Football season is here, starting with the Bibb County Gridiron Classic starting Thursday (full first-week schedule)

By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com

Rankings are from the Georgia High School Football Daily’s final composite poll of the 2024 season.

Kickoff at 7:30 p.m. unless noted

Thursday
Bleckley County vs. Rutland, Thompson, 8 p.m.
Central vs. Dougherty, Thompson, 4 p.m.
Friday
GHSA
Jones County at Veterans
Baldwin at No. 12T/4A Perry
No. 5/5A Lee County at No. 10/4A Warner Robins
Union Grove at No. 14 Upson-Lee
Westside vs. Howard, Thompson, 8 p.m.
No. 14 Swainsboro at No. 6/A-1 Dublin
East Laurens at No. 15T/A-II Johnson County
No. 3T/A-1  Northeast at No. 2/3A Peach County
Southwest vs. Macon County, Thompson, 4 p.m.
Washington County at Jeff Davis
Taylor County at Jasper County
Telfair County at No. 10T/ A-1 Lamar County
No. 14/A-II Greene County at Putnam County
Marion County at Hawkinsville
Atkinson County at GMC Prep
Hancock Central at Glenn Hills
Treutlen at Twiggs County
Wheeler County at Wilkinson County
Crawford County at Pike County
GIAA
Eagles Landing Christian at *2 FPD
Bethlehem Christian at John Milledge
Mount de Sales at Loganville Christian
Piedmont at Thomas Jefferson
St. Anne-Pacelli at Stratford
Tattnall at Brookstone
Central Fellowship at Tiftarea
Westfield at Brookwood
Trinity Christian at * Brentwood
Flint River at Gatewood
Windsor at Pataula Charter
8-man
Georgia Christian at Covenant
Westwood at John Hancock

Saturday
No. 9/5A Houston County vs. Brookwood, Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Eagles Landing at Northside

            The 2025 high school football season started on Wednesday for a few teams, and gets rolling on Friday for almost everybody else.

            But Thursday is opening day for just more than two dozen teams, for three in Central Georgia.

            The second Bibb County Gridiron Classic gets underway Thursday with a pair of games, and more on Friday.

            Central and Dougherty get it going at Thompson Stadium at 4 p.m., followed by Rutland and Bleckley County. Southwest and Macon County start at 4 p.m. on Friday, with Howard and Westside afterward.

            The first version was held last year at Fort Valley State with more teams and games. But weather issues disrupted the entire event, which had three games on a Friday and Saturday.S

            This year’s event has four of last year’s meetings:  Central-Dougherty and Bleckley County-Rutland on Thursday, Southwest-Macon County and Howard-Westside on Friday.

            It also included Northeast-Peach County and Baldwin-Perry. Those games are normal games, at Peach County and at Perry on Friday.

            Ticket sales for $15 on www.gofan.co closed on Tuesday, and walk-up tickets are $25.

            Dougherty beat Central 44-0 last year.

            The Trojans managed only one more win to finish 2-8, while the Chargers ended up with their first winless season in program history.

            Bleckley County took care of Rutland 31-0.

            The Royals went on to have an odd season, going 5-7 amid a slew of close games in a tough Class A/Division I region. The Hurricanes suffered a winless season.

            Macon County edged Southwest 26-19 in overtime last year. The Bulldogs won the Region 6-A/Division II title in head coach Kurt Williams’ first year, going 7-5, while the Patriots finished 4-7 and lost in the first round of the playoffs.

            Westside survived Howard 26-19 in overtime.

            The Seminoles finished 6-6, ending with a quality loss in the AA second round, 37-30 at top seed Rockmart. The Huskies got on a roll after the loss, but struggled down the stretch to finish 4-6 in 3A.