For only meeting five previous times on the gridiron, this Colfax-Placer football rivalry thing has really taken off.

It may not be Del Oro-Granite Bay or Nevada Union-Grant, but give it time.

This newfound rivalry could be fueled because the two schools are only separated by 15 miles of Interstate 80, but even better yet, did you hear the one about the bus on its way to the playoffs getting turned around? Well, you get the picture.

But before we go further, flash back to 1996 when a brash new coach hit the foothills coaching scene, returned to his alma mater and installed the deceptive wing-t offense — at a school whose football team’s recent history had been middle-of-the-road at best — and immediately began to win and win and win.

Sound familiar?

It should. What Colfax coach Tony Martello was doing – and still is — at Colfax, new Placer coach Joey Montoya is now following suit at Placer.

But football purists should remember, Martello was calling “48 Jack Sweep” when half the Placer coaching staff was still missing tackles against Del Oro.

So, does that mean experience in the “brain trust” department will weigh heavily in Friday’s Colfax-Placer game?

It does to some point, but it also helps to have good players. In that department, the Hillmen have the upper hand on the boys with wings on their helmets this year.

So, do the Falcons have a chance?

Yes, if they do this:

· Keep Placer from striking early, be it by getting Asher Gotzmer in open space on a pass route, a reverse to Dalton Dyer on a kick, a halfback pass or the good old Bill Miller-Tom Johnson “sleeper” play. That’s right, Placer fans — I’m older than you realize.

· Control the clock with long time-consuming drives and mix in the running of Pat Rawlins, Josh Moreno and David Schweitzer with passes from Mark Machholz to Keith Russell and Randy Brown.

· Make your red-zone visits count. Colfax has an added weapon in the foot of kicker Mackey Leal, who has legitimate 40-45 yard range.

· Don’t read Placer’s “false keys” on offense.

· And, last but not least, keep quarterback Collin Burnett in check, Burnett’s running two weeks ago against Bear River reminded Colfax coaches of Matt Ross.

All in all, it should have the makings of a good game with Colfax, before the season started, not given a chance to still be in the Pioneer Valley League title picture this late and Placer probably madder than hornets after suffering its first loss of the season.

My pick: Colfax 38, Placer 35.