All games at 7 p.m. Friday and are district openers unless noted
1. 6AI-1: No. 1 Bixby at No. 2 Jenks
Records: Bixby 3-0, Jenks 3-0
TV: YurView (Cox-3)
The outlook: Can any team give Bixby a close game? This showdown will answer that question because at this time Jenks appears to be the only potential candidate. This is the most anticipated game of the regular season. Bixby is 88-4 since the start of the 2018 season — Jenks has handed the Spartans two of those losses.
QB matchup: Bixby’s Carson Kirby has passed for 656 yards and Jenks’ Landon Kizzar 691. Each has thrown for eight TDs.
Other key players: Bixby — RB Jayson Moll has 20 carries for 217 yards and four TDs. WR/DB Nathan Gonzalez has 10 catches for 170 yards and three TDs. LB Nathan Hobbs has 14 tackles. Jenks — RB KD Jones has 537 rushing yards and 10 TDs. WR/DB Kailib Dillard has 19 catches for 317 yards and four TDs. DL Luke McInelly has 28 tackles with seven QB hurries and two sacks.
Notable: Both teams defeated No. 3 Owasso — Bixby 49-21 and Jenks 31-21. These programs have combined for the last five 6AI state titles.
Quotable coaches: Bixby’s Loren Montgomery on Jenks — “They look uber-talented. They’ve got the best running back in the state. They’ve got talented wide receivers. It looks like the quarterback is doing really well. I noticed one defensive lineman, No. 8, (McInelly), that looks exceptional.”
Jenks’ Adam Gaylor on coming off a bye week: “I think the two weeks is definitely going to help us prepare.”
Series history: Bixby, after its 21-7 win last year, has won seven of the past eight meetings, but Jenks leads 58-28-5 and had won 26 in a row since 1977 before the Spartans’ 35-18 victory in 2017. Bixby defeated Jenks 49-21 in the 2023 state final.
Tickets: $16.75 (reserved), $11 (GA) at gofan.co.
2. 6AI-2: No. 3 Owasso at No. 4 Broken Arrow
Records: Owasso 1-2, Broken Arrow 2-1
The outlook: This rivalry becomes even more interesting as Owasso offensive coordinator Josh Blankenship faces the team he coached for the past four years.
Key matchup: Owasso’s receiving corps, led by Tae Bethel and Julius Wilson, against Broken Arrow’s secondary that includes newcomers Semaj Stanford and former Rams player Bryson Brown. Bethel has 14 catches for 168 yards and two TDs while Wilson has 11 receptions for 252 yards and three touchdowns. Broken Arrow’s much-improved defense has allowed only 15.3 points per game.
QB matchup: Owasso’s Drew Frankenfield has completed 41-of-80 passes for 523 yards. Broken Arrow’s Jeramiah Ssettimba is 29-of-41 for 552 yards. Each has thrown for five TDs. In Owasso’s 49-21 win last year, Frankenfield was nearly perfect as he went 19-of-22 for 204 yards and three TDs while Owasso picked off Ssettimba twice and kept him from making big plays.
Notable: These programs combined for three consecutive state titles from 2017-19.
Series history: Owasso has won seven of the past eight, but Broken Arrow has prevailed in 13 of the last 22 meetings. Broken Arrow’s most-recent win was 41-40 in the 2021 quarterfinals.
3. 5A-4: No. 5 Collinsville at No. 2 Del City
Records: Collinsville 3-0, Del City 2-1
The outlook: Collinsville should be in better shape entering this rematch than it was in Del City’s 61-10 rout last year — a game that Cardinals coach Kevin Jones said Monday, “was probably the longest night of my coaching career.”
Key players: Collinsville sophomore QB Carter Vaughan passed for three TDs against his former team, Bartlesville, last week. For the season, he is 46-of-58 for 636 yards and no interceptions. “He has been an incredible bright spot,” Jones said. “He’s shown incredible leadership, confidence and moxie, qualities you can’t coach.” RB/LB Scott Rigby and WR/DB Ben Daniels combined for nearly 400 rushing-receiving yards last week. Rigby missed last year’s Del City matchup and Daniels was injured during that game. The Cardinals had only 35 total yards against Del City last year.
Del City’s Ricklan Holmes II, a New Mexico commit, is a dominating linebacker who leads a defense that has allowed only seven points in the past two games. He also is a powerful running back. Jones refers to Holmes as “a man among boys.” RB/DB Kaleb Blackwolf rushed for three touchdowns and scored on two punt returns in a 38-7 win over No. 3 Booker T. Washington in Week 1.
Quotable: Jones said, “Del City is so talented, big and physical. We need to limit their possessions and get first downs. We’ll have to eliminate the penalties we had last week and not beat ourselves.”
4. 4A-3: Fort Gibson at No. 8 Wagoner
Records: Fort Gibson 2-1, Wagoner 1-2
The outlook: Fort Gibson has consistently been around .500 since going 13-1 in 2014. This is a chance for the Tigers to show they are ready to move up to the next level. It’s a chance for Wagoner to show it is still among 4A’s top teams after being a perennial title contender for 20 years.
Key players: Fort Gibson junior lineman Cooper Hackett is among the state’s top players in the recruiting class of 2027. RB/DB Cash Keys has 38 carries for 312 yards and eight TDs plus 18 tackles. Wagoner dual-threat QB Keyshaun Brown accounted for 321 yards and two TDs in last week’s 21-20 win over Bristow. His leading receiver was Elijah Love, who had eight catches for 62 yards.
Series history: Wagoner won 54-14 last year as new district rivals, but these programs have been frequent playoff foes. Wagoner was 6-0 in the playoffs against Fort Gibson from 2005-19.
5. 2AI-3: No. 6 Kingston at No. 8 Kiefer
Records: Kingston 2-1, Kiefer 2-1
The outlook: Has the potential to be a thriller similar to Kingston’s 29-28 overtime win over Kiefer last year. Kiefer is coming off a 30-29 thriller over 2AII No. 4 Vian.
QB matchup: Kingston’s Reid Patterson accounted for 2,797 yards and 38 TDs last year. Against Kiefer, he was limited to 95 passing yards, but threw for three TDs, including the winner in OT. Kiefer’s Cash Worley, who gains most of his yards on the ground, has accounted for 491 yards and six TDs.
Best of the rest
6AI-2: Edmond Santa Fe (0-3) at No. 7 Union (0-3): Both teams lost to No. 2 Jenks. Union beat Santa Fe 26-14 last year.
6AII-2: No. 2 Sand Springs (1-2) at Bartlesville (0-3): The Sandites won 41-20 last year after needing overtime to defeat the Bruins in the previous two seasons.
6AII-2: No. 7 Muskogee (0-3) at No. 9 Ponca City (2-1): A pivotal game for these teams.
5A-3: Edison (1-2) at Bishop Kelley (1-2): The Eagles only have to travel two miles for this road game..
5A-3: No. 9 Coweta (3-0) at McAlester (0-3): Although McAlester won 35-0 last year, this series has included some thrillers recently, including Coweta’s 28-27 victory in 2023.
5A-3: Durant (1-2) at No. 3 B.T. Washington (2-1): The Hornets celebrate Homecoming. Durant hasn’t qualified for the playoffs since 2011.
5A-4: No. 7 Claremore (3-0) at Tahlequah (2-1): Claremore edged the Tigers last year, 28-21.
4A-3: No. 6 Cushing (2-1) at Skiatook (3-0): The host Bulldogs look to avoid a repeat of 2024 when they were 3-0 before a 35-3 loss to Cushing started a seven-game losing streak.
4A-4: No. 4 Ada (3-0) at McLain (2-1): A good measuring stick for the improved Titans, who lost 41-12 last year at Ada.
3A-4: No. 10 Cascia Hall (1-2) at Inola (2-1): The Commandos are 14-0 against the Longhorns since 1992, including a 38-7 win last year.
3A-4: Verdigris (3-0) at Jay (0-3): Justin Morsey’s Cardinals, after a winless 2024, look to keep their perfect season going as they face Jay coach Travis East for the first time since he was Verdigris’ head coach from 2017-24.
AI-4: Haskell (2-2, 1-0) at No. 1 Rejoice Christian (2-1): Haskell, under new coach Trandy Birch, shows potential for its first winning season since 2014.
barry.lewis@tulsaworld.com
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Barry Lewis
Tulsa World Sports Editor
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