Here are the district finals’ best matchups and potential upsets, along with dark horse teams and players to watch:
Division 1
Best matchup: Rockford (7-3) at Grandville (8-1). The lone smudge on Grandville’s record is a 7-6 loss to Rockford. So Grandville has that whole revenge thing going for it, but Rockford was terrific last week in rocking Hudsonville, 24-7.
Biggest potential upset: West Bloomfield (6-4) at Southfield A&T (7-3). Last week West Bloomfield knocked off previously unbeaten Bloomfield Hills, but this is a much tougher opponent. Southfield handled the Lakers, 33-14, in Week 6. What’s changed? We’ll see.
Dark horse: Macomb Dakota (7-3). Dakota has won three straight by at least 21 points, and if Brett Droski is hitting his passes, anything is possible.
Player to watch: Saline tight end Bryce Wolma. He has excellent hands and is an exceptional blocker.
Division 2
Best matchup: Oak Park (7-3) at Detroit King (8-2). King is the defending champ and a big favorite here. But Oak Park had an amazing one-week turnaround in beating favored U-D Jesuit last week. If the Knights can move the ball on the ground, they can keep it close.
Biggest potential upset: Birmingham Brother Rice (7-3) at Birmingham Groves (9-1). Rice has bounced back nicely from last season’s 2-7 record. The Warriors have played a challenging schedule that should pay off now.
Dark horse: Pinckney. This is only the fifth playoff appearance in school history, but the Pirates have won six straight and shouldn’t be intimidated by Walled Lake Western.
Player to watch: Fenton quarterback Josh Czarnota. The junior has thrown for over 2,700 yards and 34 touchdowns so far. The game with Dow should be a shootout.
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Division 3
Best matchup: Romulus (9-1) at Allen Park (10-0). Romulus got everyone’s attention when it thumped Trenton, 40-14, last week. Romulus has a talented roster, one capable of quick-strike scores. Allen Park has a nice blend of a running game and a passing attack.
Biggest potential upset: East Grand Rapids (8-2) at Muskegon (9-1). An East victory would be an upset of epic proportions. The Big Reds haven’t been tested much by any school in the state and have amazing speed. Yet, East has a storied tradition on its side as well and is used to playing big games.
Dark horse: DeWitt. Don’t overlook the Panthers. As always, DeWitt has a balanced offense and it has enough athletes to stay in a game against anyone.
Player to watch: Divine Child quarterback Theo Day. He has had an impressive junior season, beating Loyola in the Prep Bowl and playing well in a first-round playoff win last week.
Division 4
Best matchup: Hudsonville Unity Christian (8-2) at Benton Harbor (10-0). Benton Harbor has played excellent defense all season, allowing five opponents no more than one touchdown. But Unity Christian employs the full-house backfield T-formation, which can be difficult to defend.
Biggest potential upset: Allendale (8-2) at Grand Rapids Catholic Central (9-1). Consider what Allendale has done the last two weeks — upset Grand Rapids West Catholic in Week 9 and then drilled Wyoming Kelloggsville in the first round. This will be a difficult game for CC.
Dark horse: Milan. The Big Reds have a dual threat in QB Demetrius Barnes and Trace Lindeman helps with a solid running attack. They can match speed with any team in the division.
Player to watch: Benton Harbor running back Jeremy Burrell. He has enjoyed a sensational season, rushing for 2,038 yards and 27 touchdowns on 196 carries as the Tigers reached the 10-0 mark for the first time in school history.
Michigan high school football district finals schedule (with times)
Division 5
Best matchup: Frankenmuth (9-1) at Freeland (10-0). This game is at Freeland because Frankenmuth’s only loss came against Freeland, 10-7. We’re expecting more offense this time around, although both are excellent defensive teams.
Biggest potential upset: Muskegon Oakridge (9-1) at Ithaca (10-0). Face it, any time Ithaca loses it’s an upset, and Oakridge has a proud playoff history of its own. Oakridge hasn’t lost since Week 1 when it fell to powerhouse Muskegon Catholic Central.
Dark horse: Menominee. With three-time defending state champ Grand Rapids West Catholic still alive, not to mention Frankenmuth, Freeland and Ithaca, people may have forgotten about the Maroons, which would be a mistake.
Player to watch: Phillip Paea, Berrien Springs. This offensive and defensive tackle who has committed to Michigan is just killing it on both sides of the line. He is one of the keys to Berrien Springs’ effective running attack.
Division 6
Best matchup: Calumet (9-1) at Negaunee (10-0). This is a Week 2 rematch, which No. 1 Negaunee won, 14-6. The Calumet defense is going to have to key on running back Neal Violetta, who has run for 1,186 yards and 15 TDs.
Biggest potential upset: Jackson Lumen Christi (8-2) at Schoolcraft (10-0). Only one opponent has come as close as 10 points against Schoolcraft, which has rolled through the season. After Week 3, Lumen Christi was 1-2. Schoolcraft will have to find a way to stop Bo Bell.
Dark horse: Maple City Glen Lake. The passing of Cade Peterson and the running of Nick Apsey makes Glen Lake a tough team to defend.
Player to watch: David Thompson, Ravenna. He began the season at quarterback, but was switched to running back. Last week he ran for 323 yards and scored five touchdowns.
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Division 7
Best matchup: Saugatuck (10-0) at Pewamo-Westphalia (10-0). This is the best matchup in the state this weekend. It features two terrific players in Saugatuck quarterback Blake Dunn and Pewamo-Westphalia running back Jared Smith. Pewamo won this game a year ago, 38-28.
Biggest potential upset: Sand Creek (9-1) at Hudson (9-1). After missing the playoffs the last four seasons, Sand Creek is making the most of this opportunity. It has lost its last four games against Hudson, but Sand Creek plays dynamite defense in the red zone.
Dark horse: Unionville-Sebewaing. After some long playoff runs beginning in the late 1990s, USA’s program struggled for several seasons before Tyler Langs showed up a season ago and quickly righted the ship.
Player to watch: Alec Muck, Sand Creek. This sophomore running back doesn’t play like a sophomore. He can be a game-changer.
Division 8
Best matchup: Saginaw Nouvel (7-3) at Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary (8-2). Nouvel is Nouvel — year in and year out one of the top teams in the state, despite its dwindling enrollment. Seminary is often overshadowed in its league by Ithaca, but it caught a lot of people’s attention with its Week 9 win over New Lothrop.
Biggest potential upset: Mendon (8-2) at Climax-Scotts (10-0). Eleven-time state champ Mendon’s two losses were to Cassopolis and Buchanan, playoff teams in larger divisions. The only problem is nine of Mendon’s state titles have come in odd-numbered years and this is an even-numbered year.
Dark horse: Ottawa Lake Whiteford. This is the first time in school history the Bobcats are 10-0 and they are coming off their most successful season ever, advancing to the semifinals. They average 46 points game, which comes in handy because they will give up some points, too.
Player to watch: Jesse Kiefer, Ottawa Lake Whiteford. He has become something of a touchdown machine. If he gets the ball near the goal line he is winding up in the end zone.
Contact Mick McCabe: 313-223-4744 or mmccabe@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @mickmccabe1
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Jeremy Burrell has rushed for 2,038 yards and 27 touchdowns on 196 carries for Benton Harbor (10-0).