Who's going to win this week's Central Georgia football games?
Last week: 19-9
Season: 129-46, 73.1 percent
Within 7 points of margin: 6, 33 for the season
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.
Games of the Week
Luella (5-1/4A) at Northside (4-2)
The Eagles have a nice record, but the size of the two losses is notable, and they were off to let the 52-7 hammering by Colquitt County fester and inspire chatter around Green Street.
TSR pick: Northside by 23
Washington County (4-1/AA) at Perry (4-1)
What a great non-region game that just developed a couple weeks ago. Both expected to be undefeated, but now both are kind of pissed at how things went last week. The Panthers better not look ahead.
TSR pick: Perry by 10 (upset watch)
Crisp County (3-3/3-0) at Peach County (3-2/3-0)
Crisp County dominated Mary Persons a chunk more than Peach County did. The Cougars were thiiiiis close to knocking off the Trojans last year. That kind of thing doesn’t happen twice in a row with Peach County.
TSR pick: Peach County by 20
Macon County (5-0/3-0) at Schley County (5-0/3-0)
Schley County whitewashed Taylor County 55-0 three weeks before Macon County smacked Taylor County 49-0. Talk about some defenses. Little things, and big thing like penalties, matter.
TSR pick: Schley County by 9
Stratford (4-1) at Mount de Sales (3-2)
Stratford comes in after the rare game as the dominatee, losing 42-6 at Calvary Day. Practice has unlikely been a parade.
TSR pick: Stratford by 10
FPD (3-2) at Tattnall (5-0/1-0)
Tattnall is clearly for real, on both sides of the ball. FPD is a little bit of an enigma, but healthier, which makes the Vikings a little less of an enigma.
TSR pick: Tattnall by 17
Notables
Baldwin (3-2/2-0) at West Laurens (3-3/1-1)
The teams aren’t quite as close as the records. The Raiders are down, but play hard. Get that band rocking at home and get off to a good start, and this might be interesting.
TSR pick: Baldwin by 18
Bleckley County (6-0/2-0) at Lamar County (4-2/1-1)
The Trojans are the fifth team fighting favorites for a playoff spot, and have already lost to one of those favorites. Will they bow up at home and do a lot better than last year’s 30-0 loss? Yes, but …
TSR pick: Bleckley County by 19
ACE (2-2/2-0) at Hancock Central (0-5/0-2)
Here we sit with the defending region champ in severe must-win mode against the team that fired its head coach after a 48-0 season-opening loss and can all but clinch a playoff spot with a win.
TSR pick: ACE by 3
Westfield (3-1) at Briarwood (5-2)
Briarwood is a AA team that should give the Hornets a test for awhile. But Westfield is rounding into form, and that’ll be too much.
TSR pick: Westfield by 17
The games
Class 5A
Veterans (1-5) at Wayne County (0-5)
TSR pick: Veterans by 3
Jones County (4-2/3-0) at Ola (2-4/1-2)
TSR pick: Jones County by 24
Class 4A
Howard (2-3/0-1) at Westside (Westside (2-3/0-1), Ed DeFore
TSR pick: Westside by 8
Class AAA
Mary Persons (3-3/1-2) at Pike County (1-3/1-2)
TSR pick: Mary Persons by 22
Central (0-5/0-2) at Upson-Lee (3-3/1-2)
TSR pick: Upson-Lee by 10
Class AA
Dodge County (3-2/0-1) at Jasper County (0-6/0-2)
TSR pick: Dodge County by 28
Southwest (1-3/1-1) at Northeast (4-1/1-0), Thompson
TSR pick: Northeast by 31
Glenn Hills (0-4/0-3) at Putnam County (6-0/3-0)
TSR pick: Putnam County by 38
Class A Public
Hawkinsville (1-5/0-4) at Dooly County (3-2/2-1)
TSR pick: Dodge County by 21
Wilcox County (4-2/4-0) at Dublin (2-3/2-1)
TSR pick: Wilcox County by 9
Central Talbotton (0-5/0-3) at Taylor County (1-4/0-4)
TSR pick: Taylor County by 25
Crawford County (0-5/0-2) at GMC (6-0/3-0)
TSR pick: GMC by 20
Wilkinson County (2-4/0-2) at Twiggs County (1-4/0-1)
TSR pick: Wilkinson County by 12
GISA
Trinity Christian (1-5) at Bulloch (1-4)
TSR pick: Bulloch by 13
Gatewood (3-2) at Southland (2-4)
TSR pick: Gatewood by 20
Piedmont (5-1) at Thomas Jefferson (5-1)
TSR pick: Thomas Jefferson by 8
John Hancock (0-5) at Glascock County (0-5/A Public)
TSR pick: Glascock County by 11
Fullington (1-5) at Robert Toombs (0-6)
TSR pick: Fullington by 1