The North Central League title, and perhaps the No. 1 seed in the Class 1A football playoffs, are at stake this weekend as No. 1 Limon takes on No. 2 Holyoke.

As far as implications go, there is nothing bigger happening in Week 8 of the high school football season than this showdown. Lohgan Bottjer brings his 110 rushing yards per game and 14 rushing touchdowns into the contest and both those assets will be needed to keep the ball out of the hands of Dragons quarterback Wyatt Sprague.

Friday night, the spotlight will be on this game but there is still plenty of action happening across the state. Golden and Dakota Ridge will meet with the 4A Jeffco League title hanging in the balance. No. 2 Holy Family gets another big test in 3A as it takes on No. 7 Northfield. In the 2A ranks, No. 10 Eaton has a chance to show it hasn’t lost that much of a step as it takes on No. 3 Berthoud. In 6-man, No. 3 Arickaree takes on No. 4 Otis.

Several of these games can be seen on the NFHS Network.

More football:

Class 5A

(1) Cherry Creek (7-0) at Eaglecrest (6-1) WATCH LIVE
(2) Pine Creek (7-0) at Legend (5-2) WATCH LIVE
(3) Columbine (7-0) vs Arvada West (4-3)
(4) Ralston Valley 48, Pomona 7
(5) Arapahoe 56, Cherokee Trail 7
(6) Grandview (5-2) at Smoky Hill (1-6) WATCH LIVE
(7) Regis Jesuit (3-4) vs Chaparral (0-7) WATCH LIVE
(8) Mountain Vista (6-1) vs Castle View (6-1) WATCH LIVE
(9) Chatfield 55, Lakewood 6
(10) Fountain-Fort Carson (6-1) at Douglas County (3-4) WATCH LIVE

Shaffer notes: The Southern League is the only conference with a team alone in first – Pine Creek is 2-0 with wins over both Fountain-Fort Carson and Regis already – in good shape to land that title especially if they get by Legend this week

All other conferences have two teams at 2-0 in league play and in two cases, they go head-to-head this week:

  • Front Range South: Mullen at Legacy
  • Metro North: Overland at Denver East

First week all season there is not a top 10 matchup

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Class 4A

(1) Palmer Ridge (7-0) at Air Academy (4-3) WATCH LIVE
(2) Erie 53, Silver Creek 6
(3) Montrose (5-2) vs Coronado (0-7)
(4) Broomfield (5-2) at Adams City (1-6) WATCH LIVE
(5) Thomas Jefferson 48, Liberty 10
(6) Golden (6-1) vs (10) Dakota Ridge (4-3)
(7) Mesa Ridge (5-2) at Rampart (4-3) WATCH LIVE
(8) Loveland 49, Skyline 0
(9) Fruita Monument 54, Aurora Central 0

Shaffer notes: Only one matchup of league leaders this week where the winner will stand alone in first place:

  • Golden vs Dakota Ridge – Demons are 2-0 in conference play and the Eagles are 1-0.
  • Game is also the only Top-10 matchup on the schedule this week

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Class 3A

(1) Green Mountain (6-0) vs Conifer (3-3)
(2) Holy Family 23, (7) Northfield 9
(3) Roosevelt (5-1) vs (10) Northridge (5-1) WATCH LIVE
(4) Durango (5-1) at Glenwood Springs (3-3) WATCH LIVE
(5) Lutheran (4-2) vs Lincoln (1-5) WATCH LIVE
(6) Resurrection Christian (4-1) at Severance (2-4)
(8) Lewis-Palmer (5-1) vs Pueblo South (3-3)
(9) Riverdale Ridge 21, Frederick 20

Shaffer notes: Just the second week of conference play so too early to determine key matchups of league leaders – each division has three teams at 1-0 and sharing the conference lead.

Roosevelt suffered its first regular season loss in four years – fell to Resurrection Christian and faces another top 10 opponent in Northridge. Grizzlies also lost last week falling to then winless Mountain View 34-14.

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Class 2A

(1) Delta (7-0) – BYE
(2) Classical Academy 32, Englewood 0
(3) Berthoud 34, (10) Eaton 7
(4) Rifle 61, Aspen 7
(5) La Junta (6-0) at Lamar (3-3) WATCH LIVE
(6) Kent Denver (6-0) at Alameda (1-5)
(7) Basalt (5-1) vs Moffat County (4-2) WATCH LIVE
(8) Elizabeth (5-1) at Denver West (3-3) – SATURDAY
(9) University 39, Arvada 0

**

Class 1A

(1) Limon (6-0) at (2) Holyoke (6-0) WATCH LIVE
(3) Meeker (5-1) vs (8) Gunnison (6-1) WATCH LIVE
(4) Wiggins (4-2) at Burlington (1-5) – SATURDAY WATCH LIVE
(5) Banning Lewis (6-0) vs (10) Colorado Springs Christian (5-1)
(6) Strasburg (4-3) vs Middle Park (3-3) WATCH LIVE
(7) Buena Vista (5-3) – BYE
(9) Wray (3-3) at Yuma (3-3)

Shaffer notes: Very big week in the division with playoff seeding and conference championships on the line:

  • No. 1 Limon at No. 2 Holyoke – both clubs are 6-0 and share the top spot in the North Central – they’re also ranked 1-2 in the CHSAA seeding index so the outcome could determine the top playoff seed.
  • No. 3 Meeker clinches the Western Slope league title by beating No. 8 Gunnison – A Gunnison win creates a 3-way tie for the top spot with Buena Vista. Demons have a bye this week.
  • No. 5 Banning Lewis (6-0) and No. 10 Colorado Springs Christian (5-1) play for the league lead in the Tri-Peaks. CSCS beat Rye last week so another win this week should give them the championship – Banning Lewis still has a matchup with Rye.

Two leagues dominate the playoff bracket as both the North Central and Western Slope have five teams in the top 14 of the seed index. Burlington is also 19th and if they get in then both leagues get every conference member into the bracket.

**

8-man

(1) Haxtun (6-0) at Dayspring Christian (1-5) – SATURDAY WATCH LIVE
(2) Simla (6-0) at Elbert (5-2)
(3) Lyons 62, Gilpin County 0
(4) Mancos (5-1) vs Dolores (2-4) WATCH LIVE
(5) West Grand (6-0) vs Hayden (2-4) WATCH LIVE
(6) Byers (5-1) vs Belleview Christian (3-3) WATCH LIVE
(7) Akron (4-2) vs Sedgwick County (4-2) WATCH LIVE
(8) Dove Creek (5-2) – BYE
(9) Calhan (5-1) – BYE
(10) Sanford (4-2) at Sargent (4-2)

Shaffer notes: There is only one matchup of league leaders on tap this week – takes place in the Ark Valley between Holly and McClave – both clubs are 4-2 overall and 2-0 in conference play. Winner is the likely champion as no other league member has more than two wins on the season overall.

6-man

(1) Stratton (7-0) – BYE
(2) Granada (6-1) at Kit Carson (1-6) WATCH LIVE
(3) Arickaree (5-1) vs (4) Otis (6-1) WATCH LIVE
(5) Idalia 40, (9) Genoa-Hugo 26
(6) Branson/Kim (5-1) vs Mountain Valley (3-3) SATURDAY
(7) Peetz (5-1) vs Hi Plains (0-6) WATCH LIVE
(8) Walsh (5-2) vs Cheraw (1-6) SATURDAY WATCH LIVE
(10) Cheyenne Wells (3-4) vs Eads (3-4) WATCH LIVE

Shaffer notes: Could see a few league champions crowned this week and those clubs of course will land automatic playoff berths:

  • SOUTHEAST: Granada has already clinched the title.
  • EAST CENTRAL: Stratton has a bye this week but they wrap up the league title if Otis beats Arickaree.
  • SOUTHERN: Hanover and Kiowa collide this week and both are unbeaten in league play. Kiowa clinches the title with a victory. Hanover can only clinch with a win if Deer Trail also loses to Miami Yoder.
  • SOUTHWEST: Branson/Kim is alone in first with a one game edge on La Veta. The Bearcats clinch with at win against Mountain Valley if La Veta is upset by Sangre De Cristo – not likely so the league title may come down to next weeks’ battel of Branson/Kim and La Veta.
  • NORTH: Briggsdale is alone in first and coming off upset of Peetz. The Falcons get the league championship if they beat Weldon Valley and Fleming loses to Prairie. Several scenarios come into play if Briggsdale loses either this week to Weldon Valley or Fleming next week.