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Big 12 football: Week 6 lookahead

Posted by: Tony Bleill

Wednesday, October 1, 2008 5:03 PM

Unfortunately, I'll be in a car on the way to Ann Arbor, Mich., on Friday to cover the Michigan-Illinois football game. If I wasn't, I'd do anything in my power to be at Decatur MacArthur for the Danville-MacArthur game.

It's a battle of unbeatens that promises to be an outstanding battle. These might be the two quickest teams in the Big 12. Both have explosive offenses, and each team's defense is tenacious enough to shut down any opponent. The outcome? It's a tossup. I might give MacArthur a very slight edge, but it's really a closer call than the presidential election.

What will be even more interesting, perhaps, are the implications for Week 7. After playing such a high-energy showdown on Friday, will either team have anything left for Week 7. MacArthur takes on Normal Community in Normal, while Danville plays host to Champaign Central. A letdown by either team would undo the work it accomplishes this week.

Other Friday battles:

--Bloomington at Centennial: The Chargers are hoping to pull an upset that would put them in a good spot to finish with five wins, which would most likely get them a playoff bid. It won't be easy. Bloomington seems to be hitting its stride after a rocky start.

--Central at Mattoon: A rebuilding Mattoon team might be just what Central needs to get back on track. Or it could turn out to be a mirage. The Maroons have much work to do to become the team they're capable of being, and most of that needs to be accomplished Monday-Thursday. The Maroons haven't reacted well to adversity this season, and they're not likely to encounter much of that on Friday. The following week, however, should be telling.

--Normal West at Urbana: The Wildcats are 1-4, having lost to Central, MacArthur, Danville and Normal Community. That's a tough stretch. Urbana has its best chances this week and next (Eisenhower) to get its first victory.