The second round of the GHSA football playoffs is loaded with top-10 clashes and potential for standout performances and Cinderella stories.
Follow below for the latest highlights, notable moments and more from the games.
Previews — including predictions and historical information — of every second-round matchup can be found below:
- Class 6A
- Class 5A
- Class 4A
- Class 3A
- Class 2A
- Class A Division I
- Class A Division II
- Class 3A-A Private
AJC Varsity’s playoff brackets can be found here.
To submit entries for consideration — highlights, notable moments or impressive stats — tag @theleoreport on X.
SCOREBOARD: You can also follow live scores on AJC.com.
All eight defending champions advanced to the second round after being heavy favorites last Friday.
This week, though, some of those crowns could be in danger. Here's a look at all eight reigning champions' matchups tonight.
Class 6A: Colquitt County at Grayson (-19)
RELATED: Colquitt County RB refocused for Grayson after mid-season suspension
Class 5A: Milton (-1) at Jackson County
RELATED: Forged by 'year of adversity,' Milton continues road schedule at Jackson County
Class 4A: M.L. King at North Oconee (-34)
Class 3A: Douglass at Calhoun (-4)
Class 2A: Stephens County at Carver-Columbus (-27)
Class A Division I: Thomasville at Toombs County (-14)
Class A Division II: Washington-Wilkes at Bowdon (-34)
Class 3A-A Private: Trinity Christian at Hebron Christian (-28)
Seven Super 11 selections are still playing football in late November. Two will face each other, as Cambridge receiver Craig Dandridge visits Central-Carrollton, led by running back Jonaz Walton.
Dandridge is a 4-star University of Georgia commit with 57 receptions for 1,130 yards receiving and 17 touchdowns. Walton is a 4-star Notre Dame commit with 107 rushes for 1,020 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns.
Five other Super 11 selections will fight to keep their high school football careers alive tonight. They are Grayson linebacker Tyler Atkinson, Buford safety Tyriq Green, Douglas County receiver Aaron Gregory, Gainesville linebacker Xavier Griffin and Bowdon tight end Kaiden Prothro.
Two teams made the second round of the playoffs for the first time in program history. That's Miller Grove and Jackson County, who picked up their first-ever playoff wins last week.
The Maxwell Ratings project both teams as underdogs, but they give Jackson County a much better shot than Miller Grove at advancing another week.
Jackson County is a one-point underdog as it hosts two-time defending state champion Milton. Miller Grove is a 30-point underdog as it visits 11-0 Morgan County.
Only one game in the Class 6A bracket pits a No. 3 seed against a No. 4 seed tonight.
East Coweta will host Walton after both teams pulled off road upsets in the first round of the playoffs.
The No. 3-seeded Indians surprised Denmark with a 28-14 road win last season. The No. 4-seeded Raiders pulled off arguably the upset of the week, toppling top-seeded McEachern 28-24.
The matchup is particularly intriguing since Walton and East Coweta were two of four Class 6A underdogs to win last Friday. Walton was the only No. 4 seed to win.
There are several notable teams playing on the road this week, including two-time defending state champion Milton, who is plagued with injuries and the flu at Jackson County.
RELATED: Forged by ‘year of adversity,’ Milton on the road as it chases 3-peat title
Here is every road favorite in Round 2 of the GHSA playoffs, according to the Maxwell Ratings.
Class 6A
- Walton (-1) at East Coweta
- Hillgrove (-6) at West Forsyth
- Douglas County (-14) at North Cobb
Class 5A
- Gainesville (-21) at Brunswick
- Milton (-1) at Jackson County
Class 3A
- Troup (-12) at Cairo
Class 2A
- Sumter County (-20) at North Murray
- Hapeville Charter (-1) at Appling County
- Burke County (-1) at Columbia
Class A D-I
- Fitzgerald (-5) at Dublin
- Swainsboro (-1) at Northeast
Class A D-II
- Jenkins County (-4) at Schley County
Many teams have a long drive ahead of their Round 2 game. The average drive for Round 2 away games is 139 miles, with four teams eclipsing 300 miles.
Here are the 10 longest trips for GHSA football teams this week.
- 335.0 - Christian Heritage at Savannah Christian
- 318.7 - Gainesville at Brunswick
- 304.0 - Berrien at Rabun County
- 301.7 - Cass at Benedictine
- 281.2 - King’s Ridge Christian at Calvary Day
- 255.0 - Lowndes at North Gwinnett
- 248.8 - Brookwood at Valdosta
- 245.0 - Villa Rica at Thomas County Central
- 244.0 - Ware County at Creekside
- 239.1 - Sumter County at North Murray
Due to the different nature of the Class 3A-A Private bracket, nine teams are starting their playoff runs tonight.
The top nine seeds in the private bracket have had at least two weeks off. The entire state didn't play on Nov. 7, and the top nine private school teams were given first-round byes.
Athens Academy finished its regular season a week earlier than most of the state, so it hasn't played a game since Oct. 24.
RELATED: How does a team prepare for the playoffs with four weeks off? ‘Less is more’
Here are all nine games for the private schools who earned first-round byes.
Mount Vernon at Fellowship Christian (-41)
Trinity Christian at Hebron Christian (-28)
Holy Innocents' at Athens Academy (-3)
King's Ridge Christian at Calvary Day School (-42)
Aquinas at Whitefield Academy (-3)
Landmark Christian at Greater Atlanta Christian (-10)
Wesleyan at Prince Avenue (-10)
Christian Heritage at Savannah Christian (-27)
With just 128 teams still playing football, top-10 matchups are all over the GHSA playoffs this Friday.
There are 21 second-round games between teams ranked in their respective classifications' top 10. All 21 are below.
Full second-round playoff preview
- Class 6A
- No. 6 Lowndes at No. 8 North Gwinnett
- No. 9 Colquitt County at No. 1 Grayson
- No. 10 Harrison at No. 3 Carrollton
- Class 5A
- No. 5 Houston County at No. 7 Rome
- No. 8 Lee County at No. 1 Hughes
- Class 4A
- No. 8 Cambridge at No. 7 Central (Carrollton)
- No. 9 Blessed Trinity at No. 6 Marist
- No. 10 Cass at No. 4 Benedictine
- Class 3A
- No. 5 Troup at No. 9 Cairo
- No. 7 Hapeville Charter at No. 10 Appling County
- No. 8 LaGrange at No. 4 North Hall
- Class 2A
- No. 10 Peach County at No. 6 Jenkins
- No. 6 Callaway at No. 8 Thomson
- Class A Division I
- No. 10 Bleckley County at No. 1 Worth County
- No. 5 Thomasville at No. 2 Toombs County
- No. 7 Swainsboro at No. 4 Northeast
- No. 8 Fitzgerald at No. 9 Dublin
- Class A Division II
- No. 5 Brooks County at No. 4 Johnson County
- No. 10 Emanuel County Institute at No. 2 Clinch County
- Class 3A-A Private
- No. 7 Holy Innocents’ at No. 5 Athens Academy
- No. 9 Aquinas at No. 10 Whitefield Academy
The No. 1 team in every classification is projected to dominate this week, according to the Maxwell Ratings. Here's a look at point spreads for every No. 1 team this week.
Class 6A: Colquitt County at Grayson (-19)
Class 5A: Lee County at Hughes (-15)
Class 4A: Ware County at Creekside (-33)
Class 3A: Monroe Area at Sandy Creek (-34)
Class 2A: Stephens County at Carver-Columbus (-27)
Class A Division I: Bleckley County at Worth County (-18)
Class A Division II: Hawkinsville at Lincoln County (-27)
Class 3A-A Private: Trinity Christian at Hebron Christian (-28)
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