The knock on both Detroit Cass Tech and Martin Luther King football is that both programs play weak regular season schedules. Some of it their fault, some of it, things they cannot control. The two Public School League and state juggernauts decided to address what they could control, by scheduling some viable out-of-state teams for the upcoming season.

Cass Tech is the defending Division I state champion in the state of Michigan, and ended the season as the No.1 team in the state in 2016. The Technicians should not have many problems staking its claim as the No.1 team in 2017, and will begin the season with a bang against Pickerington Central from Ohio, according to multiple sources. The game will be played August 24 at the University of Toledo. The Tigers were 13-2 last season, before losing to Cincinnati power St. Xavier in the state of Ohio Division semifinals. MaxPreps ranks Central as the No.3 team in Ohio for 2017.

The following week, Cass Tech hosts Chicago Simeon September 1. The Wolverines were 7-6 in 2016.

Just a few miles down the road, King also has a highly-anticipated game week one versus Indianapolis Cathedral August 26 at Wayne State University in the Prep Kickoff Classic. King has won consecutive Division 2 state titles in Michigan, and return a team poised to three-peat. They will also be a top five team in the state. Cathedral was 7-5 last season, and boasts a roster full of college prospects, including a Michigan and Notre Dame commit.

King takes its turn down I-75 to Toledo the next week when they face Central Catholic, who were 13-1 in 2016, before losing to Trotwood-Madison in the Division 2 semifinals in Ohio.

The funny thing about Cass Tech and King playing better competition out-of-state, is that they do not play each other in the regular season in 2017, first time since 2014.