Prep football predictions: High-stakes region games, playoff positioning highlight Week 9

This week is the ninth week of prep football in Northern Utah. Most things are set in terms of who will be where in the playoffs. Region 1 is wide open, with one team at 4-0 and two others at 3-1.

Prep football in Northern Utah is in its ninth week. One team is 4-0, two others are 3-1 with two games left. Region 1 and 3A North play on Thursday this week, while Region 5 plays on Friday.

Prep football predictions are high-stakes region games, playoff positioning highlight Week 9. Last week's prediction record was 9-4.

Syracuse (6-2, 4-0 Region 1) and Layton (5-3, 2- 3) have a one-sided rivalry. The Titans lead the series 12-1. Layleton is unbeaten when it runs the ball 33 times or more in a game and/or runs for 145-plus yards. Syracuse has won its last six games by a combined score of 266-50.

Juan Diego (4-4, 2-1 3A North) has two straight games of 280-plus yards rushing. Ben Lomond (3-5, 0-3) lost 41-7 to Union last week. Juan Diego beat Benlomund 21-13 two weeks earlier.

Davis (5-3, 3-1 Region 1) is suddenly 3rd in the region. Weber (2-6, 1- 3) picked up a nice, double-digit road win last week.

Morgan can clinch a share of the 3A North title with a win over Ogden.

Farmington (7-1, 3-0 Region 1) will have extra motivation this week after last week's loss to Davis. Fremont (2-6, 2-2) is playing its fifth game in a five-game stretch against teams with a combined record of 31-9.

Roy (5-3, 3-1 Region 2) and Granger (4-0, 5-2) have beaten the same teams in Region2. The teams' common region opponents are Hunter, Kearns and Cyprus. Roy defeated those three teams by a combined 110-53. Granger's margin is 97-38.

Clearfield hasn't beaten Brighton since 2003. Brighton is leading the Region 6.

Box Elder plays Bonneville in a region game. The Lakers are No. 8 in the RPI and have playoff positioning to play for. Bonnieville is No 7 in Region 5 and has won the last four games against Box Elder. Box elder is 5-3 and needs to go 1-1 to clinch a home playoff game against No 16 or 17 team.

Bountiful (6-2, 4-0 Region 5) is unbeaten and the lowest-scoring team in decades. Northridge (2-6, 0-4) has scored 132 points and allowed 100. The last comparable year with such a low scoring team was 1972.

Viewmont plays Woods Cross in a region game. Viewmont hasn't fared well against teams that play physical and run the ball well. Woods Crossing has won three straight and four of five games by double digits.

Bear River and Mountain Crest are playing each other on Friday. Bear River beat Logan by 21 points on the road earlier this year. Mountain crest beat them by 31 points.

Layton Christian and Gunnison Valley's game was canceled. Gunnisons opted out of the game.