Week 5 is a heavyweight one in Michigan high school football.
Especially in the Detroit area.
There is a top-five showdown, a top-10 matchup between the top two teams in Division 2 and two more top-20 matchups. And those are just some of the top games on the East side. In the Grand Rapids area, there are multiple games between teams ranked in the top 10 of their respective Divisions.
The games will determine early frontrunners in the Detroit Public School League Blue Division, MAC Red, OAA Red and OAA White. There will still be a month of regular-season games that will play into that equation, but Week 5's outcomes will go a long way in those races.
The top-five matchup between No. 1 Detroit Cass Tech and No. 5 Detroit King is likely the first of
two matchups this season, with the PSL championship game scheduled for Week 8. No. 12 Romeo and No. 16 Grosse Pointe South are both off to 2-0 starts in MAC Red play with three games remaining. No. 9 Clarkston and No. 13 Oxford are in a similar boat in the OAA Red.
Cass Tech and King will play this year's regular-season game at Cass' field. Last year, the game was played at Wayne State, but was suspended until Saturday due to overcrowding. The teams last played at Cass in 2024, when King picked up its last win in the series.
Here are predictions for five top games in Week 5 of the 2026 Michigan high school football season. Other top games not listed include: Grand Rapids South Christian vs. Zeeland West, Caledonia vs. Hudsonville, DeWitt vs. Trenton, Utica vs. St. Clair Shores Lakeview, South Lyon vs. North Farmington and Dearborn Divine Child vs. Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard.
Michigan high school football Week 5 predictions
All games kick off at 7 p.m. on Friday unless noted otherwise.
No. 1 Detroit Cass Tech (4-0) vs. No. 5 Detroit King (4-0), 5 p.m., Cass Tech High School
King owns the best win through the first month of the season after knocking off Orchard Lake St. Mary's in triple overtime on the road. That same week, Cass Tech traveled across the state and handled a tough Grandville team in their first big test. Both teams have dominated their competition in the other three games. Cass and King both boast plenty of talent on both sides of the ball and have a host of players who could step up with big plays beyond the big names like Cass Tech quarterback Donald Tabron II and King defensive back/receiver Darryl Flemister. The natural-grass field and composure within the rivalry will be two other key factors. The pick: Cass Tech 28, King 20.
No. 7 Birmingham Brother Rice (4-0) vs. No. 6 Orchard Lake St. Mary's (3-1), Lawrence Tech University
As mentioned before, St. Mary's is 3-1 but has a good win over Muskegon Mona Shores, while Brother Rice is off to a perfect start with two nice wins over Macomb Dakota and Warren De La Salle. The two top-ranked teams in Division 2 will meet for the third time this calendar year. Brother Rice won the regular-season matchup in 2025 as part of the Warriors' late-season run to earn a postseason berth, but St. Mary's exacted revenge in districts on its way to a second straight Division 2 title. Brother Rice returns most of the team that experienced the playoff heartbreak and is motivated to make a statement. But the Eaglets' experience will be the difference. The pick: St. Mary's 35, Brother Rice 28.
No. 9 Clarkston (4-0) vs. No. 13 Oxford (4-0), Clarkston High School
A matchup between two talented teams that thrive when imposing their physical will at the point of attack is a recipe for a fun football game. That's what I anticipate in Clarkston on Friday. Clarkston has not missed a beat with lots of new pieces, winning its first four games while giving up 21 total points, with two shutouts. On offense, quarterback Alex Waszczenko and an offensive line comprised of five first-time starters have led consecutive 40-point outings. Oxford returned nearly its entire offense, including five offensive linemen, but had to break in a new quarterback, Michael King. The Wildcats have been stingy on defense, giving up 32 total points with two shutouts, while the offense is averaging a tick over 38 points per game. The pick: Clarkston 24, Oxford 21.
No. 12 Romeo (4-0) vs. No. 16 Grosse Pointe South (4-0), Romeo High School
Romeo knocked off one MAC Red contender, Macomb Dakota, in Week 4 after falling into a two-touchdown hole in the first quarter. Grosse Pointe South has been dominant through the first month, winning all four games by at least 29 points with two shutouts. The Bulldogs are talented top to bottom on both sides of the ball, especially in the trenches, which is where Grosse Pointe South is young. Sam Rouleau will keep GPS in it until the end, but Romeo should flex its muscle. The pick: Romeo 41, GP South 31.
Birmingham Groves (3-1) vs. No. 20 Harper Woods (3-1), Groves High School
Both Groves and Harper Woods have responded to surprising Week 1 losses with three straight wins. Groves eked out a win over rival Seaholm behind another strong performance from running back Jeremiah Whitley, while Harper Woods has overwhelmed three straight teams since losing to Chelsea. Harper Woods should continue its strong play to put ifself in the OAA White driver's seat. The pick: Harper Woods 28, Groves 7.
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Jared Ramsey covers high school sports for theDetroit Free Press. Contact him at jramsey@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan high school football Week 5 game, score predictions
