Fayetteville football predictions for Week 6: Can Cape Fear give Swett its first loss?

It's time for another round of NCHSAA football, with conference games scheduled across the state and all of Fayetteville's public high school programs in action.

Last week's picks record was 5-2, bumping the season total to 22-10. Let's see how we do this time around.

Overhills (0-4) at E.E. Smith (1-3), 7 p.m.

The Jaguars have played a tough schedule with games against South View, Pinecrest, Raleigh Leesville Road and Terry Sanford keeping them winless. That might change this week.

Overhills likes to sling it, and Isaiah Townsend is averaging 120 receiving yards per game off the hand of QB Jordan Bryant, who averages 313 passing yards per game.

The pick: Overhills

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Pine Forest (1-3) at Western Harnett (0-4), 7 p.m.

The Trojans had a huge win last week against Westover in their All American Conference opener, and they should continue that streak against the Eagles.

Sophomore QB Ja'lynn Thomas is getting more comfortable under center with every passing week, and he has a slew of talented backs and receivers to push the offense.

Pine Forest has long taken pride in its defense, which I expect will be eager for this matchup.

The pick: Pine Forest

Triton (3-1) at Terry Sanford (2-2), 7 p.m.

Triton should present its strongest challenge to the Bulldogs since they became conference-mates two years ago.

Triton's ground game is anchored by the top three rushers in the league, with all of them averaging more than 70 yards per game. The Bulldogs will need to slow down Javon Cowan (84 ypg), AJ Dewar (74 ypg) and Camauri McDougald (72 ypg) to get the win.

AAC leading tackler Kenyon Slaughter-Keen (11 tackles per game/36 rushing yards per game) might have something to say about that, and Bulldogs quarterback Jaylen Wright (183 passing yards per game) has show-stopping receivers in Kamal Thames and Rashid Jones.

The pick: Terry Sanford

Harnett Central (1-3) at Westover (3-1), 7 p.m.

The Wolverines need this one to stay in the AAC race where they belong.

Christian Frazier's 93 rushing yards per game ranks fourth in the All American, and Westover's defense is vicious. Coming off their first loss of the season, I expect the Wolverines to be ready for this one.

The pick: Westover

Cape Fear (3-1) at Purnell Swett (4-0), 7:30 p.m.

The Colts' only loss this season came at Hoggard, while the Rams come rolling into Week 6 with the momentum of last Friday's 42-39 win over Gray's Creek.

Darius Bethea had five touchdowns in the Rams' win, and he's averaging 124 yards rushing per game to go with Jeremiya Dial's 101 rushing yards per game.

Cape Fear boasts a balanced attack behind quarterback Brice Mckenzie, with Favour Murtala averaging 93 yards on the ground and Jeremiah Melvin averaging 110 receiving yards. And the Colts defense is outstanding.

The pick: Cape Fear

South View (3-1) at Douglas Byrd (0-4), 7:30 p.m.

The Tigers were tested against one of the top teams in the state last week in Seventy-First, and I expect they'll feast on Byrd.

Dynamic senior running back Christian Rutledge averages 158 yards rushing per game for South View, and he's run for 11 TDs so far this season. How many will he have this week?

The pick: South View

Seventy-First (4-0) at Gray's Creek (3-1), 7:30 p.m.

This was so close to being a battle of unbeatens, but the Bears suffered their first loss last week by three points to Swett. That doesn't bode well for Gray's Creek heading into this matchup.

The Falcons are soaring through the season, averaging 42 points per game with an average margin of victory of 32 points as Deandre Nance continues to evolve at QB.

The junior playcaller averages 125 rushing yards per game, boosted by his 59-yard touchdown run last week, and 187 passing yards per game — tops in Cumberland County.

The pick: Seventy-First

Jack Britt (1-3) at Lumberton (0-4), 7:30 p.m.

Britt picked up its first win of the season last week against Byrd, but the Bucs have played better than their record indicates thanks to a stiff nonconference schedule.

Tested by the likes of Scotland and East Forsyth, Britt's defense looks strong with linebackers Bryce Bennett, Zach Pickel and Derrick Jones leading the charge. And quarterback Jackson Powell ranks third in the United 8 Conference with 384 passing yards.

Lumberton is coming off a forfeit at Cape Fear. The game was called around halftime after a player injury.

The pick: Jack Britt

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Fayetteville football predictions for Week 6: Can Cape Fear give Swett its first loss?