Anyone going to watch the game? Or even going? It's Stratford and future Stanford player Andrew Luck vs Cy-Fair's youtube phenom, and future Michigan Wolverine, Sam McGuffie. They will be playing on FSN Thursday. I think I will watch this over the Texans because it's the fourth preseason game. I hope this game lives up the hype. Chron Link High school football phenoms face off tonight By JENNY DIAL Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle Welcome to the hottest ticket in Houston. In a city known for its high school football, tonight's season opener between Cy-Fair and Stratford at Tully Stadium might be one of the most anticipated games in Houston in decades. As football season opens for high schools and colleges tonight and the Texans wrap up their preseason in Tampa Bay, the biggest game of all is a regionally televised high school contest featuring two of the state's brightest young stars. It's Cy-Fair's talented running back Sam McGuffie — the YouTube legend famous for a video in which he leaped over a defender last year — versus Andrew Luck, the son of Houston Dynamo president and former Oiler Oliver Luck and also the top quarterback in the state. Not since Vince Young was at Madison building his legend as a future superstar have two such well-known high school players faced off. Those unable to attend can watch it on Fox Sports Net Houston, part of a nationwide trend of high school football games on television. ''This is obviously a really big game," Oliver Luck said. "It's a really fun way to kick off the season." The game is attracting statewide media attention. "That is a game I would pay to watch," said Dan McCarney, a high school sports writer at the San Antonio Express-News. "You have the son of a former pro who I have heard is just a stellar quarterback and a tremendous running back who is just so exciting to watch." "Even in Amarillo," says Globe News sportswriter Austin Corder, "we know about this game." Perhaps the the closest thing to the McGuffie-Luck matchup in recent years is a game that never happened. In 2001, fans longed for the nation's top recruits that year — Madison quarterback Young and Lufkin quarterback Reggie McNeal — to meet in the Class 5A Division II state championship game. "I think we would have filled up that (Astro)dome that night," Madison coach Ray Seals said. "That would have been one for the ages. Two top-notch kids meeting each other; we would have drawn 50,000." Madison's 48-42 loss to Austin Westlake in the state semifinals ended the anticipation. However, the two would later face each other in college when Young went to Texas and McNeal to A&M. That might not happen for McGuffie and Luck. McGuffie is headed to Michigan, while Luck will play at Stanford. It isn't rare for a postseason high school game to draw this much attention. Last season, Southlake Carroll and Euless Trinity drew more than 40,000 fans at Texas Stadium for a second-round playoff game. Luck is the No. 1 QB prospect in the state, according to Rivals.com, and he's ranked fourth in the nation at his position. Last season, the 6-4, 215-pound senior led Stratford to a 10-2 record and the Spartans' first district title since 1988, throwing for 2,909 yards and 27 touchdowns. McGuffie had a sensational junior season in which he rushed for 3,121 yards and 43 touchdowns in 14 games, an average of 222.9 yards per game. But he's best known for being an Internet star, thanks to the YouTube.com video clip of his hurdling a Cypress Creek defensive back last season. To date, the 34-second clip produced by Channel 55's High School Sports Live has received more than 600,000 hits. A clip on YouTube that compiles just under six minutes of his highlights from the 2006 season — called The McGuffie Mixtape — has received more than 560,000 hits. A few weeks ago, FSN Houston picked up the game, pushing it up from Friday to tonight, the first night on the University Interscholastic League schedule. But Luck and McGuffie are trying to keep their focus in the right place: on the field. "I just feel like if I get too involved in it that my head is going to swell to the size of a watermelon," Luck said. McGuffie said he's excited about the game but doesn't feel added pressure. "Even though (Luck) and I are the focal point, I'm just trying to win the game," he said. "However we can do that, whether it be in the passing game or the rushing game or the defense — whatever — I just want to win that game." Luck remembers how McGuffie amassed 281 yards last season when the two met and Cy-Fair won 21-6. McGuffie calls Luck "the best quarterback in the South." Anyone who has heard of either player can easily look them up online, hear about them on the radio or, now, catch them on TV. McCarney said that even as early as five years ago, he would have been surprised to see high school football on television. Because of the availability of information, players have become more than high school student-athletes. They have become local celebrities. "It's two players that anyone who knows high school football have been paying attention to," said Todd Freed, host of High School Sports Live. "This is sheer entertainment, and it will be a game that we will be comparing other great matchups to come to," Freed said. "In 10 years, we will be saying, `Remember when Sam McGuffie and Andrew Luck played each other?' It will be historical." jenny.dial@chron.com I'm going to pull for Cy-Fair.
I'm going to see my nephew play Cy-Falls tomorrow at that new stadium. Has anyone seen it? Thing looks better than some college stadiums. Oh and Russell Shepard is the QB for Cy-falls. Supposedly the best HS player in Texas next year.
I THINK Stratford is gonna lose this game. They lost a lot of the talent they had on the offensive side of the ball around Luck. I think Cy Fair benefits from the fact it's wet and rainy. Stratford passes most of the time...I would think Cy Fair with McGuffie would get the better of them in those conditions. But I really hope I'm wrong!
Even though I didn't go to Stratford, I was close to going.. so I'm going for them. I remember when I hit high school in 2000 Stratford had a pretty high reputation of sucking at sports, no? So they excelled in academics and stuff. They had a really good music program (orchestra) with a great director back then, too. Yeah.. off topic.
have always had a great drama department. the schools on this side of town began to decline in attendance BIG TIME in the late-80's and early 90's. even after they closed down Westchester to combine it with Stratford, they still were looking at possibly becoming 4A. that's definitely changed. this side of town is growing like crazy right now. lots more kids in the schools. that always helps with athletics.
Going to the game...have 2 nephews starting for SHS....one making his first start on the O-line as a sophmore....yikes!!! My sister is a little nervous. Objectively, I think Cy-Fair is probably the favorite for the reasons mentioned before.....but remember that a LOT of the kids on both sidelines will be making their first Varsity start....I've seen Luck pull rabbits out of his hat one too many times to count him out. I just hope that it will be a competitive game....hold McGuffie to under 300 yds rushing....lol.
Sam McGuffie is hereby inducted into the "Jason Campbell is Black?!?!?!" HOF. The "Jason Campbell is Black?!?!?!" HOF is comprised of people who you simply thought were a certain race for whatever reason. Past inductees have included Khalil Greene of the San Diego Padres and Ricky Ledee.
he's got a Mc in his name. he might be Irish. i know luck is a great kid...will graduate really high in his class...everyone who talks about him talks about how he's just a nice kid. anyone know anything about mcguffie, personally?
We were watching the Georgia/ND game from 1981 and there was a black player for the Bulldogs named McMickens. We had fun with that for a while.
Everything I hear about McGuffie is negative (he's a a little immature) but I hear that through biased sources. He's just a kid and is incredibly gifted. I remember coming away from the first game last year wondering who this kid was and whether Stratford's D was the reason he looked so good. But he might be the best local RB I've seen since I got to watch Thurman Thomas at Willowridge. He is super fast, but what makes him so special is his quickness....it's like nothing I've ever seen in person. He deserves all the hype and I'm going to enjoy watching the RB and young man he becomes. I've been priviledged to watch Luck play from 7th grade on and he is super special. He seems to look so composed on the field and his greatest attribute is that he is a leader. He is mature beyond his years.
i went to see him last year at reliant and he scored a td somewhere around 20 seconds into the game....i just hope he doesnt sustain an injury throughout his last year of hs or college for that matter
