Week 8 has arrived, and the margin for error is getting smaller.
With three weeks remaining in Ohio’s regular season, conference races are tightening, computer points are becoming increasingly important and unbeaten seasons are being put on the line.
This week’s Slate starts with something we don’t get every Friday night: two separate matchups involving undefeated teams facing each other.
Here are six games to know in Week 8.
Hughes (7-0) at Cincinnati College Prep (7-0)
Saturday, Oct. 10 | 1 p.m.
Someone is leaving Saturday afternoon with its first loss.
Hughes has rolled to a 7-0 start behind an offense that has scored 38 or more points in four of its last five games. The Big Red have outscored Aiken and Taft 82-12 over the last two weeks and have also picked up wins over Batavia, Mount Healthy, Roger Bacon, Purcell Marian and Clark Montessori. Hughes competes in Division III, Region 12.
Cincinnati College Prep brings a perfect record of its own into the matchup. The Lions survived their closest call of the season last week, holding off Dayton Christian 26-21.
It’s the lone Saturday game on this week’s Slate — and one of just two matchups on our list where perfection is guaranteed to end for somebody.
Clay (7-0) at Perrysburg (7-0)
Friday, Oct. 9 | 7 p.m.
The other battle of unbeatens might be the headliner of the entire week.
Clay and Perrysburg enter Friday tied atop the Northern Lakes League Buckeye Division at 2-0, with Whitmer also sitting unbeaten in conference play.
Both have been dominant.
Clay has scored 284 points through seven games while allowing 90. Perrysburg has been even more overwhelming, outscoring opponents 319-40 and winning six of its seven games by at least 29 points. The Yellow Jackets’ latest victory was a 31-6 win at Findlay.
The teams share several opponents and have handled all of them. Now they get each other with an undefeated record and position in the NLL race at stake.
St. Henry (4-3) at Minster (6-1)
Friday, Oct. 9 | 7 p.m.
Minster’s perfect season ended by the narrowest of margins last week.
The Wildcats suffered their first loss at Anna, 14-13, after opening the season with six consecutive victories. That run included a 24-21 win over Coldwater and a 38-0 shutout of Delphos St. John’s.
St. Henry, meanwhile, arrives at 4-3 after a 21-16 victory over New Bremen. The Redskins have already shown they can be dangerous in the MAC, including a 39-0 win over the same Anna team that just handed Minster its first defeat.
Minster will try to respond immediately. St. Henry has an opportunity to make the MAC picture even more interesting.
Fort Loramie (5-2) at Columbus Grove (6-1)
Friday, Oct. 9 | 7 p.m.
Two Northwest Conference contenders meet with identical 3-1 league records.
Fort Loramie rebounded from a 42-7 loss to unbeaten Lima Central Catholic by shutting out Spencerville 53-0 last week. The Redskins are 5-2 overall and a perfect 3-0 on the road.
Columbus Grove has won three straight since suffering its only loss of the season, a 13-6 defeat against Lima Central Catholic. The Bulldogs followed it with wins over Spencerville, Delphos Jefferson and Allen East, outscoring those three opponents 132-24.
There’s also a useful measuring stick here: both teams have already faced undefeated Lima Central Catholic. Columbus Grove pushed the Thunderbirds to a one-score game; Fort Loramie did not. Friday gives the Redskins a chance to answer that comparison on the field.
Urbana (5-2) at Kenton Ridge (6-1)
Friday, Oct. 9 | 7 p.m.
Urbana might be entering Week 8 with as much momentum as anyone on this list.
The Hillclimbers just handed previously unbeaten Jonathan Alder its first loss, pulling out a dramatic 28-27 victory. Urbana led 14-0 at halftime before surviving a second-half Alder rally.
That moved Urbana to 5-2 and set up another major CBC Kenton Trail matchup.
Kenton Ridge is 6-1 and 2-0 in league play after handling Tecumseh 35-7 last week.
Urbana has already beaten Mechanicsburg and Jonathan Alder this season. Kenton Ridge gets the next shot at slowing the Hillclimbers down.
Archbishop Alter (5-2) at Archbishop McNicholas (5-2)
Friday, Oct. 9 | 7 p.m.
Two 5-2 teams. Two unbeaten conference records. And a little history following Alter into Cincinnati.
Knights head coach Ed Domsitz earned his 400th career victory last week when Alter defeated Carroll, becoming just the third coach in Ohio high school football history to reach the milestone.
Alter’s two losses came in consecutive weeks against Trotwood-Madison and Bellbrook before the Knights responded with wins over Bishop Fenwick and Carroll.
McNicholas has put together a four-game winning streak after opening 1-2. The Rockets have beaten Roger Bacon, Withrow, Carroll and Chaminade Julienne during the run, including consecutive conference wins over Carroll and CJ by a combined 77-7.
Both teams enter Friday 2-0 in conference play.
Something has to give.
Two undefeated showdowns. Conference races across the state. Teams trying to protect perfect records, others trying to build on statement wins, and only three weeks left to strengthen postseason position.
That’s Week 8.
The Slate highlights six Ohio high school football games worth knowing each week.
Follow CSwaff Media throughout the weekend for scores, photos and coverage from around Ohio.
