The heat is on. Soon literally in our homes, figuratively now with teams and regions and playoff pictures.

          Every seed matters, a difference between 1 and 2 and between 3 and 4. Not all home and road games are the same.

          We have some scenarios pretty much set in Central Georgia, some not set but all but set, and some messes.

          Northside and Houston County are in by default in 6A, and can send Rush Propst and a group of pinheads in Valdosta a thank-you card for that.

          Class 5A’s area reps are set in name, but not place, except for Veterans in fourth in Region 1 by default.

          Jones County is a co-leader in 4, but plays tied-for-third Woodland and then co-leader Dutchtown. Based on normal math, the Greyhounds could drop to third, or something, because all the contenders play contenders the next two weeks. Odds are against that.

          Warner Robins will be on the road in the first round unless it beats Coffee this week. Or it’ll be second with a win, since Ware County isn’t losing to Veterans and Wayne County.

          Perry and Baldwin play next Friday for the top spot, barring a remarkable upset this week by Howard over the Panthers. Then again, if Perry beats Baldwin and Spalding handles Westside and Howard, we have a three-way tie for first.

          The battle for fourth is with 2-2 Westside, and 1-3 Howard and West Laurens.

          The odds favor the Raiders, who finish with Rutland and Westside. The Seminoles have Spalding this week, and then will be at West Laurens for likely that fourth-place spot.

          In AAA, the only safe bet is Peach County, which isn’t the safe bet in general it used to be. The new field had to be hosed off Saturday after the Trojans spent Friday night pulling a win over Jackson out of their, well, never mind.

          But it was messy.

          Odds are strong the Trojans get second, unless Upson-Lee pulls something off this week.

          Tied for third are Jackson and Mary Persons. Who plays for the 69th time on Friday? Jackson and Mary Persons. Just what the rivalry needs.

          Week 10 favors Mary Persons getting third. Upson-Lee has to upset Peach County for the finale at Jackson to have a playoff spot on the line.

          Bleckley County and Northeast go in as 1-2 from 3-AA, with Washington County visiting Dodge County for 3-4. Nice and neat, for a change.

          Putnam County will finish as region champ in Region 4 with its first 10-0 season since 1973.

          Class A Private is easy, except for the order, with FPD, Tattnall, Stratford, and Mount de Sales. FPD clinches the top spot with a win at Stratford this week.

          Class A Public is easy, except for Region 4.

          Dooly County and Dublin are 4-2 and Johnson County is 3-3, all behind Wilcox County and Montgomery County.

          Dublin loses tiebreakers with both Dooly County and Johnson County, who play this week, so while all three could tie at 5-3, odds are against the Irish, unless they following handling Telfair County by knocking off one-loss Montgomery County, which will have a battle this week with 3-4/5-3 Wheeler County.

          Of course, Dublin hammered 6-1 Wilcox County, and could we have four teams at 4-4 or 5-3? And what it 2-4 Telfair County knocks off Dublin and Dooly County, and then …

          Oh, Lord, it’s a a fine mess in Region 4. Second through sixth place all play each other, except for one game with Hawkinsville and one game with Treutlen.

          A major mess.

          Macon County is in, as a 1 or 2 in Region 5.

          GMC is in as a 1 in Region 7, unless ACE pulls off the upset this week at home. The Gryphons are in, likely as a third seed.

          Crawford County gets fourth with a win next week over Hancock Central, if (OK, when) the Bulldogs beat Wilkinson County this week.

          The final few weeks of the season are as frisky and squirrelly as ever. Expect anything and everything. (And for this to be clarified).

 

Loughdmouthings

          Bleckley County, Macon County, Putnam County, GMC, and John Milledge are still carrying the “undefeated” banner in  Central Georgia’s unbeaten GHSA and GISA teams. …

          As per the Georgia High School Football Daily, Dublin suffered one of the bigger upsets in the state last week as an 18-point favorite, losing by a TD to Johnson County.

          GMC was on the good side of that, th 14-point underdog to Warren County winning by 11.

          The 46-point margin for favorite Warner Robins was, oy, 10 points short.

          It was on target with Putnam County over Jefferson County by seven and FPD over Deerfield-Windsor by 35. …

          The additional seats at Thompson Stadium can’t wait for track season. …

          Know somebody who sits in front of a microphone on Friday nights and doesn’t like giving the time and score, or likes screaming, or a few folks who like talking over each other, and you’re thinking of a Christmas gift?

          Since there’s no such thing as a live mute button or volume knob, you can get them – and beg them to use them and not tell us they didn’t see something – a pair of quality small binoculars for between $13 and $35.

          They’re good for nosebleed seats in big stadiums, too. If they say they don’t need them, shake your head. “You do.” …

          There are 11 teams in the area in 6A, 5A, and 4A. Only five have winning records. Three are ranked.

          Another down year overall for the bigger schools in Central Georgia.

          On the other hand, Division II has five ranked AA teams and one Class A team, and a rankable-among-GHSA-Class-A team in GISA. …

          Odd technology thing that’s cropped up the last few years: Almost nobody at Region 5-A Public or Bibb County games has a cell phone signal or Twitter account, because there are hardly ever any updates during games on Friday night – or many other seasons.

          Need to check with NASA and the cell phone gods about that. Very odd. …

          Big games aren’t just with teams that have good records.

          Crawford County is a win away from its first playoff trip since 1998, a quarterfinal trip under head coach Tony Bryam. In that span? Three one-win seasons and six winless seasons, and only four winning seasons.

          If the Eagles beat Hancock Central – who won the region in an abbreviated 2020 season – next week in Roberta, Crawford County gets fourth place in 7-A Public, and would be rewarded with likely a trip south to No. 3 Macon County.

More joy in 7-A comes from east Macon, with ACE all but locking down third place, maybe second if it can upset visiting GMC this week and handle Twiggs County next week, or if Warren County somehow loses to either Twiggs or Wilkinson. …

          If your body’s wheels are shaky, stay away from Westside head coach Spoon Risper for awhile.

          “I have five starters that are hurt,” he said Monday night at the Macon Touchdown Club. “All with left knee injuries.

          “That’s weird.”

          At a minimum.

 

Polls

          Reminder that we split up the polls into divisions, because, well, it makes sense. A so-so record by a bigger school against better competition likely means deserving a higher ranking in an overall poll than a smaller school with a better record.

          One game is one game. Polls are big-picture items. Who would beat who right now? If they played 10 times, who’d win more? Tis mere reality.

          This is more fair, allows for more teams to be ranked. And there are many more 3A, 2A, and A programs in Central Georgia than larger programs, so they deserve more rankings.

Division I (6A, 5A, 4A)
1. Warner Robins

          Hard to imagine that the Demons need help to get the top seed in the region. Hard to believe this week is a must-win just to get a first-round home game.

2. Jones County

          A year ago after eight games, the Greyhounds were 5-3. That they may not be “as good” doesn’t mean they can’t make a run. But they can’t look past anybody.

3. Baldwin

          A week off before a showdown with Perry. And a reminder to tell officials under goalposts where to be when field goals are kicked.

4. Perry

          The Panthers are rolling along, mostly by air. They’ll need a ground game against Baldwin and in the playoffs.

5. Northside

          Well, ya know, um … Yet again, Division I is top-heavy, with the top four teams, and a shoulder-shrug for fifth, with the only 6A, 5A, 4A teams above .500 all ranked.

Division II (3A, AA, A, GISA)
1. Peach County

          The Trojans scored 10 straight, gave up 28 straight, and then scored 22 straight last week. Who the hell are these guys?

2. Macon County

          The Bulldogs keep on truckin’ on offense and defense. They are closer and closer to No. 1.

3. John Milledge

          What a boring team, doing the same thing every week to everybody they play.

4. Bleckley County

          The team that believes – legitimately – it will win every game and is finding a way to win every game.

6. Mary Persons

          Playing Jackson for basically third place? The Pitt will be lit.

5. Northeast

          With games left, Northeast has its best two-year win total, 14, since going 8-3 and 7-3 in 2012-13.

7. Washington County

          Losing by four and five to the second- and first-place teams in the region can leave a hangover.

8. Putnam County

          Maintaining momentum after clinching a top seed is huge for a team that has lost its last two first-round games 56-0 on the road as a four seed and 4807 at home as a two seed.

9. Dodge County

          The Indians no doubt feel like they let one get away last week.

10. (tie) Dublin, GMC, Tattnall, FPD

          And there could be more at No. 10.