The GHSA released the official schedule of all Georgia high school football teams. Here are the five games to watch for the upcoming season.
Anticipation for Georgia high school football is getting greater and greater. With the official schedule release from the GHSA, we can now look forward to the best games of the upcoming season.
This season’s slate proves to be as great as any other season. With a couple of champion powerhouses going head-to-head, a coach returning to his old stomping ground, and even two powerhouses that could battle for a state championship, 2020 is going to be one of the best seasons yet. Here are the top five games to watch for the 2020 regular season.
5. ELCA @ Irwin County – Aug. 21
These are two powerhouses of the 1A classification. ELCA, the winner of five straight state championships, travels to Ocilla, Georgia, to take on Class 1A public state champion Irwin County. Leading the Indians are the talented Benyard twins of Gabriel and Garland, along with stud middle linebacker Kam Ward. They’re surely going to be state champion favorites once again in their classification. This was one of the most dominant defenses in the state of Georgia last year, only giving up 70 points all season.
The Chargers, meanwhile, were just as dominant in the private school class and have been for years. ELCA has a lot of pieces to replace in 2020, but nobody will discount their ability to reload once again and compete for a state championship.
4. Rabun County @ Prince Avenue Christian – Aug. 28
Another small school matchup, 2A Rabun County takes on Prince Avenue Christian. While both of these teams are incredibly talented, all eyes will be on the two quarterbacks under center.
For Prince Avenue Christian, Brock Vandagriff ranks as the top quarterback in the state for the class of 2021. And for some recruiting websites, he’s the best in the country. He throws a great ball and finished last year with 31 touchdowns to only three interceptions. He’s a dynamic passer and will be a big reason for the Wolverines’ success in 2020 before attending the University of Georgia.
On the other side, Rabun County has Gunner Stockton, whom many believe to be the top quarterback of the 2022 class. He led the Wildcats to a 2A quarterfinals appearance last season and, not to be outdone, threw for 43 touchdowns and six interceptions. He continues to show promise and mobility to go along with his strong arm.
Expect a lot of points in this one with these two talented quarterbacks.
3. Lee County @ Lowndes – Sept. 11
Two of the most talented teams in all of South Georgia go head to head in 2020. Lee County and their talented, experienced defense against the new look Lowndes offense.
Lee County returns the bulk of their defense, led by middle linebacker Baron Hopson and safety Caleb McDowell. They were a solid group last season, but may have trouble in the Concrete Palace in September, with the dominant Lowndes defense back once again, along with one of the most talented players in the state of Georgia.
Jacurri Brown is a dynamic player. He’s a talented quarterback who proved it with his legs in his sophomore season, and he will get to showcase his arm talent in 2020 under new coach Jamey DuBose. The offense will be wide open, and now Brown can be a potential State Player of the Year candidate for the Vikings.
2. Lowndes @ Valdosta – Sept. 25
Back-to-back Lowndes games represents the strength of their schedule as we head to the Winnersville Classic, one of the most anticipated games every year in the Peach State. This year’s game is no different, and the anticipation is grown by this new chapter of the rivalry. This is thanks to both Valdosta and Lowndes welcoming in new coaches.
Valdosta welcomes Rush Propst, one of the most dominant high school coaches we’ve ever seen. He’s a master of the spread offense and has taken over at Valdosta after doing nothing but win during his time at Hoover High School in Alabama and at Colquitt County High School. His arrival represented two things: Valdosta’s intent to win state championships once again and Valdosta’s intent to win at Winnersville, which they haven’t done in the last three years. Expectations of Propst are sky high, and the Wildcats will look to knock off the Vikings.
Those Vikings, meanwhile, were just short of a state championship in 2019 and welcome Jamey DuBose after the retirement of legendary coach Randy McPherson. DuBose may not have a resume at the level of Propst, but it’s impressive nonetheless. DuBose won three state championships in Alabama and built a powerhouse at Central High School in Phenix City. He’s known for his modern, up-tempo offense that will look to attack the Wildcat defense in 2020.
1. Parkview @ Grayson- Oct. 16
Grayson and Parkview come into 2020 as ITG Next’s top two ranked teams in the state of Georgia.
Grayson, ranked No. 1, is the runaway favorite for the 7A state title this season. They’re blessed with a lot of talented players on offense with Carlos Del Rio at quarterback, Phil Mafah at running back, and Daejon Reynolds at wide receiver. The Rams have talent at every position and are poised to compete for a championship yet again. Everyone is ready to watch to see Grayson compete with this stacked roster in 2020.
Parkview is built on one name: Cody Brown.
Brown is a tremendous running back for the team, but doesn’t make up the entire roster for the Panthers. He’s simply the catalyst for a successful offense, which should be dynamic again in 2020. Expect a lot of offense in this one and make sure to tune in when these teams line up on Oct. 16.
What do you think, football fans? What games are you looking forward to in 2020?
Written by Kyle Grondin
