Join us tonight for Week 4 of our 2022 GPB Sports Football Fridays in Georgia schedule as the eighth-ranked Parkview Panthers (2-0) take on the North Gwinnett Bulldogs (2-1) at Tom Robinson Stadium in Suwanee.

Coverage starts at 7:00 p.m. ET with Recruiting 2022 including the “Top Prospects to Watch,” followed by the Game of the Week at 7:30.

It appears that Parkview has reloaded after a disappointing 2021 season in which a young Panthers team finished 4-7. This season’s junior-laden team has started 2-0 with a 52-7 win over Johns Creek in the Corky Kell Classic followed by a 20-8 win at Shiloh. This will be the third of five straight road games to start the season for Parkview as a new turf is installed at the Big Orange Jungle.

Former Panthers standout Coach Eric Godfree is 64-33 in his ninth season back at his alma mater. He was also an assistant coach during Parkview’s “Glory Years” under legendary Coach Cecil Flowe when the Panthers won four state championships in six years 1997-2003 including three straight in which Parkview set a then-state record 46-game winning streak.

Godfree has the Panthers back in that state championship conversation reaching the state semifinals in 2019. Parkview promises to be one of the state’s most talent-rich programs over the next two seasons with a ton of college football prospects.

Meantime North Gwinnett is 2-1 and looking like a team ready to rebound after going 14-10 and 5-3 in region over the last two seasons. The Bulldogs had gone 36-6, 18-0 in region over the previous three seasons 2017-19 with three straight region titles and the 2017 State Championship.

But after graduating the likes of 5-Star LB Barrett Carter to Clemson, 4-Star WR Josh Downs to North Carolina, 4-Star CB Jordan Hancock to Ohio State, and 4-Star center Warren Ericson to Georgia, North Gwinnett has been in a reload under sixth-year Coach Bill Stewart (52-17).

The Bulldogs beat McEachern 32-20 in the Corky Kell Classic and then defeated Archer 21-19 in Week 2. North Gwinnett led Winter Park 13-10 headed to the fourth quarter last week but allowed 21 points in the final period to lose 31-19. Winter Park is ranked fourth in Florida’s largest classification.

This will be a reunion game for Stewart and Godfree. Bill was the defensive coordinator for Coach Flowe 20 years ago at the same time Eric was the offensive coordinator. This will be the eighth all-time meeting between the two Gwinnett County 7A powerhouses dating back to 1976. The Bulldogs lead the series 4-3 after North Gwinnett won the previous two meetings including a 34-27 win last year. This will be the third straight season these two rivals have played.

That’s the preview. Let’s take a look at the Top Prospects to Watch in tonight’s game:

Parkview Panthers

Mike Matthews, Parkview

Mike Matthews, Parkview

Credit: 247 Sports

5-Star Mike Matthews – 6-2, 180, Junior - 247 Sports Composite No. 3 ATH in the country and No. 4 junior prospect in Georgia. 28 Offers with Georgia, Clemson and Notre Dame considered his leaders. Matthews plays WR and SAF for the Panthers and could play either or both of those positions at the next level. Coach Godfree says Matthews does not shy away from contact on defense. As a receiver he runs great routes, has great vertical and has gotten stronger and faster which has been his biggest improvement over last season. Matthews has 58 career catches for 10 TD and 6 career interceptions.

4-Star Jay Crawford – 6-0, 183, Junior - 247 Sports Composite No. 15 CB. 17 Offers with LSU considered his leader. Auburn just offered him this week. Coach Godfree says Crawford has really matured in his game mentally. He is rarely tested but does have one INT in the Panthers first two games. Crawford was in Columbia, S.C., last Saturday night for the Gamecocks’ season-opening win vs. Georgia State.

3-Star QB Colin Houck – 6-2, 195, Senior - Committed to Mississippi State to play baseball. Outstanding SS/3B in a Panthers program that has produced current and former Atlanta Braves stars Matt Olson and Jeff Francoeur. After a tremendous July and August playing amateur baseball this past summer there’s a strong chance that he’ll be taken high enough in the MLB Draft next July that he’ll forego his collegiate baseball career and the possibility of playing football at least for now. Houck does have 12 football offers including Georgia Tech, Arkansas, and Virginia Tech. High School Baseball Stats: .390 average, 21 HR, 86 RBI and 45 extra base hits out 103 total hits in 90 games. Football Stats: Thrown for more than 4,300 yards in his career with 47 TD passes.

Jordan Floyd – 6-6, 285, Junior OT – Offered by Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Maryland and then Kentucky just this past weekend.

Terrence Curtis – 6-0, 180, Junior CB – Offered by Maryland and UCF

Antonio White – 6-2, 185, Junior WR/SAF – Offered by Pittsburgh – Season Stats: 10 TT, QB Sack, 2 TFL and TD catch on offense

Cortez Smith – 6-4, 277, Sophomore OL – Offered by Penn State

Sam Lindsey – 6-0, 190, Senior LS – Offered by Air Force

Carson Wilson – 5-10, 165, Junior WR – Offered by Liberty

Will Hawkins – 5-10, 170, Senior DB – Offered by Morehouse and Reinhardt

Zach Hill – 5-8, 152, Junior WR/CB – Offered by Morehouse

 

North Gwinnett Bulldogs

Kayden McDonald, North Gwinnett

Kayden McDonald, North Gwinnett

Credit: 247 Sports

4-Star Kayden McDonald - 6-3, 310, Senior – 247 Sports No. 35 DL in the country – 37 offers including Georgia, Georgia Tech, Clemson, Florida, Oklahoma, Ohio State and Michigan. As we told you on #Recruiting2022 just two weeks ago, Kayden has scheduled his commitment date for Halloween. The 247 Sports Crystal Ball is predicting Clemson. Watch for McDonald tonight, he’s had big games against Parkview the last two years and last year earned our 2021 GPB Sports All-State Defensive Player of the Year honors. His career stats are mind-bogging. He has 38 career QB sacks and 102 TFL. He’ll even run the ball occasionally on offense, so opponents are advised to wear their hard hats.

4-Star Grant Godfrey – 6-3, 215, Senior - 247 Sports No. 27 LB in the country – Committed to Kentucky over 27 other offers including Georgia Tech, Tennessee and Ole Miss. He is the son of former Georgia Bulldogs All-SEC LB Randall Godfrey who spent a decade in the NFL. Grant is off to a great start this season with 27 TT, 4 QB sacks and an interception in his first three games. Coach Bill Stewart says unlike many committed high school players, Godfrey practices hard and is definitely not looking past his senior season to his college career. He has 17 career QB Sacks.

3-Star Tyler Walton - 6-5, 230, Senior Edge Rusher – Committed to Wake Forest back in April over 10 other offers including Boston College. The third member of the Bulldogs “Big Three” on defense. They are hopeful that Walton will be able to play tonight after missing last week’s loss to Winter Park because of injury. Walton has 15 TT in two games with 3 quarterback sacks and 3 TFL. He has 12 career sacks and 23 TFL.

Jaden Brock – 6-4, 210, Junior DE – Offered by Vanderbilt – He started in place of the injured Walton last week.

Ethan Washington – 6-3. 190, Senior QB – Unfortunately, he’s out for the season after suffering an ACL injury back in the Spring. Offers from Georgia State, Charlotte and UMass. He’s also got a visit scheduled to Army in the near future.

So, it all starts with the Gabby Award-winning and Emmy-nominated Recruiting 2022 at 7 p.m. followed by Football Fridays in Georgia as the Westlake Lions host the Crisp County Cougars at 7:30 p.m. Join Wayne Gandy, Jon Nelson, Hannah Goodin, Wiley Ballard and me for the call. And remember, when it’s over, it isn’t over! Stick around for the already-famous GPB Sports Postgame Show for all the big scores, and interviews with the top coaches around the state.

Now if somehow, you miss it live, don’t worry, we replay the entire Football Fridays in Georgia at the end of our live show on GPB. You can also watch live on the GPB Sports app or our Twitter or Facebook page from wherever you are or watch it on demand anytime at GPB.org.

Enjoy your Football Friday in Georgia!