Week five football predictions

Iroquois West (2-2) at St. Joseph-Ogden (2-2), 7 p.m. Friday.

Last meeting: St. Joseph-Ogden def. Iroquois West, 33-0 (Sept. 25, 2009).

Well it's Homecoming at St. Joseph-Ogden this week. The Spartans will be honoring the 20th anniversary of their 1990 state champion girls cross country team at Friday's game and again at Saturday's Spartan Classic. The stands will be packed with blue and maroon fans, and the Spartan faithful will be excited to root SJ-O to victory.

But will they? SJ-O got clobbered at Clifton last week and enters Friday's game on a two-game losing streak. The Spartans have put plenty of roadblocks in front of them in their quest to the playoffs, and this game against the Raiders won't be easy. Iroquois West doesn't have the strongest offense in the state, but the Raiders have played well defensively. SJ-O couldn't move the ball at all last week. The team had a general malaise from the first quarter on, and it showed. The Spartans have to get back on the right track this week. It's Homecoming; the Spartans want these memories to be positive ones. If Friday doesn't go well, this whole season is in danger.

St. Joseph-Ogden 14, Iroquois West 13.

Sullivan-Okaw Valley (2-2) at No. 5 Unity (3-1), 7 p.m. Friday.

Last meeting: Unity def. Sullivan-Okaw Valley, 53-12 (Sept. 25, 2009).

This has been a beatdown in recent years. This season, early indications show this could end up being quite a game. Sullivan is one of the top-scoring offenses in the area and the Redskins are coming off a 61-point performance last week. For the first time in years, the Redskins have excitement in their program, and combined with a large roster the team is starting to play up to its potential. That's a good sign both for Sullivan and the Okaw Valley. The Redskins' program hasn't always been so down. It would be nice to have another quality team for the conference to lean on.

That said, Unity will still be heavy favorites in this game. The Rockets played well but were bitten by the turnover bug in last week's loss at Tuscola. Assuming they can avoid that fate this week, they should win easily. Sullivan is going to score points, but they're going to allow a ton.

No. 5 Unity 44, Sullivan 23.

East Central (1-3) at Cerro Gordo (1-3), 7 p.m. Friday.

Last meeting: Cerro Gordo def. East Central, 20-14 (Oct. 2, 2009).

At this point in the season, East Central could use a break. Not a week off kind of break, a lucky bounce break. The Panthers are down on their luck, and their lack of confidence is seeping out into their performance on the field. East Central needs some good vibes, and it needs it soon before the Panthers' season collapses around them.

This is a winnable game for both teams. East Central hasn't been in the 'W' column since week one and Cerro Gordo just arrived there last week. Neither team is dominant; neither team is confident. At this point in the season, both squads need a 4-1 finish to even have a chance at the postseason. Simply put, this is a game for pride. A chance for two struggling programs to start feeling better about themselves. It's a chance for a building block.

Cerro Gordo 19, East Central 13.