By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com 

         Despite the goings on over the weekend, it’s still too early to proclaim Alabama mortal and the playoff picture overly expanded.

          But we might be able to say that in two weeks, if Mississippi can give Alabama some trouble. Problem: The last two weeks – Mercer, yeah, and Florida – gives Nick Saban ammunition and the Tide fear. They’re the ultimate “just when you think” program.

          Just when you think you got ‘em beat, you do you and they do Bama and they win. Just when you think they’re beatable, they pull it out.

          They’re Bama – talented, but the most fundamentally sound team out there – until they’re not. The Tide will likely beat Southern Miss this week worse than they beat Mercer, and you remember when Southern Miss was that scary underling program back in the day.

          Georgia appears to be Georgia, though the Clemson win has sure lost some heft, and the Bulldogs’ other two wins are what they were supposed to be, which is relevant.

          Maybe in a few weeks, we’ll be able to talk about a 10-team race for the other three spots, or two: Alabama, Georgia, Oklahoma, Oregon, Iowa, Clemson, Penn State, Florida, and any one of a number of others who might by iffy now and might be pretty sporty in a month.

          Tis why Saturdays are glorious. Just when you think figured some things out, Saturday shows up, and brings chaos with it.

          This week’s potential shake-things-up games: A&M at Arkansas, Tennessee at Florida (yes), West Virginia at Oklahoma, Notre Dame at Wisconsin, and maybe Clemson at N.C. State.

          Anybody who said they saw Georgia Tech with a chance to win at the end Saturday – other than 23 percent on Tech’s team – is lyyyyiiiiin’. OK, fibbin’.

          Lightning struck around Clemson and led to a delay, and lightning almost struck – figuratively – after resumption.

          Now, we can say that Georgia’s win over Clemson wasn’t as hefty as it seemed, and Clemson will have to run it up down the stretch to get back into the playoff picture.

          Keep an eye on Arkansas. Sam Pittman has the Razorbacks rolling in his second year, and they can become a nightmare for Georgia – almost were last year – and Alabama.

          And Tennessee can, too, by the time the Vols – who are going bowling, you can write down ink – play Alabama (Oct. 23) and Georgia (Nov. 13).

          Remember, nothing is decided in September. No rings in September. No conference championship game reservations in September. The only Saturday surprise is no Saturday surprise.

 

Who’s undefeated?

          What with schedules so funky and games coming and going, a team has to have played three games (GHSA and GISA) at this point to qualify:

          Warner Robins, Bleckley County, Putnam County, Macon County, GMC, and John Milledge, are 4-0.

          Perry, Stratford and Tattnall are 3-0.

 

Loughdmouthings

          Dear coaches, please for all that is good in the world, check what’s reported by your team on MaxPreps – one report Friday night had one of the state’s leaders in a category hardly playing and doing anything that he normally does, although in fact he did what he normally does. And Hudl, which often has reports missing a final set of points.

          And no, rosters can’t be checked enough.

          Firing information to centralgasports@gmail.com on Friday night to chip in to by far the area’s most comprehensive game-night coverage would be glorious, too. ……

          Friend: “Off to walk The Walking Dead.”

          Moi: “There’s a show on Sunday night about Geoff Collins and Mike Norvell?” …

          Last week: “Upson-Lee is an interesting team so far.”

          That hasn’t changed, but for different reasons. The Knights are turning into a ride at Six Flags. Just when you think Upson-Lee is making some waves and getting momentum in 2-AAA, Pike County comes to Thomaston and puts the hammer down, leading from the start in a 44-33 win.

          Folks are quick to discount the old “defense wins championships (and just games, too)” mentality, but defense in an offensive game will win it, too.

          And now we have to look at that region a little differently, like another major logjam, joining 3-AA. Actually worse, aka more fun if you don’t care who wins.

          Mary Persons and Upson-Lee are the only teams at .500, but they’re 0-1 in region play along with Jackson. As it stands, almost everybody – almost – in the region is, in reality (sorry), a playoff contender.

          The only team it’s safe to mark down as “in” is Peach County. Crisp County is a safe bet, and you kind of give Mary Persons the benefit of the doubt, but it’s a battle after that. Two big games this week: Upson-Lee at Crisp County and Jackson at Pike County. …

          Dear schools, please, please, please alert the world – by social media, since folks don’t email media information and folks are enamored, when convenient, by social media – when your game is changed, cancelled, postponed, or forfeited, or you have a new opponent.

          It’s only fair to fans – and yeah, media – to tell the world what’s going on. Don’t keep relevant stuff secret. …

          As per the Georgia High School Football Daily, Pike County’s win over Upson-Lee was one of the biggest in the state last week, the Pirates a 24-point underdog and 11-point winner.

          Tattnall (10-point underdog) pulled a mild upset, but impressively so over Savannah Country Day. Ditto West Laurens (10-point underdog) over Veterans, the Raiders making it mighty shaky at the end. Swainsboro (2-point underdog) over Dublin is no upset, but winning 39-7 kinda of qualifies as something of an upset.

          Sure was upsetting for Dublin. …

          Said all week that Atlanta would be a lot better in week 2, and it was.

          Sure, the Falcons Falconed in the fourth quarter, but who expected that to matter? It was a three-point game late. Who expected that? You can point to specific plays in the final 20 minutes as keys to the loss. Who expected that?

          Not sure why people are so grumpy. They were a bit of a project to start with, and Atlanta tradition being Atlanta tradition, it’ll take awhile to get ahead of schedule.

          But I’m telling you, they’ll be sniffing a .500 record as late as the leaves changing. Sunday was a quality step forward. …

          Region 4-AAAA is taking a little different shape than expected, thanks to Spalding.

          The Jaguars are 3-1, joining Perry as the only teams above .500 with region play starting this week. Baldwin visits Westside, and Spalding is at West Laurens, while Perry faces Rutland on Thursday.

          Wins by Westside and Spalding would make things quite interesting after all.

 

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 good 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

          Finally, a major, major test, and no threat of a running clock with the visit from Lee County.

2. Perry

          The Panthers’ No. 3 ranking is safe for another week.

3. Northside

          Handling Richmond Hill as expected was a nice and notable rebound from the loss to Warner Robins. But this week is another notable measuring stick.

4. Jones County

          A little rough start to the season, but here the Greyhounds are, again finding their groove. Not saying they’ve established consistency yet, but they’re getting there, and when it counts.

5. Baldwin

          A week off after two road losses to higher-classification programs likely has the Braves very itchy to play, but they might not be sharp right off the bat.

 

Division II (3A, AA, A, GISA)

1. Peach County

          It was, of course, a matter of time. And playing more games. The Trojans didn’t knock Mary Persons out or anything, but they led from start to finish, which is impressive on the road against a quality team and after so much time off.

2. Macon County

          The Bulldogs have three shutouts in four games.

3. John Milledge

          A couple bouts of non-normal-routs may get JMA amped up a little. Playing Gatewood will help with that.

4. Mary Persons

          The Bulldogs stayed with Peach County, but for the second straight week, couldn’t quite get over the hump.

5. Bleckley County

          A week off before region starts is good timing.

6. Washington County

          The Golden Hawks are where they should be after two played games, but they can’t overlook Lamar County.

7. Northeast

          A rousing win on the road over a 4A team may have Northeast back on track just in tiiiiime for another week off.

8. Putnam County

  The last time Putnam County was ranked was last year, and it lost. It’s ranked for the first time this year, and Laney’s pretty good.

9. Dodge County

          The Indians had a week off after the Fitzgerald loss, allowing for extra frothing at the mouth with Bleckley County next.

10. Stratford

          Whose average margin of victory through three games is 34 points? These guys.