WHAT'S CAUSING ALL THIS?

LUCAS The last time the Kilgore High School football team journeyed to Marshall for a football game, we all were wondering how much damage we'd see caused by Hurricane Ike, creeping up into East Texas on Sept. 12.

and less serious, storm brewing on the horizon: a Class 4A football playoff game between two rivals that have been as good, if not better, than any teams in this region in the last five years.

And for the first time ever, the Bulldogs will face the Marshall Mavericks in a true postseason game, not like the one two seasons ago, the regular-season finale, where Kilgore lost to Marshall at home, but neither team made the playoffs.

There have been so many moments in the recent history between these programs. More than not have been good for Kilgore.

The Mavericks became an every-year rival for the Bulldogs back in 2002, and if you were there, how could you forget the Mud Bowl game? Marshall's grass field became a swamp, and in spite of the fact, Kilgore's speed and talent won out.

In 2003, Kilgore was dominant in a win by more than three touchdowns. But in 2004, the Mavs regained their footing in the series, taking KHS into overtime and almost winning, if not for a record-setting performance by Kilgore running back Keith conversion call by Marshall coach Rodney Southern. Marshall scored and came within one, 28- 27, and rather than kick the extra point and tie the game up, Southern elected to go for two. Jackie Robinson and the offensive line went into a swinging gate formation and the ball was snapped, it seemed like every Kilgore defensive player on the field knew what was coming, and all of them converged on Robinson like an AIG executive on bar at a beach resort. Game over -- Kilgore wins.

Both the Bulldogs and the Mavericks would go to 4A state title games that year: Marshall would lose the Division 1 4A game, while KHS would beat Dallas Lincoln in another overtime outing to claim the crown.

The teams met yet again in a John Memorial Stadium in 2005, and then that low point in 2006.

Last year, Kilgore got redemption for two straight losses to the Mavs by beating Marshall in the regular-season finale. The Bulldogs claimed another district title with the win.

And then earlier this season, Darius Jones and company beat the Bulldogs 28-18 in the Ike Game -- we had no rainy weather to speak of, until after the game was over.

Since then, the programs have gone in different directions. Marshall had a tough time with injuries and lost three games in a row in District 13-4A before finally beating Mount Pleasant last week. Kilgore mashed Gilmer, ran through Palestine, and stumbled only once in District 14-4A (against Lindale) before winning four straight.

Now, another chapter in the Kilgore-Marshall series. This time, though, there's not another game. This IS the game.

I'm looking forward to it. Let's review our other games on this week's picks list (see our picks on page 7). First, my ratings system:

* Five asterisks (*****): An instant classic. We're talking about an Ice Bowl, Immaculate Reception like game here.

* Four (****): Games between Kilgore and Marshall regularly hit this level and above. Games with four of these are contests I expect to define a season.

* Three (***): Very good football.

* Two (**): Good football for about a half.

* One (*): Not good football at all; it's just the only game on. Houston Texans games normally fit in right here.

* Zero (DUD): Surely you have something better to do with your time than to watch one of these.

This week's high school games

* Kilgore at Marshall (*****): I don't know what I can say to fire you up about this game that I haven't already said, or written. There's an excellent chance that KHS can go deep into the playoffs, I think, but they've got to get past this old enemy first. It's the Batman versus the Joker, Superman versus Lex Luthor, the Dallas Cowboys versus the Washington Redskins, Jack Nicklaus versus Arnold Palmer, Rocky Balboa vs. Ivan Drago — you get the picture.

In the first game, Kilgore had a tough time stopping Jones, who has been hobbled with injuries lately. I'm not sure of his status, although I imagine if he's at all able, he's going to be on the field. The Bulldogs have gotten much, much better since the first game, and I think if they play at the level they've hit the last few weeks, Kilgore moves on to face either Ennis or Red Oak.

* West Rusk vs. Hearne (****): It's always difficult to talk about a game when you don't know much about one of the teams. I know where Hearne is, and I know what WR coach John Frazier told me about their program. I think it's going to be quite a feat to stop the West Rusk running game. Hearne isn't Arp. I like the Raiders.

* Texas High at Whitehouse (****): The general school of thought from about everyone I've talked with this week says T-High is going to take Whitehouse to the woodshed. That may very well happen. But we've seen this Whitehouse team score quickly, and put up points. I think Texas High gets out, because Whitehouse's defense is major-league suspect. But I think T-High leaves Whitehouse brushing the fires of defeat off their coattails.

* Jacksonville vs. Longview (**): You never want to write anyone off, and I still sort of have a spot in my heart for Jacksonville, after their fans supported Kilgore so well in the 2004 playoff run. I'd love to see how the Indians could pull this off. I just can't imagine it happening.

* Tatum vs. Carthage (***): Tatum is a proud program that probably won't go down easy. The Eagles may not go down at all. But this Tatum team isn't as good as the ones that were winning titles. We saw Carthage early, and their Bulldogs impressed me. I thought after that game that I wouldn't be surprised to see Carthage go a long way in the 3A playoffs. I still won't.

* Gilmer vs. Diboll (***): I think Gilmer's offense is too good for 90 percent of the teams in Class 3A to stop.

This week's college games

* Texas at Kansas (***): About five weeks ago, this game looked like a serious threat to Colt Mc- Coy, our Kilgore-UT connection and the rest of the Longhorns. Now, Kansas doesn't look so imposing. Texas is on a mission to get back into that BCS title game slot of No. 1 or No. 2, and a loss here would end that. Look for former Kilgore offensive linemen Michael Huey and Britt Mitchell, as well as defensive end Eddie Jones, to see playing time for UT.

* Texas A&M at Baylor (****): The Bears look to be the better team in this one. Don't worry, A&M fans: I really do think things will be better under coach Mike Sherman. It won't happen in 2008, though.

* Oklahoma State at Colorado (***): Texas Tech burst OSU's bubble last week. The Cowboys need to be careful and not look ahead to Oklahoma. Every week is a battle in the Big 12 (and the SEC, and the Pac-10, etc).

* Mississippi State at Alabama (***): If you know me, you know this one is near and dear to my heart — I grew up in Alabama and went to the university. Roll Tide. Sylvester Croom, a former Alabama player under Bear Bryant, will coach up his team and they will probably stay in this game for a while. Obviously, an Alabama loss helps the three Big 12 teams (Texas Tech, idle this week, as well as UT and OU). MSU is too weak to do that, but if Alabama doesn't put it on State by a big margin, I could see the Tide slipping to No. 2 in the BCS poll and Tech the new No. 1.

* Utah at San Diego State (*): I'm kidding, right? Utah big.

This week's NFL games

* Dallas at Washington (Sunday night; *****): This game means so much. The Redskins are in second place in the NFC East, have already beaten the Cowboys once, and a loss could just about break the Cowboys' already-dampened spirits. Quarterback Tony Romo is returning to the lineup here, just in time to keep everyone from the nausea we've experienced watching Brad Johnson and Brooks Bollinger (who has looked there).

I don't agree with Terrell Owens that much, but he's right: you need to get the ball to your playmakers, and Owens is definitely that.

I've got to make a pick, and this one is very, very difficult. Washington might be without tailback Clinton Portis, the NFLs No. 2 rusher right now (behind Adrian Peterson of Minnesota). If Dallas plays with the desperation that it should, I think the Cowboys win. Here's what to watch for: if running back Marion Barber has a combined 130 yards recieving and rushing, and Jason Witten and Owens each have at least one touchdown catch, Dallas wins. If two of those three are shut down, Redskins win. Let's see how close

get it.

* Houston at Indianapolis (**): Who locally loves the Colts so much that we see them every single week? I think Peyton Manning and the Colts are hitting their stride, and the Texans are losing what little stride they had. Colts big.

* Tennessee at Jacksonville (****): The Jags get to be the latest to line up in the Stop-the-Titans Express.Jacksonville has been a little dysfunctional this year, with Rio and some members of his defense. Something tells me this is the week the Jaguars from 2007 show up and hand Tennessee its first loss of the season.

* Minnesota at Tampa Bay (****): I told you a few weeks back that I'm not a big believer in Tampa. They activated tailback Cadillac Williams this week — Williams hasn't played since week four of last season. I don't care. I still like Peterson's Vikings. They're playing to win, and not to lose, right now, and seem to be gaining control of the NFC North.

* Cleveland at Buffalo (***): This will be the national comingout party for new Browns quarterback Brady Quinn, the former Notre Dame signal-caller who got his first-ever NFL start last weekend and lost in a close one to the Denver Broncos. Buffalo has traditionally been a tough place to play, and the Bills haven't played well lately. I think the Bills will break their losing streak and make Monday night a little bit miserable for Quinn and the Browns. Somebody call the coaches' hot seat list people: Romeo Crennel and his staff are about to take a seat.