Who's going to win this week's Central Georgia high school football games?
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Last week
19-1, 95 percent
This Season
191-63, 75.2 percent
Within 7 points of margin
4, 52 for the season
Upset specials/perfect spread
0-0/0
Maximum spread for The Sports Report predictions is 39 points.
Awwwwyeah, 19-1, baby. No doubt a prediction record in all these years.
As a considerate person, yes, I closed blinds for the dance after tallying up the week. Then I sat down and full prepared by self for a 67 percent week. I didn’t find some silly celebration meme/GIF to throw in here, either. Another really good week, and I can’t promise I won’t do so next time.
Not really.
There’s some confidence picking winners. There’s some pondering about Upson-Lee and Peach County, Houston County and Thomas County Central will be bruise-filled slobberknocker, and there are some double-digit spread I could see going pffft.
We have football weather, and playoff scenarios for many are convoluted and touchy. And there are some questions about teams in new scenarios taking care of business.
Our updated relevant and not-paid-by-the-word-or-amount-of-face-time kickoff weather: High in the mid 70s, low around 50, sweater and jackets for kickoff and definitely for home, perhaps some morning showers. Perhaps.
But hallelujah, it’s football weather.
Games of the week
No. 1 Thomas County Central, 7-0/2-0, at No. 6 Houston County, 6-1/1-1, Saturday, 2 p.m.
This game will be similar to Lee County, and go to the end. Will the home stand be as full at kickoff as they should be? Will folks stay all four quarters in a thrilling four-quarter game? Which didn’t happen against Lee County? Rant aside, a great place to be on a Saturday afternoon to watch two teams with legit state championship game chops and loads of playmakers. Pressure is on Houston County’s offensive line against a defense that’s better than Lee County’s, which took over at the end of the 44-35 win a few weeks ago. This pure gut feeling.
TSR pick: Houston County by 2 (upset special)
Spencer, 5-2/4-0, at No. 1 Northeast, 6-1/4-0
The Raiders have to shut out any all noise, about stats and rankings and everything. A year ago, Northeast was a 34-point favorite – that’s about six touchdowns worth – to win at Spencer, and lost 14-13. Expect a full dose of Nick Woodford, but some balance, in what could be the Raiders’ most focused effort in a good while. Will fans come remotely close to filling, eh, two-thirds of the home stands with the first Bibb County outright region title since 2012 on the line?
TSR pick: Northeast by 28
Games of note
No. 10 Warner Robins, 4-3/3-0, at Eagle’s Landing, 3-5/2-2
The only reasons this makes a list is because Warner Robins had a week off after winning two straight, and finally finding a little consistency, Eagle’s Landing is at home and is kind of in a must-win mode amid the four-team race for third and fourth. But that’s about it.
TSR pick: Warner Robins by 28
No. 5 Spalding, 8-0/4-0, at Westside, 6-1/2-1
It’s a big game (home crowd size notwithstanding) and homecoming for the Seminoles. A win all but locks in Westside for the third spot in the region, behind Spalding and Perry, with key game left against Baldwin and Howard, eyeing playoff spots. Westside has lost 14 straight games to ranked teams, and Spalding is playing well as a ranked team, which is new to the Jags.
TSR pick: Spalding by 25
No. 13 Peach County, 2-5/0-1, at Upson-Lee, 7-1/2-0
The Maxwell Computer and somebody at ScoreAtlanta sure has some Peach County love. Don’t know why. At least yet. Upson-Lee’s biggest home game in years, regardless of the Trojans’ record, amid the best season in years, it’d be kind of embarrassing if the home side wasn’t full. Especially considering U-L has eliminated recent traits of not handling success in a game well. The Knights have taken care of business, even with some injuries. It continues.
TSR pick: Upson-Lee by 8
Central Georgia’s best high school football coverage
This week
* Roundup: Coming Saturday morning
* Scouting Reports: Friday’s GHSA and GIAA games- Coming Friday
* Maxwell Ratings picks, Central Georgia state rankings- Coming Thursday afternoon
* Who’s going to win this week’s Central Georgia football games?
* Monday Morning Quarterback: That was one sloppy Sunday for Atlanta; good big games in CGA this week; no more CFB ‘epicenter’ in the mountains?; Loughdmouthings; ranking Central Georgia's top teams
* Macon Touchdown Club players of the week: Jones County, Tattnall
Last week
* Roundup: Bleckley County stuns Dublin at home, Howard battles Spalding, goal-line stand saves Westside, Hawkinsville wins in OT, Tattnall pops Stratford
* Scouting Reports: Friday’s GHSA and GIAA games
* Maxwell Ratings picks, Central Georgia state rankings
* Who’s going to win this week’s Central Georgia football games?
* Monday Morning Quarterback: Dear Arthur Smith; upsets/surprises; Loughmouthings (Northside, Warner Robins; toughest CGA regions, GHSA/NIL, UGA-Auburn, verbal 'brilliance'); the best teams in Central Georgia?
* Macon Touchdown Club players of the week
No. 3 Thomson, 6-1/4-0, at Putnam County, 5-2/4-0
Biggest home game in Eatonton in a long, long time, and first game against a No. 1 since Lamar County in 2013, a 55-13 loss. Last time No. 1 visited was in 2015, a 34-13 loss to Washington County. At this point, though, playing decent football against a superb team is a step forward, and good test toward making a nice playoff run.
TSR pick: Thomson by 18
John Milledge, 7-0/1-0, at FPD, 4-2-1/1-0
This would easily be in the GOTW category, if the Vikings weren’t so banged up, with QB Jakhari Williams and RB/DB Carter Hays on the list of questionable or out. The Trojans aren’t 100 percent, but they’re much closer to it than the Vikings. Does FPD have the depth and overall skills else where to keep it closer than last year’s surprisingly thorough 56-7 JMA romp?
TSR pick: John Milledge by 34
The Schedule
Class 6A
No. 4 Lee County, 6-1/2-0, at Northside, 3-4/1-1
TSR pick: Lee County by 28
Tift County, 1-6/0-2, at Veterans, 3-4/0-2
TSR pick: Veterans by 27
Class 4A
Howard, 3-4/0-3, at Griffin, 1-7/1-3, Thursday
TSR pick: Howard by 14
West Laurens, 2-5/0-3, at Baldwin, 4-3/1-2
TSR pick: Baldwin by 17
Class AA
Butler, 2-4/1-3, at Washington County, 3-4/2-2
TSR pick: Washington County by 31
Central, 0-7/0-4, at Jordan, 0-6/0-3, Thursday
TSR pick: Central by 8
No. 10 Cook, 5-2/3-0, at Dodge County, 1-7/0-4
TSR pick: Cook by 23
Rutland, 2-4/1-2, at ACE Charter, 6-1/3-1
TSR pick: ACE by 29
Southwest, 3-4/2-2, at Kendrick, 2-5/1-3, Thursday
TSR pick: Southwest by 4
Class A/Division I
No. 6 Bleckley County, 6-2/2-0, at East Laurens, 2-5/0-1
TSR pick: Bleckley County by 25
No. 10 Dublin, 5-2/0-1, at Jefferson County, 0-8/0-2
TSR pick: Dublin by 30
Jasper County, 5-2, at Social Circle, 2-5
TSR pick: Jasper County by 20
Class A/Division II
GMC, 2-6/1-2, at Glascock County, 3-6/1-2
TSR pick: Glascock County by 17
Hancock Central, 3-4/1-1, at Twiggs County, 0-6/0-2
TSR pick: Hancock Central by 31
Hawkinsville, 5-2/1-1, at Treutlen, 1-6/0-2
TSR pick: Hawkinsville by 15
No. 6T Macon County, 5-2/2-2, at Chattahoochee County, 0-7/0-4
TSR pick: Macon County by 35
Marion County, 4-3/2-2, at Taylor County, 5-2/3-1
TSR pick: Taylor County by 8
Wilkinson County, 3-3/2-0, at Johnson County, 4-3/2-0
TSR pick: Johnson County by 23
GIAA
Class AAA
Stratford, 4-4/0-2, at Mount de Sales, 0-7/0-2
TSR pick: Stratford by 29
Westfield, 4-4/1-1, at Brookstone, 3-4/0-1
TSR pick: Brookstone by 21
Class AA
Piedmont, 2-4, at Brentwood, 3-4
TSR pick: Brentwood by 13
Edmund Burke, 7-0, at Gatewood, 5-1
TSR pick: Edmund Burke by 4
Central Fellowship, 4-2-1, at Terrell, 5-1
TSR pick: Terrell by 2