WEEK 7 PREVIEW: Breaking down the biggest games in Texas high school football

Plano East (5-0, 2-0) at Allen (5-0, 2-0):
It’s been a long time since Plano East has beaten Allen, like as in since 1999. In fact during Allen’s 18-game streak over PEHS, the average margin of victory has been over 19 points. That fact is not lost on a talented Panthers squad who is looking to change the perception of being underachievers. The key for East’s big start has been a defense that is physical and plays with an edge led by DB Tyler Owens who recently committed to Texas. QB Brandon Mallory has been very efficient early in the year with a 5:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio and the Panthers' feature playmakers at the skill spots to really test the Allen secondary.

Allen has been very on-brand all year, rolling to a 5-0 mark with the brutal efficiency that we’ve come to expect from a team that’s lost just three total games the past six years. If you are scoring at home, that’s a 96-3 record (Let that sink in). QB Grant Tisdale (Ole Miss commit) and WR Theo Wease (Oklahoma commit) are as good as advertised but what makes this Allen team special is superior depth at every position and the extremely high level of execution across the board. This is a team that does all the little things at an astonishingly high level. This is the first year in quite sometime where I’ve personally felt like Plano East has a puncher's chance in this game and it’s primarily because this looks to be a team that’s talented and mentally tough. Allen’s going to throw big haymakers and if the Panthers can weather the storm, they’ll have a chance to pull a late upset. But I’m not bold enough to pick against the Eagles and definitely not at Eagle Stadium.
Stepp’s Pick: Allen by 10