Hootens.com Rankings
Class 7A, Week 1, 2012
Copyright Hooten Publishing, Inc.

1. Fayetteville
2. North LR
3. Bentonville
4. Springdale Har-Ber
5. Fort Smith Southside
6. Conway
7. Bryant
8. West Memphis
9. Little Rock Central
10. Cabot
11. Rogers Heritage
12. Springdale
13. Fort Smith Northside
14. Rogers
15. Little Rock Catholic
16. Van Buren

HOOTENS.COM GAME OF THE WEEK
Memphis University School at No. 1 Fayetteville
Arkansas' defending state champs tangle with one of Tennessee's top teams at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville during Simmons First/Hootens.com Kickoff Week. It will be Fayetteville's opener but MUS's third game of the season. MUS has won four of the past eight state titles in Tennessee and 41 games over the past four years. Fayetteville quarterback Austin Allen, defensive back Alex Brignoni (4.5 speed) and linebacker Brooks Ellis (6-3, 220; 4.7 speed) are Razorback commitments. The Purple Dogs have won two state titles over the past five years. MUS reminds Fayetteville coach Daryl Patton of Springdale Har-Ber and Bentonville and expects "a barn burner. They're just very sound, always in position, well-coached" Patton says. "They may not beat you with a lot of speed, but they rarely give up big plays." Memphis University School finished 8-3 in 2011, allowing less than 200 yards per game and outscoring opponents by an average of 30-9. Arkansas State coach Gus Malzahn has offered MUS running back Shane Tucker (6-1, 220) a scholarship.

LAST SEASON
Hootens.com correctly predicted 93 of 116 games (80 percent) involving Class 7A teams.

TV SHOW
Hooten's Arkansas Football airs Saturday mornings statewide at 8:30 on Fox 24 (Fayetteville/Fort Smith) and at 9:30 on KARZ 42 (Little Rock) featuring the state's top players. North Little Rock center Jaylon Christopher will be featured as the Arkansas Air Guard Scholar Athlete of the Week.

WEEK 1 PREDICTIONS (favored team in ALL CAPS followed by point spread)
7A/6A CENTRAL
FS SOUTHSIDE (8) at Rogers Heritage: Southside is favored to win the Central conference with a stable of quality running backs. Heritage returns 10 on defense and should be the best of the rest in the West.
CONWAY (4) at Bryant: Bryant's 31-28 win at Conway last year helped it win back-to-back conference titles for the first time in school history.
LR Catholic at LR CENTRAL (16): Third-year Central coach Scooter Register welcomes backs starters at seven positions on both sides of the ball, including hootens.com No. 14 ranked recruit A.J. Tucker (6-3, 190; 4.5 speed) at receiver.
PINE BLUFF (1) at FS Northside: Coach Bobby Bolding says this could be his best Pine Bluff team with up to eight college prospects. All-state tailback Walter Ashley (5-9, 170) totaled almost 2,300 all-purpose yards as a junior. Star City transfer Austin McGehee's leg strength provides Pine Bluff solid special teams.

7A/6A EAST
NORTH LR (14) at Lake Hamilton: North LR fields the state's most talented team this fall with three players listed on hootens.com Top 20 in-state recruits, including two defensive linemen and University of Alabama running back commit Altee Tenpenny. Defending 6A state runner-up Lake Hamilton will be better later in the year.
Ashdown at WEST MEMPHIS (18): Ashdown won its opening five games last season by an average of 43-8. West Memphis has won eight straight league titles and at least nine games the past five years.
LR Catholic at LR CENTRAL (16): Third-year Central coach Scooter Register welcomes backs starters at seven positions on both sides of the ball, including hootens.com No. 14 ranked recruit A.J. Tucker (6-3, 190; 4.5 speed) at receiver.
Jacksonville vs. CABOT (12): Jacksonville hasn't beaten its rival since 2005. Cabot won its final two games last season but failed to advance to the playoffs for the second time in seven years.

7A/6A SOUTH
CONWAY (4) at Bryant: Bryant's 31-28 win at Conway last year helped it win back-to-back conference titles for the first time in school history.

7A/6A WEST
Memphis University School at FAYETTEVILLE (2): See Hootens.com Game of the Week.
SPRINGDALE HAR-BER (14) at Webb City, Mo.: Har-Ber coach Chris Wood compares Webb City, Mo. to the well-coached, fast-paced Greenwood Bulldogs. Webb City has won six Missouri state championships in the past 12 years, including the past two seasons.
Van Buren at ALMA (7): Alma has won seven of the past 10 in the series, including 14-0 a year ago, but Van Buren holds the edge in the series 35-24-1. Alma senior QB Gage Jensen impressed coaches in fall camp.
Kansas City Rockhurst at BENTONVILLE (6): Bentonville starts the toughest schedule in the state against Rockhurst (10-2 in 2011, 14-0 in 2010) before playing at Broken Arrow, Okla. (14-2 in 2011) and hosting South Panola, Miss. (9-4 in 2011). Bentonville's defense looks to slay these giants, win low-scoring matches.
FS SOUTHSIDE (8) at Rogers Heritage: Southside is favored to win the Central conference with a stable of quality running backs. Heritage returns 10 on defense and should be the best of the rest in the West.
Batesville at SPRINGDALE (3): Batesville won the 5A East title and advanced to the state title game a year ago. But four expected starters transferred in the off-season. However, Coach Dave King said in early August that "the demise of the Batesville Pioneers has been greatly exaggerated."
Rogers at MOUNTAIN HOME (3): Rogers returns starters at 15 positions, including senior linebacker Bryan Gibby (52 tackles in 2011). Mountain Home junior QB Drake Walker generated more than 2,000 yards last season.