While the whole school is still riding the post-Rockwall hype, we here at the Roundup think it is an opportune time to make some predictions for the rest of the Ranger’s football season, not at all skewed by the 60-59 win that occurred last Friday, September 1, 2023. Now, as the Rangers have lost their season opener, but conquered one of their most difficult opponents on the 2023 slate, here are my predictions for the remainder of the regular season.
Week 3: J.J. Pierce
Historically, Pierce has never been a major challenge for the Rangers, winning 8 out of the last 10 matchups. The Rangers also have an 8-year winstreak against Pierce, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. Jesuit won last year’s contest 40-13, albeit with a very different team and home-field advantage, but I still see the Rangers getting a comfortable win this Thursday night.
Week 4: Lake Highlands
After a short break at J.J. Pierce, Lake Highlands presents a tough matchup for Jesuit. In the past few years, this has been a must see game, being decided by a single point last year. All in all, while I do think this will be a daunting clash of two great programs, if you combine Cooper Cutler’s (WR ’24) statline last year with the skill Charlie Peters (QB ’25) has displayed so far, you get a Ranger’s win.
Week 5: Iriving
A nice, relaxing down week before Highland Park, Jesuit has had a chokehold on Irving football for the last three seasons, scoring over 44 points in each game and allowing a combined 7 points over all three years. Again, last year’s game featured highlights from many Jesuit underclassmen who are now prominent players on the varsity squad. This is another win.
Week 6: Highland Park
This is it. The peak of the Jesuit football season. An age-old rivalry brought back last season, the Rangers look at one of their toughest opponents historically, having lost all three matchups occurring since 2000, but also their toughest predicted opponent all season, besides Rockwall. Once more, we look to last year’s game for guidance. 2022 paints a gloomy picture for the Rangers, gloom that I think will carry into 2023. Finally, the Scots beat Lewisville on September 1st, a program ranked 22nd in the state of Texas. On the other hand, the Scots had home-field advantage last year, and the neutral playing site of SMU this year could provide some relief for the Rangers, but not enough to secure a win. This is a loss.
Week 7: Bye
Week 8: Berkner
A similar story to Irving, Berker serves for an easy win after Jesuit gets a restful bye week post-Highland Park. The Rangers on a 9-game winning streak against the Rams, the only cause of a fluke in week 8 would be a mental block after losing to the Scots in week 6. This should be an easy win.
Week 9: Nimitz
Another in-district team rolled over every year by the Rangers, Nimitz occupies the homecoming game slot this season but does not pose any threat to ruin week 9 for Jesuit. Backed by an average 40-point differential in the last 3 years in favor of Jesuit, my prediction is a decisive win for the Rangers.
Week 10: MacArthur
While MacArthur may seem like another Nimitz or Berkner to the fans, Jesuit actually had some trouble putting away the Cardinals last year, and this deep into the season, who knows what could happen. The Cardinals will most likely be scrounging for a playoff spot, hungry for a win, and I think the Rangers let this one slip. Similar to Hebron in week 1, MacArthur has a good chance of winning if they score quickly and gain momentum early on. This one is less of a prediction and more of a gut feeling, but I’m calling it a loss.
Week 11: Richardson
The final game of the regular season, a home game. This will be a chance for all the seniors to see the field, not only because it will be senior night but also because Richardson really isn’t that good. One of the longest-standing win streaks for the program, Richardson has lost 12 times in a row to the Rangers, and don’t expect anything different. It will be a nice high note to end the regular season and pay tribute to the seniors who gave 4 years to an amazing program. This will be a win.
All in all, I predict the Jesuit Rangers going 7-3 in the regular season and 5-2 in district games, setting them up nicely for a possible playoff run. When it comes to predicting sports, especially high school ones, stats and past games are pretty hollow, as anything could happen on a given Friday, like September 1st. However, I can definitely guarantee that Jesuit Football will always play for the love of the game.
