Chance Morris and Caleb Browne, shouldn’t struggle too much in this game. But it will be a good tuneup for District 7-1A DI play, which kicks off next week with a home game against Rotan and features showdowns with quality squads from Ira and Hermleigh later in the year.
• Perrin-Whitt (4-1) at Saint Jo (5-0) — While neither of these teams are ranked, this could be one of the area’s most intriguing matchups in Week 6, just by virtue of how competitive it is expected to be. Depending on the power rating service you look at, the spread on this game is one or two points, and PigskinPrep.com and SixManFootball.com are split on which team should come out on top. Perrin-Whitt, which is led by senior Cole Keeney, has the only loss between the squads, but it was to DI No. 4 Aquilla. And the Pirates have played a considerably tougher schedule, so they’ll come in the more battle-tested tam. The teams have one common opponent in Bowie Gold-Burg, but both handled the Bears pretty easily, so that doesn’t provide much differentiation in what should be an outstanding matchup.
• Water Valley (5-0) at Rankin (4-1) — Our third ranked matchup of the week, this highly anticipated game sees the DI No. 2 Wildcats travel to take on the 10th-ranked Red Devils. The only thing keeping this from being a clash of unbeatens (and potentially our Game of the Week) is Rankin’s 74-44 loss at DI No. 7 Borden County in Week 4, but the Red Devils showed their capabilities a week earlier in a gritty road win over Westbrook. Water Valley, which is led by Landon Lacy and Boston Wiese, hasn’t been tested yet this year, cruising through its schedule with a combined 277-14 scoring margin. And while the Wildcats remain a solid favorite here, they should get pushed this week by an experienced RHS squad that has been impressive in its own right thus far.

UNDER THE RADAR

While the sections above are meant highlight the week’s biggest, most meaningful and/or most high-profile matchups, here we’re looking for competitive games that might not draw the same level of attention. Here are some matchups we’re keeping an eye on:

• FRIDAY
  • Veribest (1-4) at Nueces Canyon (1-4) — Neither of these teams has the record they were expected to have at this point, but both have played tough schedules. The winner will get a nice boost with district play approaching.
  • Panther Creek (3-2) at Blackwell (0-5) — This one doesn’t look like much on paper, but Blackwell’s five losses have come to teams with a combined 20-5 record, and the Panthers have yet to beat a team with more than one win on the year. 
  • Crowell (0-5) at Throckmorton (0-4) — These two teams have struggled of late, but someone will get their first win here, which adds some intrigue to a game that’s otherwise easy to overlook. 
  • Mullin (1-4) at Lohn (2-3) — The spread here is less than two touchdowns, and the computers on split on which team is the favorite. This should be a fun game between two building programs.

PREDICTIONS

• LAST WEEK: 26-3, .897
• SEASON TOTAL: 142-25, .850

Gorman (1-4) at BRYSON (3-2)

Knox City (1-4) at PADUCAH (5-0)

JAYTON (5-0) at Newcastle (3-1)

PERRIN-WHITT (4-1) at Saint Jo (5-0)

Loraine (0-5) at IRA (2-2)

Rotan (2-2) at ASPERMONT (5-0)

WESTBROOK (3-1) at Garden City (3-2)

THREE WAY (5-0) at Paint Rock (3-2)

ROBERT LEE (5-0) at Bronte (3-1)

VERIBEST (1-4) at Nueces Canyon (1-4)

WATER VALLEY (5-0) at Rankin (4-1)

EDEN (4-1) at Baird (1-4)

STRAWN (4-1) at Ranger (3-2)

MAY (4-1) at Irion County (1-4)

Santa Anna (2-3) at ZEPHYR (4-1)

PANTHER CREEK (3-2) at Blackwell (0-5)

BROOKESMITH (2-3) at Olfen (0-5)

TRENT (4-1) at Moran (0-4)

Cherokee (5-0) at BENJAMIN (3-0)

PAINT CREEK (4-1) at Chillicothe (5-0)

Hedley (0-4) at GUTHRIE (3-1)

Rising Star JV at LUEDERS-AVOCA (1-4)

Rule (0-4) at HARROLD (3-2)

CROWELL (0-5) at Throckmorton (0-4)

Woodson (0-5) at BLANKET (4-1)

BLUFF DALE (4-1) at Granbury Grace Classical (2-3)

GUSTINE (3-1) at Morgan (3-2)

RISING STAR (3-2) at Priddy (1-4)

MULLIN (1-4) at Lohn (2-3)

RICHLAND SPRINGS (3-1) at Lometa (3-2) 

Midland Holy Cross (2-3) at ABILENE CHRISTIAN (4-1)

IDLE: Hermleigh (3-2), Roby (4-1), Highland (2-3), Gordon (5-0), Lingleville (0-5), Sidney (1-4), Rochelle (0-5)