UNION – The Union Daily Times’ prestigious pack of pigskin prophets is joined this week by Clemson basketball standout Devin Booker, who accepted an invitation to partake in a little predicting with his hometown newspaper.

We know he can play basketball, but can he pick football games?

“Better than y’all,” Devin laughed. “Your picking skills need some work, Tiff.”

He talks the talk. Good. So do we.

“I think Clemson University offers Pigskin Pickin’ 101,” Steven Addis said. He also mentioned that Devin might want to look into that before he trades in his basketball sneakers for a career in sportscasting.

If his picks are as deadly as his hook shot, we’re gonna have our hands full.

Steven is at the top of our leaderboard and he should be. Those Addis boys know football like the Bookers know basketball.

Meanwhile, Sam Phipps dropped from a three-way tie at the head of the pack to a three-way tie at the back with Doc Lipsey and me after a weekend that saw him go 8-8. Fifty percent, Sam? What happened?

“I took some chances that didn’t pay off,” he explained. “I guess I’m gonna have to start getting more scientific if I want to knock Steven off his pedestal.”

Yes, Steven Addis is the K.C. Joyner of our little group but Kevin Shropshire is nipping at the heels of our front-running football scientist and trails by one point.

This week Kevin is playing it safe picking the favorite in every game. You don’t think they’re gonna be one single upset, Kevin?

“Yeah, Steven’s gonna be upset when I take the lead this weekend,” he declared.

Thanks to Will Hickson for playing last week – he went 10-6 – and to Devin Booker for joining us this week.

Here are this week’s games:

Union County @ Wren

Broome @ Daniel

Lower Ridgeland @ Blue Ridge

Emerald @ Chester

Belton Honea Path @ Woodruff

Greenwood @ Laurens

Wade Hampton @ Byrnes

Northwestern @ Rock Hill

Spartanburg @ Gaffney

Duke @ Clemson

Texas A&M @ Mississippi State

Texas @ Texas Tech

Oregon @ Southern Cal

Alabama @ LSU

Oklahoma State @ Kansas State

Nebraska @ Michigan State

Panthers @ Redskins

Steven Addis

Last week: 11-5

Overall: 89-38

Wren

Daniel

Blue Ridge

Emerald

Belton Honea Path

Greenwood

Byrnes

Northwestern

Gaffney

Clemson

Texas A&M

Texas Tech

Oregon

Alabama

Kansas State

Nebraska

Redskins

Kevin Shropshire

Last week: 10-6

Overall: 88-39

Wren

Daniel

Blue Ridge

Chester

Woodruff

Greenwood

Byrnes

Northwestern

Gaffney

Clemson

Texas A&M

Texas Tech

Oregon

Alabama

Kansas State

Nebraska

Redskins

Doc Lipsey

Last week: 9-7

Overall: 86-41

Union County

Daniel

Blue Ridge

Chester

Woodruff

Greenwood

Byrnes

Northwestern

Gaffney

Clemson

Texas A&M

Texas Tech

Oregon

Alabama

Kansas State

Michigan Stat

Redskins

Tiffany Grady-Hudgins

Last week: 9-7

Overall: 86-41

Union County

Daniel

Blue Ridge

Chester

Woodruff

Greenwood

Byrnes

Northwestern

Gaffney

Clemson

Texas A&M

Texas

Oregon

Alabama

Kansas State

Nebraska

Redskins

Sam Phipps

Last week: 8-8

Overall: 86-41

Wren

Daniel

Blue Ridge

Chester

Woodruff

Greenwood

Wade Hampton

Rock Hill

Gaffney

Clemson

Mississippi State

Texas Tech

Oregon

Alabama

Kansas State

Nebraska

Redskins

Devin Booker

Union County

Daniel

Lower Ridgeland

Chester

Belton Honea Path

Greenwood

Byrnes

Rock Hill

Gaffney

Clemson

Mississippi State

Texas

Oregon

Alabama

Kansas State

Nebraska

Redskins