In the North Jersey Interscholastic Conference, the top teams in each division can’t afford off weeks — not with every game meaning so much in each quest for a division title and, in turn, a spot in the conference’s unique playoff system.

We’re still only in late September, but action is heating up in the NJIC with division frontrunners in must-win situations to keep their title hopes alive.

Here are the five biggest game in Week 3 in the NJIC:

Pompton Lakes (1-1) at Lyndhurst (2-0), Friday, 7 p.m.

Lyndhurst can’t get caught looking ahead to the game it likely has circled on its calendar: Oct. 4 at New Milford, which is next week. The Golden Bears can not look past an improved Pompton Lakes team this week if it wants to set up what essentially will boil down to a division championship game next week against New Milford. Last year, Lyndhurst lost out on a division title — and spot in the NJIC playoffs — after a 14-7 loss in double-overtime to New Milford in late September. After a bye last week, Lyndhurst has had two weeks to prepare for Pompton Lakes, which is coming off a 20-8 win over Secaucus last week. In Lyndhurst’s first two wins over Hawthorne and Secaucus, senior RB Piotr Partyla rushed for 337 yards and four touchdowns.

New Milford (3-0) at Hawthorne (2-1), Friday, 7 p.m.

New Milford has rolled to a 3-0 start and its defense has allowed just 20 points in three wins over Pompton Lakes, Harrison and Elmwood Park. Seniors Matt Gilmour (team-high 22 tackles, 4 sacks) and Tyler Picinic (14 tackles, 4 TFL) have paced a defense that has forced six turnovers in three games, with three INTs and three fumbles. Offensively, it’s been junior RB leading the way with 460 rushing yards already and 5 TDs. Hawthorne will be eyeing the upset against the reigning division champions after two straight wins over Elmwood Park and Harrison since a season-opening loss to Lyndhurst.

Rutherford (2-1) at Glen Rock (1-2), Friday, 7 p.m.

Rutherford, last year’s North Group 2 Bowl Game winner, suffered its first regular season division loss since 2014 last week in a 42-20 defeat against Garfield, snapping its 26-game winning streak against league opponents. It will take on a Glen Rock team which just picked up its first win of 2019 last week in a 41-7 victory over Palisades Park/Leonia, as Ty Scherer rushed five times for 71 yards and two TDs. Rutherford has won the last four meetings against Glen Rock dating back to 2015.

Lodi (1-2) at Hasbrouck Heights (2-1), Friday, 7 p.m.

Since its season-opening loss to Cresskill, Hasbrouck Heights has bounced back in a big way with back-to-back dominant wins over Saddle Brook and Becton, outscoring those two opponents, 87-33. QB Spencer Lee has accounted for seven TDs in three games (4 passing, 3 rushing). The Aviators, last year’s NJIC champions, will take on Lodi, which picked up its first win last week over Manchester, 16-14, after opening the year with two losses to Garfield and Waldwick/Midland Park. QB Joseph Velardi fired a pair of TD passes in the win.

Wallington (2-1) at Emerson (3-0), Friday, 7 p.m.

Reigning NJIC Patriot Division champion Park Ridge still unbeaten, but also-undefeated Emerson and one-loss Wallington are two contenders in a division which features two teams currently above .500 (including Wood-Ridge). Emerson will need to hold off Wallington in this one to keep pace with Park RIdge, a team the Cavos won’t see until the penultimate game of the NJIC regular season on Oct. 11. Emerson handled Wallington last year, 22-16. Emerson RB Joey Lacorazza rushed for three TDs in last week’s 39-12 win over Weehawken, giving him five on the year.

JJ Conrad focuses on the Super Football Conference and North Jersey Interscholastic Conference. He may be reached at jconrad@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter, @JJ_Conrad.