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

Last week
16-4, 80 percent
For the season
199-61, 76.54 percent
Within 7 of the spread
8 of 20; Season: 55 of 260, 21.2 percent; Perfect spread: None
Maximum spread to use is 39 points; Rankings are from Georgia HS Football Daily’s composite polls

CENTRAL GEORGIA’S BEST HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL COVERAGE

This week
🏈 Roundup:
🏈 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
🏈 Central Georgia rankings
🏈 Macon Touchdown Club players of the week

Last week
🏈 Roundup: Mary Persons sweats out Howard in OT; Romps for Dublin, John Milledge, Westfield; East Laurens rallies on the road; Houston County battles; Windsor throws shutout
🏈 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/CGA Maxwell ratings
🏈 Central Georgia rankings
🏈 Macon Touchdown Club players of the week

Two weeks ago
Roundup: Perry handles Jones County; Rutland rolls; Dublin passes up Swainsboro; Macon County stopped in OT; Windsor comes back to beat Gatewood
🏈 Scouting Reports: This week’s GHSA and GIAA games
🏈 Thursday: Northside wins late; Lassiter now atop the Bleckley County list; shutouts for Northeast, Hawkinsville
🏈 Maxwell Predictions
🏈 Who’s going to win this week’s games?
🏈 Scouting reports, Thursday edition
🏈 Central Georgia state GHSFBD composite/Maxwell rankings, notebook
🏈 Central Georgia rankings, notebook
🏈 Macon Touchdown Club players of the week

Games of note

Veterans, 4-3/1-2, at Houston County, 3-4/1-2
This game hasn’t been close since 2021. Since then, Houston County has outscored Veterans 217-31. Average score: 54-8. This game will be much closer, moreso from Veterans’ gains, but also, well, the Bears may be a little bummed.
TSR pick: Houston County by 24

No. 10 Ola, 6-2/3-1, at No. 16 Warner Robins. 5-2/3-0
Since getting trucked 70-14 by Newton, the Demons have scored 69, 55, and 38, and have two shutouts. Warner Robins isn’t posting stats this year, making it tough to note who to watch in the big game. Too bad the crowd on either side won’t live up to the quality of teams.
TSR pick: Ola by 4

No. 11 Mary Persons, 4-3/2-2, at No. 13 Baldwin, 5-2/2-2
Can Baldwin fans fill up their side? Can Mary Persons fill half of the visitors side? For what’ll be a great game with playmakers galore? Shoot, Mary Persons games alone are fun, with the last three decided by 3, 8, and 7, and one in OT. There may be a lot of yards and not an equal amount of points, but there will be plays. Some of the simple stuff will be the difference.
TSR pick: Mary Persons by 2

Lamar County, 4-3/2-2, at Pike County, 5-2/4-0
Pike County is having its best season since 2018 (8-4). This is a new stage. Lamar County is more used to it.
TSR pick: Lamar County by 9

Dodge County, 4-3/2-1, at No. 3 Dublin, 6-1/3-0
The Indians are prohibitive underdogs. Huge underdogs. Unusual. Not what Dublin wanted to see. This will be a fairly normal Dublin-Dodge County battle into the second half, and then the Irish gain some control.
TSR pick: Dublin by 19

No. 16 Putnam County, 6-1/2-0, at Jasper County, 4-3/3-1
The Hurricanes broke a six-game losing streak last year, and the feeling here is that the momentum continues in one of the best matchups in the 67-game series that dates back to the 1950s.
TSR pick: Jasper County by 12

John Milledge, 9-0/3-0, at Stratford, 7-1/2-0
A superb GIAA slobberknocker awaits, with both teams possession a variety of weapons and just a good number of quality high school players. JMA has a health advantage, and some depth down the stretch is the difference in this battle between 2026 Class 4A and 3A state champions (yeah, a prediction).
TSR pick: John Milledge by 8

GHSA
Class 6A
Northside, 3-4/1-2 at No. 6 Coffee, 6-1/2-1
TSR pick: Coffee by 22

Class 5A
Eagles Landing, 0-7/0-3, at Jones County, 4-4/3-1
TSR pick: Jones County by 35
Union Grove, 2-5/1-2, at Perry, 3-4/2-1
TSR pick: Perry by 36

Class 4A
Howard, 4-3/3-1, at No. 2 Peach County, 7-0/4-0
TSR pick: Peach County by 25
Spalding, 4-3/1-3, at Westside, 2-5/0-4
TSR pick: Spalding by 17
West Laurens, 4-4/3-1, at Liberty County, 5-3/4-0
TSR pick: West Laurens by 7
Troup, 7-0/4-0, at Upson-Lee, 0-7/0-4
TSR pick: Troup by 39

Class 3A
Jackson, 2-5/1-3, at Central, 3-4/1-3 (Thompson)
TSR pick: Jackson by 12
No. 4 Northeast, 6-1/4-0, at Southwest 0-7/0-4 (Thompson), Thursday
TSR pick: Northeast by 38
Rutland, 3-4/1-3, at No. 12 Callaway, 4-3/3-1
TSR pick: Callaway by 22

Class AA
ACE, 5-3/1-3, at Swainsboro, 2-5/1-2
TSR pick: Swainsboro by 9
Vidalia, 2-5/0-3, at No. 4 Bleckley County, 7-2/3-1
TSR pick: Bleckley County by 30

Class A
Crawford County, 1-6/1-2, at No. 5 Macon County, 6-1/2-1
TSR pick: Macon County by 38
Hancock Central, 2-5/1-2, at No. 1 Johnson County, 7-0/3-0
TSR pick: Johnson County by 38
Twiggs County, 1-7/0-4, at GMC Prep, 3-4/0-3
TSR pick: GMC Prep by 16
Turner County, 1-7/1-3, at Hawkinsville, 4-3/3-0
TSR pick: Hawkinsville by 23
No. 4 Taylor County, 6-1/2-1, at No. 11 Schley County, 7-1/4-0
TSR pick: Taylor County by 11
Wilkinson County, 3-5/2-2, at Jenkins County, 3-4/3-0
TSR pick: Jenkins County by 13

GIAA
FPD, 5-2/1-2, at Mount de Sales, 5-4/0-3
TSR pick: FPD by 24
Terrell, 4-3/2-0, at Westfield, 5-3/2-0
TSR pick: Westfield by 31
Brentwood, 6-3/3-1, at Thomas Jefferson, 6-3/2-2
TSR pick: Brentwood by 25
Deerfield-Windsor, 1-7/0-2, at CFCA, 0-8/0-2
TSR pick: Deerfield-Windsor by 33
Trinity Christian, 2-6/0-3, at Piedmont, 2-6/1-1
TSR pick: Piedmont by 4
Windsor, 7-1/3-0, at Flint River, 4-3/1-3
TSR pick: Windsor by 23

Idle: East Laurens, Tattnall, Gatewood,