Mississippi high school football predictions for 5 games that will decide MHSAA region titles Thursday
Mississippi high school football's top games this week feature five teams in the Mississippi Super 25, including a clash between four top-20 teams. Highlighted is No. 8 Tupelo vs. No. 9 Starkville for the 7A Region 2 title.
Here's a look at the top five games across the state with score predictions.
Game of the week
No. 8 Tupelo (7-2, 3-0 MHSAA 7A Region 2) vs. No. 9 Starkville (7-2, 2-1)
When: 7 p.m., Thursday
A battle for the 7A Region 2 title comes down to the final game of the regular season in Tupelo. Look for Tupelo's Jeremiah Hill, who has 23 total touchdowns, to make a huge impact at quarterback. Starkville running back Joshua Stevenson Jr. can cause disruption on the ground. Expect this game to come down to the final possession.
Prediction: Starkville 28, Tupelo 24.
No. 13 South Panola (8-1, 4-0 MHSAA 6A Region 1) at No. 20 Grenada (8-2, 4-0)
When: 7 p.m., Thursday
Another grudge match for the 6A Region 1 title. Grenada finished next-to-last in Region 2 last season, but the Chargers can win Region 1 in their first season after moving over. Grenada will look toward its catalyst on defense, Jarques Perry, who has 11 sacks. South Panola will aim to win its second region title since 2021.
Prediction: Grenada 21, South Panola 17.
No. 11 West Jones (9-0, 3-0 MHSAA 6A Region 3) at Hattiesburg (7-2, 3-0)
When: 7 p.m., Thursday
This is for the 6A Region 3 title. West Jones will aim for its first title in 6A after moving from 5A last season. Mustangs running back Elijah Jones will be the catalyst on offense for West Jones, forcing Hattiesburg to contain him if the Tigers want a chance at their second region title in a row after winning 5A Region 3 last season.
Prediction: West Jones 33, Hattiesburg 24.
No. 6 Holmes County Central (10-0, 4-0 MHSAA 5A Region 2) at Canton (4-5, 4-0)
When: 7 p.m., Thursday
Four-win Canton has a chance to win Region 2 over undefeated Holmes CC and make the 5A playoffs. Holmes, which is one of the strongest teams in the state, is led by running back Jartavious Smart and defensive end Terrance Hibbler Jr., who will test Canton's awareness on both sides of the ball.
Prediction: Holmes CC 38, Canton 21.
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Gautier (6-3, 4-0 MHSAA 5A Region 4) at Laurel (4-6, 3-1)
When: 7 p.m., Thursday
Despite Laurel having six losses, it has an opportunity to win Region 4 and make the 5A playoffs with a win against Gautier. It will be a challenging assignment. Gautier is coming off four consecutive wins and is led by quarterback Trey Irving and receiver Kelvin Beavers.
Prediction: Gautier 35, Laurel 27.
Last week's picks: 5-0 (100%)
Season picks: 14-1 (93.3%)
Michael Chavez covers high school sports, among others, for the Clarion-Ledger. Email him at mchavez@gannett.com or reach out to him on X, formerly Twitter @MikeSChavez.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Mississippi high school football predictions for MHSAA region titles
