NUC Sports High School Football – South Georgia Poll – Week 1

Large Schools

Football is finally back!  In South Georgia nine of the Top Ten teams in the two largest classifications will be display this week. The only Top Ten team not playing week one is #10 Brunswick.

#1 Colquitt County will be locking horns with Mill Creek in the Corky Kell Classic on Saturday. This is a rematch of last year’s GHSA AAAAAA Semifinal game which saw the Packers pull away with a dominating 52-31 victory.

#3 Lowndes will start their season off Friday night in the battle of Titletown versus cross city rival Valdosta, #7 in Medium Schools. This will be the 55^th meeting between these two schools and the first time they have ever faced each other week one. Valdosta holds the series edge (36-18) and Wildcats have won the last two meetings.

#4 Northside-WR will host bitter rival Warner Robins, #8 in Medium Schools this Friday. This is the 59^th meeting and is also the first time they have met in week one. Warner Robins leads the series (34-24), but Northside has won the last two meetings.

In the NUC South Georgia Game of the Week #6 Glynn Academy takes on the #2 ranked small school Benedictine. This is the 62^nd meeting between these coastal foes and the Cadets hold a (40-20-1) edge in the series.

Note: The original 2016 NUC Sports South Georgia Poll came out before star running back Brandon McMaster announced his transfer from Camden County to Brunswick. This should have a major impact on both schools.

Medium Schools

It will be a bit of a quiet week in South Georgia Medium Schools as six of the Top Ten teams are idle. #1 Bainbridge, #2 Ware County, #3 Peach County, #7 West Laurens, #9 Liberty County and #10 Pierce County are all off. That being said there are four very intriguing matchups this week.

#4 Thomas County Central takes on Worth County. The Yellow Jackets hold the series edge (21-11-1) but have fallen to the Rams the last two seasons.

#5 Carver-Columbus heads out of state to take on Opelika (AL). The Tigers hold the series edge (2-0) but that was way back to 1980-81. Last year Opelika went (12-1) falling to eventual AHSAA 6A State Champion Spanish Fort in the quarterfinals.

#6 Cairo host long-time rival Thomasville. This will be the 72^nd meeting between these two opponents; the Bulldogs hold the series edge (39-26-6). Last year’s meeting ended in a no contest due to lightning with the Syrupmakers up 26-0.

Small Schools

Only two Top Ten teams have a bye week one. Both #1 Fitzgerald and #4 Macon County will be on display for the first time next week.

There are two really interesting matchups in small schools; not counting the before mentioned matchup between #2 Benedictine and Glynn Academy.

In a border war #5 Brooks County hosts Cook. The Trojans hold a slim (25-24) lead in the series and have won the last three meetings. These two teams played each other 14 years in a row from 2000-13, but did not meetup the last two seasons.

#6 Vidalia travels to #10 Dodge County Friday in the battle of the Indians. Vidalia holds a (6-5) edge in the series; they last played each other in 2009 with Vidalia outscoring Dodge County 49-36.

Large School’s Top 10 (AAAAAAA/AAAAAA)

1. Colquitt County Packers (1-AAAAAAA)

Head Coach: Rush Propst, 9^th Season (86-25)

Last Season: (15-0/5-0)

First Game: 8/20 vs.  Mill Creek (Corky Kell Classic/Georgia Dome)

1. Camden County Wildcats (1-AAAAAAA)

Head Coach: Welton Coffey, II, 4^th Season (25-9)

Last Season: (10-2/4-1)

First Game: 8/19 @ Oak Leaf, FL

1. Lowndes Vikings (1-AAAAAAA)

Head Coach: Randy McPherson, 15^th Season (136-37)

Last Season: (6-5/2-3)

First Game: 8/19 @Valdosta

1. Northside-Warner Robins Eagles (1-AAAAAA)

Head Coach: Kevin Kinsler, 7^th Season (68-9)

Last Season: (9-2/8-1)

First Game: 8/19 vs. Warner Robins

1. Houston County Bears (1-AAAAAA)

Head Coach: Von Lassiter, 4^th Season (28-9)

Last Season: (11-2/8-1)

First Game: 8/18 vs. Mary Persons (Corky Kell Classic/Mercer)

1. Glynn Academy Red Terrors (2-AAAAAA)

Head Coach: Rocky Hidalgo, 3^rd Season (21-7)

Last Season: (12-3/7-1)

First Game: 8/19 @ Benedictine (Savannah State) NUC Game of the Week

1. Valdosta Wildcats (1-AAAAAA)

Head Coach: Alan Rodemaker, 1^st Season

Last Season: (8-4/3-2)

First Game: 8/19 @ Lowndes

1. Lee County Trojans (1-AAAAAA)

Head Coach: Dean Fabrizio, 8^th Season  (44-31)

Last Season: (6-4/1-4)

First Game: 8/18 vs. Jones County (Corky Kell Classic/Mercer)

1. Coffee Trojans (1-AAAAAA)

Head Coach: Robby Pruitt, 5^th Season (30-12)

Last Season: (10-2/7-1)

First Game: 8/19 vs. Effingham County (Erk Russell Classic/Georgia Southern)

1. Brunswick Pirates (2-AAAAAA)

Head Coach: Larry Harold, 2^nd Season (3-7)

Last Season: (3-7/2-6)

First Game: 8/26 vs. Coffee

Medium School’s Top 10 (AAAAA/AAAA/AAA)

1. Bainbridge Bearcats (1-AAAAA)

Head Coach: Jeff Littleton, 4^th Season (24-12)

Last Season: (13-1/4-0)

First Game: 8/26 vs. Lee County

1. Ware County Gators (2-AAAAA)

Head Coach: Franklin Stephens, 3^rd Season (22-4)

Last Season: (11-3/6-2)

First Game: 8/26 vs. Glynn Academy

1. Peach County Trojans (4-AAA)

Head Coach: Chad Campbell, 10^th Season (95-19)

Last Season: (9-3/7-1)

First Game: 8/26 vs. Houston County

1. Thomas County Central Yellow Jackets (1-AAAAA)

Head Coach: Bill Shaver, 9^th Season (63-28)

Last Season: (6-5/3-1)

First Game: 8/19 vs. Worth County

1. Carver Tigers (1-AAAA)

Head Coach: Dre’mail King, 1^st Season

Last Season: (9-2/6-0)

First Game: 8/19 @ Opelika, AL

1. Cairo Syrupmakers (1-AAAA)

Head Coach: Steven Devoursney, 2^nd Season (4-6)

Last Season: (4-6/3-1)

First Game: 8/19 vs. Thomasville

1. West Laurens Raiders (2-AAAA)

Head Coach: Stacy Nobles, 6^th Season (30-25)

Last Season: (8-4/4-2)

First Game: 8/26 vs. Wayne County

1. Warner Robins Demons (1-AAAAA)

Head Coach: Mike Chastain 1^St Season

Last Season: (7-4/6-3)

First Game: 8/19 @ Northside-WR

1. Liberty County Panthers (2-AAA)

Head Coach: Kirk Warner, 15^th Season (64-82)

Last Season: (8-4/3-1)

First Game: 8/26 @ Bradwell Institute

1. Pierce County Bears (2-AAA)

Head Coach: Sean Pender, 6^th Season (45-14)

Last Season: (7-4/4-2)

First Game: 8/26 vs. Bacon County

Small School’s Top 10 (AA/A)

1. Fitzgerald  Purple Hurricane  (1-AA)

Head Coach: Jason Strickland, 5^th Season (41-12-1)

Last Season: (13-2/5-1)

First Game: 8/26 vs. Irwin County

1. Benedictine Cadets (2-AA)

Head Coach: Danny Britt, 6^th Season (51-14)

Last Season: (12-1/7-0)

First Game: 8/19 vs. Glynn Academy (Savannah State) NUC Game of the Week

1. Clinch County Panthers (2-A)

Head Coach: Jim Dickerson, 13^th Season (116-39-1)

Last Season: (13-1/6-1)

First Game: 8/19 vs. Bleckley County

1. Macon County Bulldogs (4-A Div. B)

Head Coach: Dexter Copeland, 2^nd Season (10-3)

Last Season: (10-3/5-0)

First Game: 8/26 @ Dooly County

1. Brooks County Trojans (1-AA)

Head Coach: Maurice Freeman, 9^th Season (81-24)

Last Season: (10-3/6-0)

First Game: 8/19 vs. Cook

1. Vidalia Indians (2-AA)

Head Coach: Lee Chomskis, 10^th Season (71-31)

Last Season: (8-4/5-2)

First Game: 8/19 @ Dodge County

1. Calvary Day Cavaliers (3-A Div. A)

Head Coach: Rick Tomberlin, 1^st Season

Last Season: (9-2/4-1)

First Game: 8/19 vs. Islands

1. Emanuel County Institute Bulldogs (3-A Div. B)

Head Coach: Chris Kearson, 6^th Season (47-13)

Last Season: (11-2/4-0)

First Game: 8/19 @ Metter

1. Irwin County Indians (2-A)

Head Coach: Buddy Nobles, 3^rd Season (21-5-2)

Last Season: (10-3-1/6-1)

First Game: 8/19 @ Berrien

1. Dodge County  Indians (3-AA)

Head Coach: Rex Hodges, 6^th Season (34-22)

Last Season: (11-1/6-0)

First Game: 8/19 vs. Vidalia