Last week: 15-7
Season: 144-46, 75.79
Within 7 points of margin: 5, 34 for the season
Upset specials: none

A note: The Sports Report policy is to max out picks at 39 points although some games could earn a predicted margin of victory in the 40s and 50s.

Class 6A

No. 10 Houston County (5-2) at No. 1 Lee County (5-1)

            The Bears haven’t had a marquee win over a same-class team in a good while. Unfortunately, a road game and a still-sluggish offense won’t change that.

TSR pick: Lee County by 22

Northside (3-4) at Valdosta (2-3)

            Doesn’t appear that Valdosta is on track for the first of seven or eight state titles the folks down there are expecting after putting standards to … never mind.

TSR pick: Valdosta by 23

Class 5A

No. 1 Ware County (6-0/1-0) at No. 3 Warner Robins (5-1)

            One of the top 15 games of the year, at this point. They’re pretty even, but the Demons have a tougher schedule,  Gators put up

That, the location, and Warner Robins’ dandy defense are the difference in a game of burly offenses. But the Demons need those PATs and conversions.

TSR pick: Warner Robins by 6

No. 7 Ola (6-0/3-0) at Jones County (3-3/3-0)

            Ola is a nice team, having its best season in the history that started in 2006. But the Greyhounds are showing that the non-conference bruises have more than healed.

TSR pick: Jones County by 13

Class 4A
No. 10 Baldwin (3-0/3-0) at Howard (2-3/0-2), ppd

Perry (2-4/2-0) at West Laurens (3-3/2-1)

            Two teams that are still searching for consistency and identity, although the edge in both right now seems to be with Perry.

TSR pick: Perry by 4

Rutland (1-5/0-1) at Westside (3-2/1-1), ppd

Class 2A

Bleckley County (6-1) at Northeast (4-1/2-0), Thursday, 7 p.m., Henderson

            Northeast has the speed, Bleckley County is playing solid football in all phases. The winner is – perhaps temporarily, because one never knows – in the region driver’s seat, not necessarily a familiar spot for either team.   

TSR pick: Bleckley County by 10

Vidalia (3-2/1-0) at East Laurens (3-2/0-1) at Vidalia (3-2/1-0)

TSR pick: Vidalia by 22

Dodge County (2-3/1-1) at Lamar County (3-4/1-2)

TSR pick: Dodge County by 3

Southwest (1-4/0-3) at Washington County (3-3/1-1)

TSR pick: Washington County by 27

Class A

No. 10 Chattahoochee County (5-0/3-0) at Taylor County (5-1/4-1)

            A nifty showdown. Taylor County can muddle things up with a win, which wouldn’t be an upset. Even teams that can score means the clutch defensive play and avoiding the momentum-changing mistake are the keys.

TSR pick: Taylor County by 4

FPD (3-3/1-0) at Mount de Sales (3-3/1-0)

TSR pick: FPD by 10

Glascock County (3-5) at GMC (4-3)

TSR pick: GMC by 12

Greene County (0-5/A Public) at Crawford County (0-7/0-3)

TSR pick: Greene County by 8

No. 6 Macon County (5-1/4-0) at Greenville (1-5/0-3)

TSR pick: Macon County by 39

Stratford (3-2/0-1) at Strong Rock (4-2/1-0)

TSR pick: Strong Rock by 12

Treutlen (1-5/0-4) at No. 5 Dublin (5-1/4-0)

TSR pick: Dublin by 39

No.9 Wilcox County (5-2/4-1) at Dooly County (1-2/1-2), Thursday

TSR pick: Wilcox County by 32

 

GISA

Brentwood (4-1) at Robert Toombs (0-4)

TSR pick: Brentwood by 29

Piedmont (5-1) at Augusta Prep (3-4)

TSR pick: Piedmont by 9

Westfield (4-0-1/3A) at Gatewood (5-1/AA)

TSR pick: Gatewood by 11