Northwestern has won its last three games by a combined score of 116-7, but you have to figure that after three games in which they were able to invoke the mercy rule on their opponents, this week's contest won't have the same type of ending. Week five of the high school season presents the toughest test for the Tigers since they faced upstart Notre Dame on the opening night of the season and lost 30-19.

Like that game against Notre Dame, this week's test against Saucon Valley is on the road. Unlike a Notre Dame team that sort of snuck up on a lot of people, everybody knew Saucon Valley was going to be good and this meeting was one that many fans have been looking forward to.Saucon Valley (4-0) and Northwestern (3-1) are very different teams. The Tigers took a pretty hard hit from graduation and have had to fill some pretty big holes. The good news has been that they had talented players waiting in the wings to step in. The Panthers lost very little through graduation, their offensive line remained fully intact and their defense lost just a couple of players. The vast majority of their offensive firepower from last season is back and they picked up right where they left off last season."They're an experienced team, there's no doubt about that. This is the kind of game where you can't come out flat and give them an advantage, because they'll take advantage of any opportunities that you give them," said Northwestern coach Josh Snyder.If you're a fan of the ground game, Northwestern at Saucon Valley is a game to see. Quarterbacks Dylan Snyder of Northwestern and Zach Thatcher of Saucon Valley have combined to throw the ball just 72 times in their eight combined games. On the other hand, the two QBs have combined to run the ball 70 times already this season. Add to that the presence of the Tigers' Harry Hall (60 carries, 438 yards) and Saucon Valley's Evan Culver (92 carries, 759 yards) and this contest sets up well as a ground battle."You've got two of the best quarterbacks in the Colonial League and then you throw in the fact that both quarterbacks can run and you realize this is a game where stopping the run is going to go a long way toward determining the outcome," said Snyder. "That's not to say that a few key completions here and there won't play a part, because sometimes, that's what it takes to win a game like this."With both defensive units near the top of the league in stopping the run, the passing game could well become a factor at some point. Snyder has looked stronger each week in his first season as the team's starting QB, while Thatcher is used to running the high-powered Saucon Valley offense. While both teams are run first, both quarterbacks can complete passes when needed to keep the opponent's defense honest. Northwestern is more apt to mix in some passing plays, looking to take advantage of a Saucon Valley defense that is toward the bottom of the league in stopping the pass.Whether it's by ground or by air, both teams are used to putting up a lot of points, with the Panthers holding a 171-135 advantage in scoring this season. Of course, both defenses are used to holding down the point totals of their opponents, with Saucon Valley allowing just 72 points this season, while Northwestern has held opponents to just 37. It should be noted that the combined records of Saucon Valley's opponents is 8-8, while the Tigers opponents are just 4-12 on the season, which could account for the disparity in points.The bottom line is that with two undefeated teams in the league - Saucon Valley and Notre Dame - Northwestern can't afford a loss to the Panthers. They're already going to need some help to stake an end-of-the-season claim at the Colonial League Championship and a loss to the Panthers would pretty much end that quest. Both teams can score points and both can keep points off the board, so how this thing ends is anyone's guess. It's most likely that the team that plays the cleaner game and can force the other team into making some errors will come out on top.