Back during the summer when we started looking at the 2024 season schedules, one game jumped off the page on November 1st and that was Carrollton at Douglas County. Now it doesn’t always work out over the course of a 10-game, 12-week regular season that games you target during the summer still live up to the hype and expectation that you thought they would five months later. But this one does.

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Two state championship contenders playing for a region championship. One with a rich history and another with a history in the making. Both loaded with big-time college prospects who are ranked top five, if not No. 1 at their respective positions. And then of course there’s JuJu.

We got all that and more for you tonight as the Class 6A No. 1 Carrollton Trojans play the fourth-ranked Douglas County Tigers at Coach Jimmy Johnson Stadium (not the one you’re thinking of) in Douglasville. Our GPB Sports Football Fridays in Georgia coverage starts at 7:30 p.m. on statewide GPB-TV Georgia Public Broadcasting and world-wide on YouTube, Facebook, Twitch, the GPB Sports app and online at GPB.org/sports.

The Teams

This is very familiar territory for the Carrollton Trojans (9-0, 3-0 Region 2-6A). They are playing for their third straight region championship and fifth in six years. With a win Carrollton will clinch their 16th 10-0 regular season in program history and their fourth straight season of at least 10 wins, their eighth in nine seasons and 28th in 37 seasons.

The Trojans are going for their 34th all-time region title and have won 16 consecutive region games. This season they’ve rolled through the competition winning by an average of 34 PPG and no game has been decided by fewer than three touchdowns since their 24-14 win at Woodward Academy on that stormy season-opening Friday night back in mid-August.  

Carrollton is led by one of the best head coaches in the state in Joey King who is 46-5 in his three seasons with the Trojans and 113-9 in his nine seasons as a head coach including his six seasons at Cartersville where his Purple Hurricanes won two state championships and played for two others and set the stage for quarterback Trevor Lawrence’s career which now has him as the starting QB of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The story is a little different for the Douglas County Tigers (8-1, 3-0). They are trying to win back-to-back region titles for the first time ever (were not in the same region with the Trojans last year), and not only the first consecutive region titles in the Tigers 91-year program history, but for any school in that county 27 miles west of Atlanta.

Douglas County has won five straight games since their one and only loss to No. 2 Buford (31-14), which came one week after our first GPB Sports Football Friday visit and the Tigers’ 21-14 win over 5A fourth-ranked Hughes Sept. 6. DC has won 18 of their last 19 regular season games which includes their 13-1 state semifinal finish in 2023.

Led by Head Coach Johnny White, whose .680 winning percentage is the best in program history, Douglas County has become a state championship contender in his now-nine seasons at the school. It’s a program with historically a lot more “valleys” than peaks, most notably the Tigers one and only state championship in 1964 which coincidently was the last time Douglas County beat Carrollton. The Tigers have lost nine straight in the on-again-off-again 26-game series that started back in 1926.

JuJu Lewis, Carrollton

JuJu Lewis is the No. 1 quarterback prospect in the nation.

Credit: 247 Sports

The Match-Up

Carrollton Offense – Led by one of the most dynamic QB to ever play here in the state of Georgia, Julian “JuJu” Lewis would have most assuredly ended his career atop all of Georgia’s high school passing records had he not elected to reclassify back in January. Quite simply that decision means Lewis skipped his junior season and is now playing his senior season. By Christmas there’s a good chance he’ll be practicing with his college football team.

Rated as high as an ESPN 5-Star and No. 2 overall prospect and QB in the country, Lewis has been committed to USC for close to 15 months. He picked those Trojans over 40 other offers including Georgia and Colorado. But if Travis Hunter (maybe the greatest player I’ve ever seen play in this state) taught us anything … there can always be a National Signing Day surprise.

Ryan Mosley, Carrollton

Ryan Mosley, Carrollton

Credit: 247 Sports

Even with his reclassification JuJu is tied with Prentis “Air” Noland (Hughes now Ohio State) for fifth on the state’s all-time passing TD list with 130 and is 16th on the state’s all-time passing yards list. He’s on pace to finish with around 11,000 yards and seventh in that career category. That leaves one record for him to break and that’s Carrollton’s state championship drought. The Trojans have won seven state titles in their 97-year history but haven’t won one since 1998 (nine years before Lewis was born) and that’s the only one they’ve won in the last 49 years. So it’s been a minute…

JuJu is surrounded by weapons. RB Kamauri Farmer has rushed for 714 yards and 9 TD after running for more than 1,400 yards as a sophomore when he was thrust into a starting role because of injury. Farmer has 12 offers including Georgia State, UAB, and Georgia Southern.

The WR corps is deep led by junior 4-Star Ryan Mosley (35-548 yards, 9 TD) who has 22 offers including Georgia and Alabama and is rated as high as the No. 13 WR in 2026. 3-Star WR Peyton Zachary transferred into the program from Kell and has 16 offers also including Georgia and despite being a junior has over 2,000 yards receiving in his career with 23 TD. The offensive line is led by LT Zykie Helton who battled Crohn’s Disease last year and lost 100 pounds. But that adversity has actually been a blessing in a way in that it has revealed his “freakish” athleticism, so much so that Alabama (to whom he was once committed when Nick Saban was the coach) has now offered him not only as an OL but also DL. He is rated as high as Rivals 4-Star and No. 1 interior OL in 2026 but who knows he might end-up playing on the other side of the ball.

Carrollton Defense – Expect to see Helton on the DL at times tonight but outside of him the Trojans defensive line is made up of linebacker-sized athletes who use speed and angles to get the job done. And boy do they. 6-2, 252, junior D.A. Logan has an offer from Georgia Southern with 11 TFL and 4 QB Sacks. 6-0, 233, senior C.J. Kelley has 5 offers including Arkansas State with 8 TFL, 4 QB sacks and a penchant for blocking kicks. 5-7, 213, senior Jacob Ricks has 10 TFL and 4 QB Sacks.

The linebacking corps is led by junior Kaden Spratling who has offers from Shorter and UT-Martin but it’s the secondary where you’ll find the recruiting star power. 2026 4-Star Zelus Hicks is rated as high as the No.1 junior safety in the country and is committed to Texas. 2026 4-Star Dorian Barney is committed to Alabama and rated as high as the No. 9 CB in the country. Senior 4-Star Shamar Arnoux is committed to Tennessee and rated as high as the No. 12 CB in 2025

Douglas County Offense – Led by 3-Star D.J. Bourdeaux and rated as high as the No. 8 dual threat QB in the country in 2026. He has 26 offers including Auburn, averages 243 YPG in total offense and has already passed for over 5,000 yards in his career and 47 TD going back to his days at Alpharetta. The running game of which D.J. is a part of averages over 286 YPG and is led by Zemarcus Lindley who’s No. 6 in 6A with 1,052 yards on the ground and 13 TD. Just a junior the recruiting is picking up for the 5-11, 200 RB with nine offers including Boston College, Duke, and Northwestern.

D.J. Bourdeaux, Douglas County

D.J. Bourdeaux, Douglas County

Credit: 247 Sports

The WR group is one of the best in the state and if not the best, close to it. It should make for an interesting match-up with Carrollton’s star-studded secondary. 4-Star junior Aaron Gregory just committed to Texas A&M last weekend over 54 other offers including Georgia and Auburn. He is rated as high as the No. 3 WR in 2026 and has a team-leading 36 catches for 547 yards and 6 TD. Fellow 4-Star junior Devin Carter, the son of former Florida State and San Francisco 49’ers star Dexter Carter, was part of that mass-exodus at Cedar Grove and is rated as high as the No. 2 WR in 2026. He has 29 receptions for 453 yards and 3 TD and is one of the most fluid pass catchers I’ve seen.

The Tigers also have “Mr. Douglas County” James Johnson another 4-Star WR, who is committed to USC. But to just call him a WR is a disservice. He can do anything on the field include play QB and will play a lot on defense where he will be a huge factor in the secondary. 5-9, 170, Junior Rah’Keith Kelly has been offered by Maryland, East Carolina and Coastal Carolina and is equally as lethal at RB as he is WR.

The offensive line is massive with only one starter less than 300 pounds and that’s the Tigers “Make That Kid an Offer” nominee 6-1, 290 junior Center Joshua Vaughan. In fact all four of their junior starters are already two-year starters and the OL has not missed a beat since losing 6-8, 310, sophomore 4-Star Joshua Sam-Epelle (No. 6 OT 2027) to a season-ending ACL injury in the Hughes game that we televised week four of the season.

Douglas County Defense – More star power. From a recruiting standpoint led by 4-star Jordan Carter who like Gregory committed to Texas A&M last weekend. Talk about a week for the Aggies! Carter, who actually started at DE for Carrollton as a freshman in the 2022 State Championship Game is rated as high as the No. 1 Edge in 2026 with 10 TFL and 7 QBS. But the “real” star of the defense might be the overlooked Jalen Ray whose only offers are from NAIA Reinhardt and NCAA DII Morehouse. He is sixth in 6A with 17 TFL and sixth with 8 QB Sacks. 3-Star senior DL La’Derion Williams has 38 overs including Georgia.

The linebacking corps is led by West Virginia commit Mike Hastie. Coach White says the Mountaineers are getting a steal. Hastie’s 99 total tackles are seventh in 6A and he is quickly approaching 300 career tackles and could surpass that milestone tonight.

In the secondary you’ll find Aaron Gregory playing both ways and Coach White says he’d be perhaps the No. 1 safety in the country if he devoted himself completely to that position. Midseason move-in Jonesboro transfer 3-Star junior Jamar Owens has 3 interceptions in just five games and 46 offers including Georgia Tech, Georgia State and Auburn.

Recruiting Game Guide

Carrollton Prospects

Seniors

#10 Julian “JuJu” Lewis – 6-1, 181, Senior – Committed to USC August 2023 over 40 other offers including Georgia and Colorado – Highest Ranking: ESPN 5-Star QB and No. 2 overall prospect and QB in the country 2025

Shamar Arnoux, Carrollton

Shamar Arnoux, Carrollton

Credit: 247 Sports

#15 Shamar Arnoux – 6-2, 177, Senior – Committed to USC June 26th over 30 other offers including Tennessee – Highest Ranking: Rivals 4-Star and No. 12 CB in the country 2025

#0 Zion Cooley – 6-4, 220, Senior TE/Edge – Decommitfed from East Carolina October 28th – Has 11 total offers including UAB – Highest Rating: 247 Sports 3-Star Edge

#12 Kai Callen – 5-10, 170, Senior – Committed to James Madison June 19th over nine other offers – Consensus 3-Star ATH

#70 Cole Norred – 6-3, 270, Senior – 10 offers including Charleston Southern after decommitting from Army – Highest Rating: ESPN 3-Start Interior OL

#93 C.J. Kelley – 6-0, 233, Senior DL/LB – Five offers including Arkansas State

#7 A.J. Cromartie – 5-11, 168, Senior DB – Offered by UT-Martin, Southeast Missouri State and Houston Christian

#1 Kiyun Cofer - 5-10, 180, Senior WR – Offered by Reinhardt, Jackson State and Point University

#5 Kameron McClure – 5-7, 159, Senior ATH (CB) – Offered by Tuskegee

#65 Ryan “R.J.” Sizemore – 5-10, 264, Senior OL – 11 offers including Reinhardt and Berry

#13 Aaron “A.J.” McNeil – 5-11, 179, Senior WR – Committed to UT-Martin over two other offers

Juniors

#3 Zelus Hicks – 6-2, 181, Junior – Committed to Texas September 12th over 33 offers - Consensus 4-Star – Highest Rating: ESPN No. 1 Safety in the country 2026

#18 Dorian Barney – 6-1, 170, Junior – Committed to Alabama May 19th over 39 other offers – Consensus 4-Star – Highest Rating: 247 Sports No. 9 CB in the country 2026

#4 Ryan Mosley – 6-2, 197, Junior – 22 offers including Georgia and Alabama - Highest Rating: On3 Recruiting 4-Star and No. 13 WR in the country 2026

#52 Zykie Helton – 6-3, 248, Junior – 20 offers including Alabama who he originally committed to July 2023 but then decommitted – Highest Rating: Rivals 4-Star and No. 1 Interior OL in the country 2026

#6 Peyton Zachary – 5-5, 153, Junior – 16 offers including Georgia – Highest Rating: On3 Recruiting 3-Star WR

#21 Kimauri Farmer – 5-9, 174, Junior – 12 offers including Georgia State, UAB and Georgia Southern – Highest Rating: On3 Recruiting 3-Star RB

#9 C.J. Gamble – 6-1, 200, Junior – 8 offers including Tennessee - Highest Rating: 247 Sports 3-Star LB

#53 Beau Ball – 6-3, 301, Junior OL – Offered by Georgia Southern and UT-Martin

#2 Jay Hagan – 5-10, 175, Junior DB – Offered by Georgia Southern

#95 D.A. Logan – 6-2, 252, Junior DL – Offered by Georgia Southern

#34 Kaden Spratling – 6-1, 221, Junior LB – Offered by Shorter and UT-Martin

Freshmen

#54 Kweli Fielder – 6-4, 308, Freshman OL – Four offers including Florida

 

Douglas County Tigers

Seniors

#2 James Johnson – 5-11, 180, Senior – Committed to USC August 30th – Highest Rating: ESPN 4-Star WR

#5 Mike Hastie – 6-3, 225, Senior – Committed to West Virginia June 24th over 29 other offers – Consensus 3-Star LB

#99 La’Derion Williams – 6-4, 305, Senior – 38 offers including Georgia - Highest Rating: On3 Recruiting 3-Star DL

#15 Braxtin McLester – 6-3, 185, Senior DB – Committed to Georgia Southern September 22nd over 10 other offers including Georgia State and Middle Tennessee – Highest Ranking: On3 Recruiting 3-Star WR – Starts at NB for Tigers

#10 Mike Thomas – 5-11, 175, Senior CB – Committed to Army over offer from Clark Atlanta

#3 Brandon Ellison – 5-7, 170, Senior WR – Offered by Gardner-Webb and Miles

#21 Karson Kindred – 5-10, 165, Senior CB – Committed to Drake August 20th over 5 other offers

#13 Jalen Brassell - 6-2, 180, Senior DB—Committed to Dartmouth

#26 Jaylen Ray – 6-2, 245, Senior DE – Offered by Reinhardt and Morehouse

Juniors

Aaron Gregory, Douglas County

Aaron Gregory, Douglas Coun

Credit: 247 Sports

#1 Devin Carter – 6-2, 170, Junior – 38 Offers including Alabama, Georgia, and Auburn - Consensus 4-Star – Highest Rating: Rivals No. 2 WR in the country 2026

#22 Jordan Carter – 6-4, 250, Junior – Committed to Texas A&M October 27th over 46 other offers - Consensus 4-Star - Highest Rating: Rivals No. 1 Edge in the country 2026

#4 Aaron Gregory – 6-3, 175, Junior – Committed to Texas A&M October 27th over 54 other offers including Georgia and Auburn - Consensus 4-Star – Highest Rating: Rivals No. 3 WR in the country 2026

#12 D.J. Bourdeaux – 6-2, 190, Junior – 26 Offers including Auburn - Highest Rating: Rivals 3-Star and No. 8 Dual-Threat QB in the country 2026

#0 Jamar Owens - 6-1, 180, Junior – 46 offers including Georgia Tech, Georgia State and Auburn – Highest Rating: Rivals 3-Star SAF

#18 Marcus Adam Carter – 6-2, 175, Junior WR – 22 offers including Georgia Tech, Louisville, and Memphis – Out for season with knee injury

#23 Zamarcus Lindley – 5-10, 200, Junior – 9 offers including Boston College, Duke, and Northwestern

#74 Julius Dumas – 6-3, 300, Junior OL – Seven offers including Georgia State, App State and USF

#6 Rah’Keith Kelly – 5-9, 170, Junior RB/WR – Offered by Maryland, East Carolina, and Coastal Carolina

#72 Eddie Alford – 6-4, 310, Junior OL – Offered by Duke and Arkansas State

#71 Chase Mideau – 6-4, 305, Junior OL – Offered by Georgia State and Coastal Carolina

#44 Soloman Fabian – 6-1, 235, Junior Edge (DE) – Offered by Marshall

#73 Joshua Vaughan – 6-1, 290, Junior Center – Offered by Weber State

Sophomores

#51 Joshua Sam-Epelle – 6-8, 310, Sophomore – 14 offers including Georgia and Auburn - Highest Rating: 247 Sports 4-Star and No. 6 OT in the country 2027

So, join Wayne Gandy, Jon Nelson, Hannah Goodin, and me for our Emmy Award-winning Football Fridays in Georgia Game of the Week as the No. 1 Carrollton Trojans play at the No. 4 Douglas County Tigers. Remember at halftime we’ll highlight this week’s Make That Kid an Offer nominees from around the state.

You can watch Football Fridays in Georgia so many ways. You have traditional TV (GPB), online at GPB.org, GPB Sports app, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Twitch.

Now if you miss the game live or just want to watch it again, don’t worry, we replay the entire Football Fridays in Georgia Game of the Week at 11:15 p.m. or you can watch it on demand anytime at GPB.org. 

Enjoy your November 1, 2024, Football Friday in Georgia!