IA DII: Bowdon vs. Brooks County

When: Monday, 4 p.m.

About Bowdon: The No. 2-ranked Red Devils (12-2) finished second in Region 7. Coach Richard Fendley’s team has won back-to-back state championships. QB Charles Maxwell III has thrown for 2,475 yards and 35 touchdowns and rushed for 861 yards and 13 touchdowns. The Red Devils have a pair of 1,000-yard rushers -- Nathan Bhony leads the team with 1,245 yards and eight touchdowns and Joshawia Davis has 1,020 yards and 15 touchdowns. The versatile Kaiden Prothro, a junior who already has offers from Georgia and Auburn, has 53 catches for 1,111 yards (21 yards per catch) and 21 touchdowns. Senior Dylan McGrinn leads the team with 135 tackles and has 13 tackles for loss and six sacks.

About Brooks County: The No. 6-ranked Indians (10-4) are the Region 2 champions. First-year coach Josh McFather has Brooks back in the title game for the first time since they won it all in 2021. Sophomore QB Junior Burrus has thrown for 2,207 yards and 26 touchdowns, connecting 59 times to George Lammons Jr. for 1,257 yards and 19 touchdowns. Lammons, a sophomore, already has 20 DI offers, including South Carolina and Alabama. Chris Cole has rushed for 1,859 yards and 17 touchdowns and has been over 100 yards in 12 games.  The top tacklers are Amarjae Mitchell (91) and Marquis Williams (89), who has a staggering 18 sacks and 21 hurries.

How they got there: Bowdon def. Taylor County 49-7, def. Metter 42-14, def. Clinch County 31-13, def. Irwin County 42-28. Brooks County def. Washington-Wilkes 49-7, def. Miller County 12-10, def. Jenkins County 28-7, def. Manchester 17-14.

Championship history: Brooks County won state championships in 1994 and 2021 and finished second in 2019 and 2020. Bowdon has won four state championship – 1971, 1992, 2023 and 2024 and finished second in 1989 and 2001.

Series history: Brooks County won the only previous meeting 42-26 in the 2013 quarterfinals.