The remaining 64 football teams in the GHSA Prep Football Playoffs have much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving Holiday week. They are still in the hunt for a state championship.

Any prep football coach can recite the old saying, “If you’re practicing on Thanksgiving Day, it’s been a great season.” For the remaining teams that will practice on Thursday this week it has indeed been a great season. The quarterfinals are here and there are some new faces in the crowd and some familiar ones as well.

All teams arrive to continue play this week on ability and tenacity. This 15-game endurance test is not an easy one. Some teams are unbeaten, while others come to the festivities with several regular season losses, but the key to playing at this point is to win at the right time. All 64 teams have done that.

The lineup of games this week is outstanding. I would even go so far as to say that there are some classic matchups in our future. Defending Class 4A champion Blessed Trinity (12-0) is at Eastside (12-0). Class 3A powers Monroe Area (12-0) and Pierce County (12-0) do battle in Blackshear in deep South Georgia. Defending 6A titlist Lee County (12-0) hosts unbeaten Creekview (12-0) in Leesburg, just to name a few.  

In Class 7A there is a rematch of last year’s title game between Colquitt County (12-0) and North Gwinnett (10-2). This year the game will be played in Moultrie. The top-seeded Packers have rushed past each opponent in 2018 and are ranked in the Top 10 in many national polls. Surprising Milton meets (10-2) unbeaten Hillgrove (12-0) in another outstanding 7A match.

In Class 6A, Coffee (9-3) travels to play Lanier (9-3) in a match of teams which won key games at the right time.  Class 5A’s top game has two-time defending champion Rome (12-0) playing at playoff newcomer Dutchtown (12-0). Carrollton (10-2) plays at Stockbridge (11-1) in what could be another 5A classic.

There is no doubt that Class 2A will feature a new champion in 2018.  Callaway (10-2) eliminated defending champion and top-ranked Hapeville Charter 31-13 in the second round. 

Unbeaten Rockmart (12-0) will travel to Jefferson County (11-1) in one of the top games while, the 9-3 Fitzgerald Purple Hurricanes make the long trip to the North Georgia mountains to play Rabun County (11-1) in another.   

In Class A Public, playoff newcomer Greene County (9-2) continues to win and advance. This week it’s a long road trip to Pelham (11-0) for the Tigers to play and make the semifinals. The home standing Hornets are one of the state’s highest scoring teams, averaging over 50 points per game. Commerce (10-2), meets top-ranked Irwin County (11-0) in another Class A Public matchup in Ocilla.

Class A Private features defending champion Eagle’s Landing Christian (10-2) hosting Darlington (9-2) and Calvary Day School of Savannah (10-1) traveling to play last season’s runner up Athens Academy (11-0).

This week’s GPB-TV game of the week feature Rome at Dutchtown. The All-Access Pass begins at 7 p.m. and the kickoff is at 7:30 p.m.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving Holiday and enjoy your favorite game.