Of the 26 teams covered by AccessWDUN/Friday Game Night, not a single one has a chance to clinch a playoff spot this week.
And only one, Chestatee, has a chance to be eliminated from any playoff hopes this week.
Some regions are still in their infancy of the 2023 playoff race. Others, like Region 8-4A and Region 7-3A, are nearly halfway or more than halfway done with still no clear picture.
What does that mean? Without being too much of a Captain Obvious, it means every game this week takes on supreme importance.
Buford, Gainesville, Jefferson, Lumpkin County, Commerce, and Rabun County all have a chance to solidify themselves at the top of their regions this week. Lumpkin County in Region 7-3A is off but depending on the Dawson County-Wesleyan showdown in Dawsonville, the Indians could move one step closer to their first-ever region title.
In Region 8-7A, the Buford-Mill Creek winner is given a 99 percent chance of winning the region by the Maxwell Ratings despite three region games still to go after tonight.
With only three region games in 8-A Division 1, Commerce and Rabun County both can put themselves one win from a playoff berth with victories tonight.
Union County in Region 8-2A can put itself in a prime spot with a win tonight over Providence Christian, which would give the Panthers the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Storm and Banks County. However, they may have the toughest finish in 8-2A with East Jackson, No. 9 Athens Academy, and No. 10 Fellowship Christian all to follow over the final month.
It will be fun to see where everyone stands after tonight, which may be the most important week so far in the season. It also could set up some fantastic region races down the stretch.
STATE LEADERS
Eight of the state’s top 50 rushers are in our northeast Georgia coverage area of AccessWDUN/Friday Game Night after Week 8, according to the comprehensive stats released by Georgia High School Football Daily on Friday.
Lumpkin County’s Mason Sullens continues to lead Class 3A an the state in rushing with 1,302 yards but he holds a slim 14-yard lead over Matthew Fuller of Wayne County, who leads Class 4A with 1,288 yards.
But Sullens isn’t the only area runner to lead his classification. Commerce’s Jaiden Daniels has climbed to 10th overall in the state and to the top of Class A Division 1 with 1,060 yards, which is just 1 skinny yard better than Austin Clemons of Bryan County (1,059). Daniels’ teammate, Tysean Wiggins, is 3rd in Class D1 with 1,002 yards and 17th overall.
Javin Gordon of Stephens County is now 7th with 1,124 yards, which puts him 2nd in Class 3A behind Sullens.
Conner Hulsey of Cherokee Buff has moved up to 30th overall with 877 yards and Jackson County’s M.J. Spurlin is 32nd with 867 yards. Jefferson’s Sammy Brown is 49th with 797 yards and West Hall’s Elijiah Hayes is 50th with 796 yards.
In passing, only four area quarterbacks have thrown for over 1,300 yards. Flowery Branch’s Josh Oliver continued his breakout season last week and is 12th overall in the state with 1,691 yards but that is only good for 3rd in Class 5A. He is more than 500 yards behind Class 5A and state leader Brody Hannah of Loganville, who has 2,264 yards.
Union County’s Caiden Tanner is 36th overall with 1,339 yards, Tanner Marsh of North Hall is 39th with 1,320 yards, and Buford’s Dylan Raiola is 40th with 1,310 yards.
In receiving, still only three area players are in the top 20.
Flowery Branch, Jeremiah Ware is 5th overall in the state with 810 yards. However, he is only 2nd in Class 5A behind Ahmed Souare of Loganville, who has 1,115 yards.
Willie Goodwyn of Rabun County is 18th overall with 647 yards and is still 2nd in Class A Division 1, but now just 1 yard off the pace of Bryson Campbell of Athens Christian (648 yards).
Union County’s Jensen Goble is 25th with 607 yards.
