Welcome to 20 for 2020, ArizonaVarsity.com's weekly countdown of the top 20 games of the week. You can see the ArizonaVarsity staff picks by subscribing to the TeamAZV Forum.
We use the Arizona Varsity Media poll to determine a team's ranking.
Here's how our staff pick'em contest works: we set odds for who we believe the favorite and underdog in each game are. To play along at home, simply pick the favorite or underdog to win by the assigned spread (example, if Team A is favored by 7.5, to get your selection correct, Team A has to win by at least 8 points, or Team B has to lose by less than 7).
Feel free to play along at home, and try to beat our staff!
Disclaimer: We're not gambling. That would be ridiculous. This is a game. For fun.
20) Corona del Sol (1-0) at Basha (0-1)
Corona del Sol shut out the mighty Desert Vista, and swept all three levels last week. Can Basha rebound after a 41-31 loss at Shadow Ridge?
Odds: Corona -15.5
19) #4 Benson (1-0) at Miami (1-0)
Benson's defense might be the best in all of 2A, and they'll face a serious test tonight against a Miami team that is also coming off their own shutout win.
Odds: Benson -9.5
18) 5A #1 Saguaro (0-0) at 6A Brophy (0-1)
Saguaro didn't get to play their week one matchup due to a positive Covid-19 test on the Chaparral roster, and Brophy faced massive adversity in week 1 because Elijah Warner suffered a broken leg early in the game. Brophy looks to rebound against the #1 team in 5A.
Odds: Saguaro -19.5
17) Estrella Foothills (1-0) at #4 Greenway (1-0)
Our own Cody Cameron believes Greenway has a legitimate shot at the 4A title, and in order to get one step closer to proving him right, they'll face a well-coached Estrella Foothills team with a tough defense led by Quinlan Popham.
Odds: Greenway -10.5
16) #3 Snowflake (1-0) at #9 Thatcher (0-0)
Snowflake should probably be ranked higher after defending homefield against ALA-Gilbert North, but rankings don't matter when the most dominant 2A program of the last decade is waiting across the line of scrimmage to show you they belong in 3A.
Odds: Snowflake -4.5
15) Phoenix Christian (0-1) at #5 Valley Christian (1-0)
The only thing between Valley Christian and a 2-0 record is slowing down Phoenix CHristian's Howard Russell, who scored three times in last week's loss to Yuma Catholic.
Odds: Pick'Em
14) Desert Vista (0-1) at #7 Highland (1-0)
Highland shut out Desert Ridge last week, and Desert Vista was shut out by Corona del Sol. Logic would state that Highland is getting ready for a cackewalk, but you can never count out a Dan Hinds-coached team.
Odds: Highland -10.5
13) #6 Round Valley (1-0) at Safford (0-0)
Believe it or not, these two teams have only met three times in their long histories, and haven't played since 2010. Safford hopes to get their first ever win against the Elks now that Round Valley has joined them at the 3A level.
Odds: Round Valley -11.5
12) Peoria (0-1) at #9 Cactus (0-1)
Cactus and Peoria both had rough starts to their 2020 season, and all of the sudden, one of the most intense rivalries in Arizona also becomes a must-win.
Odds: Cactus -6.5
11) #9 Centennial (0-1) at Mountain Pointe (0-1)
It has been 23 years since the last time the Coyotes were shut out against an Arizona team, and after last week's blowout loss to Hamilton, they're hoping to take their frustration out on the Pride. If Mountain Pointe's offensive line is healthier than they were last week, this might be an upset special.
Odds: Centennial -8.5
10) Liberty (0-1) at #3 Red Mountain (1-0)
It's the 6A title rematch that Red Mountain has had circled on the calendar all summer long. Liberty faced a tidal wave against Chandler last week, but after the first quarter, the Lions started to show what they're capable of. Can they level up and get another win over the Mountain Lions?
Odds: Red Mountain -14.5
9) #10 (3A) Coolidge (1-0) at #1 (2A) Santa Cruz (1-0)
Hunter Ogle made everyone who voted Santa Cruz as the #1 team in 2A look very smart in their blowout of San Tan Charter last week. Can one of 3A's top teams have better luck?
Odds: Santa Cruz -9.5
8) #6 McCintock (1-0) at Desert Mountain (1-0)
Desert Mountain had a huge second half against Peoria to get their first win of the season, and now they get to prove they're for real against a McClintock team that is fresh off a dominant win over rival Tempe. Whichever 5A school gets this win is going to start getting buzz as a true 5A contender.
Odds: McClintock -7.5
7) #10 Benjamin Franklin (1-0) at #10 Marcos de Niza (0-1)
Benjamin Franklin dominating Seton Catholic was one of the more eye-opening results of week 1, maybe second only to Marcos de Niza getting knocked off by Coconino. Now the Padres are trying to rebound against last year's 3A runner up to try and get back in control of their own 4A destiny. Oddly enough, they finished with the same number of votes for #10 in 4A.
Odds: Marcos de Niza -6.5
6) Desert Ridge (0-1) at Mountain Ridge (1-0)
Austin Kolb is back, so Desert RIdge's offensive production should be back. If not, one of the most promising young teams in AZ is going to feast behind sophomore Qb Brendan Anderson.
Odds: Pick'Em
5) Perry (0-1) at #2 Hamilton (1-0)
We've spent all week praising Dane White for his performance against Queen Creek in week 1, but it won't get easier in week 2 as the Hamilton Huskies are looking like world-beaters. The key to this game is Perry's defense- they have to find a way to keep Hamilton's running game from making this a one sided affair in the first half.
Odds: Casteel -5.5
4) #1 (4A) Mesquite (1-0) at #4 (5A) Sunrise Mountain
Sunrise Mountain's defense showed that they're legit after holding Cactus to 7 points in week 1, but now they have to worry about the Ty Thompson/Andrew Morris combination. We'll know a whole lot about how seriously we should take the Mustangs after tonight.
Odds: Pick'Em
3) #5 Pinnacle (1-0) at #1 Chandler (1-0)
Pinnacle defense steamrolled Horizon, which all of the sudden makes their matchup with #1 Chandler much more interesting. Can Anthony Franklin disrupt Mikey Keene enough to put the Pioneers in position to get an upset?
Odds: Chandler -11.5
2) Higley (1-0) at #8 Casteel (1-0)
Casteel showed last week that they can come back for a late deficit, and that they have a second special WR in Dom DiGian. Higley's key to victory is going to be finding a way to keep the Colts off the field. Do the Knights have a running game that can do the job? We'll definitely find out tonight.
Odds: Higley -2.5
1) #6 Williams Field (1-0) at #3 Queen Creek (1-0)
Queen Creek and Williams Field both earned victories last week that were a little too close for comfort, so they hope to have things figured out going into tonight's game. Like most teams who have a history against the Blackhawks, Queen Creek is looking to break out of a long streak of being on the losing side of this game. Devin Brown has a chance to show that he's for real against a defense that has never cared about an opposing QB's accolades.
Odds: Pick'Em
