By Michael A. Lough
The Sports Report
centralgasports@gmail.com

Last week
8-0, 100 percent
Season
273-66, 80.5 percent
Within 7 of the spread
2; 113 for the season, 33.3 percent
Upset specials/perfect spread
None/none
Upset watches: None

Maximum spread prediction of 39 points. Goals: 80 percent picks, 25 percent within 7 points of margin
Rankings are from the Georgia High School Football Daily regular-season composite polls

Games of the week

8/3 Eastside, 6-4, at 2/2 Warner Robins, 6-4
The Demons sure emerged from that slump mighty well. The slump was unexpected – 61-0? Really? And not by the best team in the state? – as was such a strong emergence. They’re suddenly looking like Warner Robins is supposed to look in November. But …
TSR pick: Eastside by 11

CENTRAL GEORGIA’S BEST HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL COVERAGE

This week
🏈 Scouting Reports: This week’s GHSA and GIAA games
🏈 Maxwell Predictions
🏈 Who’s going to win this week’s games
🏈 Monday Morning Quarterback: Worry about coaching candidates a waste of tiem for a month; Loughdmouthings
🏈 Macon Touchdown Club players of the week
🏈 GHSA/GIAA football playoff master
Last week
🏈 Roundup: High seeds Stratford, FPD, John Milledge, Westfield, Brentwood win by 39.6 points
🏈 Scouting Reports: This week’s GHSA and GIAA games
🏈 Maxwell Predictions
🏈 Who’s going to win this week’s games
🏈 Central Georgia state composite rankings
🏈 GHSA GIAA playoff master schedule/results
🏈 Central Georgia rankings
🏈 First HS football coaching casualty of 2025: Central's Laws on-field successes minimal, but off-field progress notable
🏈 Monday Morning Quarterback: Whoopdeo do, the first college rankings are out, which means a big “soooo what”; Good stat stuff/surprises; Loughdmouthings
🏈 Macon Touchdown Club players of the week

19. Jeff Davis, 7-3, at 14. (No. 10) Bleckley County, 8-2
It was aa month ago that Bleckley County faced the Wing-T, and did well for awhile. Jeff Davis runs a similar version, one that’s scored 35p oints in the last two games, losses. The Royals learned plenty from the Dublin game.
TSR pick: Bleckley County by 15

18. Dodge County, 7-3, at 15. Rabun County, 8-2
Good grief, it’s a haul for the Indians, but Dodge County is a region-champion caliber team, even with three region losses. There’s a gut feeling here the Indians – with a week off to get angry after two straight losses - show as much.

2/3 Charlton County, 5-5, at 6/2 Macon County, 5-5
Macon County has spent part of the season as an enigma, another part a conundrum. The Bulldogs are probably a 7-3 team in a 5-5 record. They’re at home, and if the fan base shows up and is loud – folks, the weather is perfect for it – and the Bulldogs avoid the traditional penalties, they’ll move on.
TSR pick: Macon County by 2 (Upset special)

3. FPD, 8-3 at 2. Brookstone, 9-2
FPD is one of those teams that has a little extra chemistry and more-than-average grit. The Vikings have about 60 percent of their starters from August still starting, and freshman QB Cash Walker has been a stunner in place of injured Major Simmons. There’ll be some defensive adjustments by Brookstone, no doubt, but the Vikings find ways.
TSR pick: FPD by 5

Notables/watchables
25. Washington County, 5-5, at 8. (No. 9) Dublin, 8-2
Can Washington County replicate its effort and execution – and improve on it – from the 14-13 loss to Dublin? Or does Dublin – which goes from issues making an appearance one week to Dublining somebody the next – show up and do its normal thing? Well, one of these scenarios is more normal than the other.
TSR pick: Dublin by 21

5. George Walton, 11-0, at 1. Stratford, 9-2
The job done this season by head coach Paul Carroll and a changing staff amid some big injuries down the stretch may be overlooked. It’s hard to tell anything has happened. When the scores amid adversity are as good or better than when things were “smooth”, that’s a pretty good sign.
TSR pick: Stratford by 13

Schedule
🏈 🏈 🏈GHSA 🏈 🏈 🏈

Class 5A
4/3 Creekview, 5-5, at 2/2 (No. 5) Houston County, 9-1
TSR pick: Houston County by 27

Class 4A
1/4 Perry, 4-6, at 8/1 (No. 2) North Oconee, 10-0
TSR pick: North Oconee by 29

Class AAA
29. Beach, 5-4, at 4. (No. 8) West Laurens, 10-0
TSR pick: West Laurens by 35
21. Cherokee Bluff, 6-4, at 12. (No. 6T) Peach County, 9-1
TSR pick: Peach County by 10 (Upset watch)

Class AA
29. Westside, 3-7, at 4. (No. 2) Morgan County, 10-0
TSR pick: Morgan County by 32

Class A/Division I
31. Berrien, 3-7, at 2. (No. 8) Lamar County, 10-0
TSR pick: Lamar County by 29
28. Fannin County, 5-5, at 5. (No. 4) Northeast, 8-2
TSR pick: Northeast by 30
26. Gordon Central, 7-3, at 7. Jasper County, 9-1
TSR pick: Jasper County by 27
20. Putnam County, 5-5, at 13. (No. 5) Thomasville, 7-3
TSR pick: Thomasville by 28
24. ACE Charter, 5-5, at 9. (No. 7) Fitzgerald, 7-3
TSR pick: Fitzgerald by 25
32. East Laurens, 3-7, at 1. (No. 3) Heard County, 10-0
TSR pick: Heard County by 25

Class A/Division II
7/3 Trion at 4/2 Hawkinsville, 8-2
TSR pick: Hawkinsville by 15
3/3 Jenkins County, 6-4, at 5/2 Wilkinson County, 4-6
TSR pick: Jenkins County by 11 (Upset watch)
5/3 GMC Prep, 4-6, at 3/2 (No. 9T) ECI, 7-3
TSR pick: ECI by 36
6/3 Taylor County, 7-3, at 2/2 (No. 6) Brooks County, 5-5
TSR pick: Brooks County by 16

🏈 🏈 🏈GIAA 🏈 🏈 🏈

Class AAA
5. Frederica, 8-3, at 1. John Milledge, 10-1
TSR pick: John Milledge by 25
3. Westfield, 8-3, at 2. Deerfield-Windsor, 11-0
TSR pick: Deerfield-Windsor by 9 (Upset watch)
Class AA
4. Briarwood, 8-3, at 1. Brentwood, 10-1
TSR pick: Brentwood by 29