Buford Pulls Away From Gainesville in Top Georgia High School Football Matchup: Live Score Recap

The Buford Wolves capitalized on five Gainesville Red Elephants turnovers to win 39-19 in Friday at Philip Beard Stadium.

Gainesville allowed two special teams touchdowns because of bad snaps that its punter could not catch, and both times Buford recovered in the end zone. The Red Elephants had a third special teams turnover when their kick returner Legend Wilmont fumbled during a punt return.

Despite the scoreline, the game was close for the first half. Gainesville's defense held Buford to 33 total yards in the first half, but Buford senior quarterback DJ Hunter (James Madison) scrambled to sparked the Wolves offense in the second half.

Buford's defense held Gainesville and senior quarterback Kharim Hughley (Clemson) in the second half after he led the Red Elephants in multiple long drive in the first half.

Gainesville running backs Nigel Newkirk (Alabama) and Dwight Lewis Jr. were out of the game.

Buford is the defending Georgia Class 6A champion, the Wolves are also the defending national champion. They went 15-0 and defeated Carrollton in the Georgia title game to earn the final nation's top ranking.

Read full live score recap below.

Top Recruits

Buford

3-star LB - Brayden Watson - Sr. - Michigan
3-star LB - Ethan Hauser - Sr. - Vanderbilt
3-star S - Jameer Cantrell - Sr. - Arkansas
4-star DE - Luke Nabors - Jr. - Uncommitted (Offers from Auburn, Florida State, Miami (FL), Penn State and Georgia)
3-star QB - DJ Hunter - Sr. - James Madison
3-star CB - Silas Nuckles - Sr. - Uncommitted (Auburn, Florida State, Wake Forest, Wisconsin)
3-star CB - Brendon Davis - Jr. - Uncommitted (Georgia Tech, Tennessee, Auburn)
3-star OL - Noah Nixon - Sr. - Pitt
3-star DL - Krystian Walcott - Sr. - Boston College

Gainesville

4-star CB - Jai'lil Goley - Jr. - Uncommitted (Georgia, Georgia Tech, South Corolina, Ohio State)
4-star QB - Kharim Hughley - Sr. - Clemson
4-star RB - Nigel Newkirk - Sr. - Alabama
4-star LB - Jeremiah Proctor - Sr. - Pitt
3-star OL - Tyler Ford - Sr. - Miami (FL)
3-star OL - Bryson Hurt - Sr. - NC State
3-star LB - Darryn Williams - Sr. - Wake Forest
3-star OL - Carter Mathis - Sr. - Pitt
3-star RB - Dwight Lewis Jr. - Jr. - Uncommitted (Georgia State, Pitt, Uconn)

Buford Pull Away From Gainesville in Top Georgia High School Football Matchup: Live Score Recap

FINAL: Buford 39, Gainesville 19

FOURTH QUARTER UPDATES

TOUCHDOWN GAINESVILLE! Jordan Brown runs for a touchdown for the Red Elephants — Buford 39, Gainesville 13 — 1:48

TOUCHDOWN BUFORD! Hunter ran for a 28-yard touchdown to finish a drive in which he ran multiple times — Buford 39, Gainesville 13 — 8:15

END OF THIRD QUARTER: Buford 32, Gainesville 13

THIRD QUARTER UPDATES

FUMBLE BY GAINESVILLE! Gainesville running back Jordan Brown fumbles after a good run up the middle, and Buford senior linebacker Ethan Hauser recovered right before the end of the third quarter. That's the fifth Gainesville turnover.

TOUCHDOWN BUFORD! Another special teams snap goes over the Gainesville punter's head, and Buford sophomore defensive lineman Carson Whyte recovered it for a touchdown. That's the second time Buford has scored from a bad special teams snap — Buford 32, Gainesville 13 — 1:36

TOUCHDOWN BUFORD! Junior running back Tripp Chatmon breaks multiple tackles on his way to a 40-yard touchdown run — Buford 25, Gainesville 13 — 2:30

TOUCHDOWN BUFORD! Quarterback DJ Hunter runs in a short-yardage touchdown to take the lead for Buford. That finishes their best offensive drive of the day, a 65-yard one — Buford 17, Gainesville 13 — 4:40

TOUCHDOWN GAINESVILLE! Senior wide receiver Collin Porterfield catches a 4-yard touchdown from Hughley, who rolled right and found Porterfield — Gainesville 13, Buford 10 — 5:41

More of the same to start the second half. Gainesville's defense forces another punt, and the Red Elephants start a drive at their 13-yard line — 9:27

Buford receives the kickoff, and the second half is underway.

HALFTIME: Buford 10, Gainesville 6

Gainesville's three turnovers have given Buford the lead. Buford capitalized on two Gainesville special teams fumbles to score its 10 points. Gainesville and Buford's defense are playing well, and Buford only has 33 total yards.

SECOND QUARTER UPDATES

FIELD GOAL BY BUFORD! Junior kicker Evan Griffeth makes a 38-yard field goal to end the first half. — Buford 10, Gainesville 6

FUMBLE BY GAINESVILLE! Buford senior Ethan Hauser forced a fumble from junior Legend Wilmont on a Gainesville punt return, and the Wolves will have the ball inside the Red Elephants inside the 10-yard line — 1:07

Gainesville punts, but Buford is called for a facemask on the return, so the Wolves are pushed back deep into their own territory.

The Gainesville defense continues to suffocate the Buford offense, which has nine total yards. The Wolves punt, and the Red Elephants will get another drive — 6:32

FIELD GOAL GAINESVILLE! The Red Elephants thought they had a touchdown, but the play was called back because of a holding penalty. Instead, Gainesville has to settle for another field goal — Buford 7, Gainesville 6

Buford went for it on 4th-and-2 and midfield, but the snap went over quarterback DJ Hunter's head, so Gainesville will have the ball at Buford's 7-yard line — 10:00

END OF FIRST QUARTER: Buford 7, Gainesville 3

Gainesville out-gains Buford 113-19 in the first quarter, but the Wolves lead after Gainesville's special teams gaffe.

FIRST QUARTER UPDATES

Gainesville punts, this time with a pooch punt by Hughley, that pins Buford inside the 5-yard line — 1:17

TOUCHDOWN BUFORD! Gainesville was set to punt from its own end zone after a 3-and-out, but the Red Elephant's snap was low, and the Wolves tackled the punter and senior Brady Wagner recovered the ball in the end zone — Buford 7, Gainesville 3 — 3:13

Buford punts again, but the Wolves pin Gainesville inside the 10-yard line — 4:04

FIELD GOAL GAINESVILLE! The Red Elephants make a 35-yard field goal. They made it to inside the 10-yard line, but miscues led to a loss of yards, so they settled for the field goal — Gainesville 3, Buford 0 — 5:09

Buford does not go far on its opening drive. The Wolves punt, and Gainesville will start its second drive at its own 38-yard line — 9:24

FUMBLE BY GAINESVILLE! Buford forces a fumble on what was a promising drive from Gainesville. Running back Jordan Brown fumbled, and Buford's Brayden Watson forced the fumble. The Wolves take over at their 30-yard line — 10:00

Gainesville receives the openining kickoff, and the game is underway.

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