All games Friday, Sept. 18 at 7 p.m. unless indicated
* Indicates district game
Atlantic Coast (1-2, 0-0) at Fletcher (2-1, 0-0)*: Senators won in a video-game performance at the wire last week.
TU pick: Fletcher 27, Atlantic Coast 17.
Baker County (1-1, 0-0) at Menendez (1-2, 0-0)*: Wildcats are probably a darkhorse district pick in 5-5A.
TU pick: Baker 32, Menendez 14.
Bartram Trail (2-1, 0-0) at Fleming Island (1-1, 0-0), 7:30*: Intriguing game for both teams. The Bears’ QB rotation of Jordan Smith and Joey Gatewood has looked good though.
TU pick: Bartram 27, Fleming 23.
Bishop Kenny (1-2, 0-0) at Westside (1-2, 0-0)*: The Crusaders were physically worn down in this game last year. They take the district reins early.
TU pick: BK 27, Westside 20.
Clay (1-2, 0-0) at Orange Park (2-1, 0-0)*: Get well soon wishes to Clay QB Jake Smith, who broke his collarbone last week and is out for the season. Raiders try for their first win in this series since 2009, but denied in a close one.
TU pick: Clay 20, OP 17.
Lee (2-1, 0-0) at Columbia (3-0, 0-0), 7:30*: Field conditions pushed this from a home game to a road game for the Generals. They’ve really picked it up after a Week 1 loss, but the Tigers have been on another level.
TU pick: Columbia 35, Lee 21.
Creekside (0-3) at Providence (0-2): The Stallions cranked up their offense last week, both running and passing. I don’t think the Knights will be able to stop them.
TU pick: Providence 38, Creekside 14.
DeLand (1-2, 0-0) at Mandarin (3-0, 0-0)*: The Mustangs got a good, physical football game in last week against Ribault, just what they needed as 1-8A play begins.
TU pick: Mandarin 28, DeLand 20.
Eagle’s View (1-1) at Bell (1-2), 7:30: Warriors lost last week, but I’ll pick ‘em again, this time, on the road.
TU pick: Eagle’s View 20, Bell 13.
Episcopal (2-1) at West Nassau (2-0): I like this game as one of the best in the area in Week 4. The Warriors have been very good in their two wins.
TU pick: West Nassau 33, Episcopal 28.
Gainesville Buchholz (2-1, 0-0) at Oakleaf (3-0, 0-0)*: The best opponent that the Knights have seen this season. The Bobcats will throw it a ton and see what that Oakleaf secondary is all about.
TU pick: Oakleaf 24, Buchholz 14.
Halifax Academy (0-3) at Potter’s House (1-2): The Lions took down one team from the FHSAA last week and will do it again this week.
TU pick: Potter’s House 20, Halifax 7.
Keystone Heights (1-1) at Bishop Snyder (2-1): Indians hand Snyder its second consecutive loss.
TU pick: Keystone 20, Snyder 14.
Melbourne (0-2) at St. Augustine (3-0): Yellow Jackets coach Joey Wiles faces the school that he was both an assistant and a head coach at. All St. Augustine.
TU pick: St. Augustine 32, Melbourne 14.
Middleburg (0-3, 0-0) at Englewood (2-1, 0-0)*: Rams came crashing back down to earth last week at Lee, but they’ll be 1-0 in District 4-6A play by the end of Friday night.
TU pick: Englewood 27, Middleburg 13.
Nease (2-1, 0-0) at White (0-3, 0-0)*: This is essentially a playoff elimination game because I don’t see any team in 4-6A catching St. Augustine.
TU pick: White 27, Nease 21.
Paxon (1-2, 0-0) at Ribault (0-3, 0-0)*: The Trojans have lost a pair of close games to quality teams and are much better than the donut shows.
TU pick: Ribault 35, Paxon 14.
Ridgeview (1-2, 0-0) at Palatka (0-2, 0-0), 7:30*: In a game of Panthers, I’ll go with the ones from 904.
TU pick: Ridgeview 27, Palatka 24.
Spruce Creek (2-1, 0-0) at Sandalwood (3-0, 0-0)*: With how Eli Peters, Phil Benker and Logan Wright have been playing, I don’t think Creek can outscore the Saints.
TU pick: Sandalwood 28, Spruce Creek 21.
St. Joseph (3-0) at Gainesville Oak Hall (2-0): How about the Flashes’ unbeaten start? It continues for another week.
TU pick: St. Joseph 26, Oak Hall 20.
Union County (3-0, 0-0) at Hilliard (1-1, 0-0), 7:30*: Big chance for both teams in 6-1A, although I don’t think the Red Flashes can slow Union.
TU pick: Union 33, Hilliard 13.
West Orange (3-0) at Trinity Christian (3-0), 7:30: Pound for pound, the best matchup of the night. Big opponents like the IMGs and Bufords tend to get Trinity’s attention.
TU pick: Trinity 21, West Orange 17.
Yulee (2-1, 0-0) at Suwannee (1-1, 0-0), 7:30*: Hornets just don’t have the offense to keep pace with the Bulldogs. Suwannee is the heavy favorite in 3-5A.
TU pick: Suwannee 35, Yulee 14.
http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blo...in-barneys-week-4-football-picks-white-gets-w
High school football season is back, and with it, my weekly predictions blog. Depending on quality of the matchups, I’ll pick between 18 and 24 games each week, a few more if the schedule offers some compelling matchups, and then every game throughout the playoffs.
The picks will be available on Jacksonville.com each Thursday, followed by my Snap Judgments blog on the weekend. If you’ve got something to share or want to tell me what a fool I am for picking one team over another, feel free to reach out on Twitter @JustinBarneyTU, or email me at Justin.barney@jacksonville.com.
* Indicates district game
Atlantic Coast (1-2, 0-0) at Fletcher (2-1, 0-0)*: Senators won in a video-game performance at the wire last week.
TU pick: Fletcher 27, Atlantic Coast 17.
Baker County (1-1, 0-0) at Menendez (1-2, 0-0)*: Wildcats are probably a darkhorse district pick in 5-5A.
TU pick: Baker 32, Menendez 14.
Bartram Trail (2-1, 0-0) at Fleming Island (1-1, 0-0), 7:30*: Intriguing game for both teams. The Bears’ QB rotation of Jordan Smith and Joey Gatewood has looked good though.
TU pick: Bartram 27, Fleming 23.
Bishop Kenny (1-2, 0-0) at Westside (1-2, 0-0)*: The Crusaders were physically worn down in this game last year. They take the district reins early.
TU pick: BK 27, Westside 20.
Clay (1-2, 0-0) at Orange Park (2-1, 0-0)*: Get well soon wishes to Clay QB Jake Smith, who broke his collarbone last week and is out for the season. Raiders try for their first win in this series since 2009, but denied in a close one.
TU pick: Clay 20, OP 17.
Lee (2-1, 0-0) at Columbia (3-0, 0-0), 7:30*: Field conditions pushed this from a home game to a road game for the Generals. They’ve really picked it up after a Week 1 loss, but the Tigers have been on another level.
TU pick: Columbia 35, Lee 21.
Creekside (0-3) at Providence (0-2): The Stallions cranked up their offense last week, both running and passing. I don’t think the Knights will be able to stop them.
TU pick: Providence 38, Creekside 14.
DeLand (1-2, 0-0) at Mandarin (3-0, 0-0)*: The Mustangs got a good, physical football game in last week against Ribault, just what they needed as 1-8A play begins.
TU pick: Mandarin 28, DeLand 20.
Eagle’s View (1-1) at Bell (1-2), 7:30: Warriors lost last week, but I’ll pick ‘em again, this time, on the road.
TU pick: Eagle’s View 20, Bell 13.
Episcopal (2-1) at West Nassau (2-0): I like this game as one of the best in the area in Week 4. The Warriors have been very good in their two wins.
TU pick: West Nassau 33, Episcopal 28.
Gainesville Buchholz (2-1, 0-0) at Oakleaf (3-0, 0-0)*: The best opponent that the Knights have seen this season. The Bobcats will throw it a ton and see what that Oakleaf secondary is all about.
TU pick: Oakleaf 24, Buchholz 14.
Halifax Academy (0-3) at Potter’s House (1-2): The Lions took down one team from the FHSAA last week and will do it again this week.
TU pick: Potter’s House 20, Halifax 7.
Keystone Heights (1-1) at Bishop Snyder (2-1): Indians hand Snyder its second consecutive loss.
TU pick: Keystone 20, Snyder 14.
Melbourne (0-2) at St. Augustine (3-0): Yellow Jackets coach Joey Wiles faces the school that he was both an assistant and a head coach at. All St. Augustine.
TU pick: St. Augustine 32, Melbourne 14.
Middleburg (0-3, 0-0) at Englewood (2-1, 0-0)*: Rams came crashing back down to earth last week at Lee, but they’ll be 1-0 in District 4-6A play by the end of Friday night.
TU pick: Englewood 27, Middleburg 13.
Nease (2-1, 0-0) at White (0-3, 0-0)*: This is essentially a playoff elimination game because I don’t see any team in 4-6A catching St. Augustine.
TU pick: White 27, Nease 21.
Paxon (1-2, 0-0) at Ribault (0-3, 0-0)*: The Trojans have lost a pair of close games to quality teams and are much better than the donut shows.
TU pick: Ribault 35, Paxon 14.
Ridgeview (1-2, 0-0) at Palatka (0-2, 0-0), 7:30*: In a game of Panthers, I’ll go with the ones from 904.
TU pick: Ridgeview 27, Palatka 24.
Spruce Creek (2-1, 0-0) at Sandalwood (3-0, 0-0)*: With how Eli Peters, Phil Benker and Logan Wright have been playing, I don’t think Creek can outscore the Saints.
TU pick: Sandalwood 28, Spruce Creek 21.
St. Joseph (3-0) at Gainesville Oak Hall (2-0): How about the Flashes’ unbeaten start? It continues for another week.
TU pick: St. Joseph 26, Oak Hall 20.
Union County (3-0, 0-0) at Hilliard (1-1, 0-0), 7:30*: Big chance for both teams in 6-1A, although I don’t think the Red Flashes can slow Union.
TU pick: Union 33, Hilliard 13.
West Orange (3-0) at Trinity Christian (3-0), 7:30: Pound for pound, the best matchup of the night. Big opponents like the IMGs and Bufords tend to get Trinity’s attention.
TU pick: Trinity 21, West Orange 17.
Yulee (2-1, 0-0) at Suwannee (1-1, 0-0), 7:30*: Hornets just don’t have the offense to keep pace with the Bulldogs. Suwannee is the heavy favorite in 3-5A.
TU pick: Suwannee 35, Yulee 14.
http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blo...in-barneys-week-4-football-picks-white-gets-w
High school football season is back, and with it, my weekly predictions blog. Depending on quality of the matchups, I’ll pick between 18 and 24 games each week, a few more if the schedule offers some compelling matchups, and then every game throughout the playoffs.
The picks will be available on Jacksonville.com each Thursday, followed by my Snap Judgments blog on the weekend. If you’ve got something to share or want to tell me what a fool I am for picking one team over another, feel free to reach out on Twitter @JustinBarneyTU, or email me at Justin.barney@jacksonville.com.