Fearless Dilettante Football Predictions - Grudge Match Edition

Some big rivalries this week. So let's hop to it.

Xavier Hawks 34, Waupaca Comets 24 - From what I hear, this has been a pretty good rivalry lately. I don't know - when I was in school, we were playing teams like Roncalli. The game's at home, so favor the mighty Hawks.

Ripon College Politically Correct Recasting of Their Traditional Name Redmen 34, Beloit Bucs 7 - The Red Horde (Red Scourges, perhaps?) from Ripon spoils yet another homecoming for ol' alma mater. Beloit once went nearly 30 years between victories in this series. Some things never change.

Wisconsin Badgers 41, Illinois Fighting Illini 37 - Bucky has figured out how to score; good thing, too, because Illinois is a good team and this will be a tough contest on the road. I should probably say something disparaging about the Illini, but I'm feeling magnanimous. After about two decades in the wilderness, the Illini seem to have their act together. Come back Jason Verduzco, all is forgiven.

Green Bay Packers 31, Chicago Bears 17 - The vaunted Bears defense is all banged up and the Packers are pretty good at stopping the run. That means trouble for Team Satan. Figure that Bernard Berrian gets loose once and that Devin Hester does too, but that's about it. Meanwhile, Favre gets at least two more TDs against a depleted Bears secondary. Good times for now, but much work remains....

Meanwhile, in local news:

Mounds View Mustangs 34, Robbinsdale Armstrong 21 - Our green-clad heroes step out of conference against a pretty good Classic Lake team. Home field advantage should make the difference here. Note to Badger backers - Armstrong is the alma mater of new Badger kickoff man David Gilreath.

Benilde-St. Margaret Red Knights 14, Irondale Knights 10 - Hope I'm wrong about this, but Benilde is a tough outfit, especially on defense. BSM also happens to be my mother-in-law's alma mater, so I'd better tread lightly in my commentary.