This one's on me

I’m going to do us all a favor and save us a lot of time.

I’m going to tell you exactly which C & G local Oakland Activities Association football teams are going to survive the first weekend of the playoffs.

Now, if you’re a fan of prep football, like myself, this is your official spoiler alert. Don’t read below. You can thank me later.

Division 1 West Bloomfield High (6-3) at Livonia Stevenson (7-2) at 7 p.m. Oct. 31
The Lakers are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2000. Its reward is a trip to last year’s state runner-up Livonia Stevenson. But fear not Lakers fans, I think coach James Thomas has a good thing going over there on Orchard Lake Road. But not that good … yet. Give me the Spartans by 10.

Lake Orion High (8-1) hosts Utica Eisenhower (5-4) at 7 p.m. Oct. 31
This is Lake Orion’s eighth straight trip to the postseason, and its also won eight straight games. Coincidence? I think not. It’s a sign from the pigskin gods. The Dragons make it nine wins a row. I like Lake Orion by eight.

Troy High (6-3) at Macomb Dakota (8-1) at 1 p.m. Nov. 1
Good thing this one is on Halloween weekend, because it could be scary. I like Troy, but Dakota is huge … again. The two-time defending state champs average 275 pounds across their offensive line. In a word, "yikes." The Colts keep it close early, but the Cougars wear them down and win by 20.

Division 2 Rochester Adams (8-1) hosts Birmingham Brother Rice (6-3) at 7 p.m. Oct. 31
Lake Orion has shown that Adams is beatable with their 34-28 week eight victory, but not by the Warriors. Adams is out for redemption this time around after losing by a touchdown to eventual state champ Detroit Martin Luther King in a semifinal last season. Rice has held only three opponents to less than 20 points — yes I know the Catholic High School League is tough. The Highlanders, on the other hand, haven’t scored less than 28 in a game yet. Give me Adams by 13.

Auburn Hills Avondale (7-2) at White Lake Lakeland (7-2) at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 31
Despite seemingly being the only game that starts at 7:30 p.m. instead of 7 p.m. on Friday, this game is also interesting, with Avondale bouncing back after a winless campaign last year. It’s a nice story, but it ends in the first round. No disrespect to the OAA Blue, where Avondale made a run at a championship, but the Kensington Lakes Activities Association is whole different matter. Give me the Eagles by 21.

Farmington High (6-3) at Southfield High (8-1) at 1 p.m. Nov. 1
Farmington has won six straight games to punch its ticket into the postseason; Southfield has been stellar all year, losing only to Adams by two points. These teams have met before with Southfield winning 35-20 in week one. I think Farmington makes it closer, but I still like the Blue Jays by seven.

Division 3 Bloomfield Hills Lahser (8-1) hosts Redford Thurston (6-3) at 7 p.m. Nov. 1
Finally playing against teams that they should be playing (see blog “Sacrificial lamb’), Bloomfield Hills Lahser is going to be tough for any D-3 opponent, starting with Thurston. The Knights have a balanced attack and a defense that will smack you. I think the Knights begin the smacking Saturday night and win by 14.

Ferndale High (8-1) hosts St. Clair Shores Lake Shore (6-3) at 7 p.m. Oct. 31
Ferndale has advanced to the playoffs for the third straight year, a school first. But the first time two times, the Eagles were one and done. Lake Shore has been a little hit or miss this season, beating the likes of Warren Fitzgerald (8-1), but losing to Madison Heights Madison (5-4), a team that lost to Fitzgerald by four touchdowns. Put together Lake Shore’s inconsistency, Ferndale’s drive for a playoff win, and throw in the fact that the Shorians beat my guys from Clawson High week one, that’s three strikes and they’re out. I’ll take Ferndale by 13.

So there it is.

Check back to the blog next week to see how I did with my picks. I've seen and been a part of enough high school football to realize that anything can happen. Should be fun.

Let the games begin.