North Gwinnett Humbles Grayson in Georgia High School Football Opener

North Gwinnett wasted no time delivering the first major result of the 2026 Georgia high school football season.

The Bulldogs scored on their opening possession, shut out Grayson for nearly three quarters and rolled to a 37-22 victory Wednesday night in the Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

Grayson entered the game ranked No. 2 in the High School On SI Georgia Preseason Top 25, while North Gwinnett was No. 8.

North Gwinnett Strikes Early

On the game's first offensive snap, North Gwinnett quarterback Elam Rahman connected with Evan Hawkins for 54 yards on a flea flicker. Rahman later found Christian Jackson for a touchdown to give the Bulldogs a 7-0 lead.

Hawkins added a 7-yard touchdown run on a jet sweep, followed by Stephen Brown's two-point conversion, as North Gwinnett led 15-0 after one quarter.

The Bulldogs continued to pull away in the second quarter when Rahman connected with Jackson for a 40-yard touchdown, sending North Gwinnett into halftime with a 22-0 advantage.

Grayson was held to zero rushing yards in the first half.

Bulldogs Turn It Into a Rout

Any hopes of a Grayson comeback took a major hit early in the third quarter when North Gwinnett linebacker Jake Godfree intercepted Deuce Smith and returned it 56 yards for a touchdown. Rahman later connected with Hawkins for another score, and a two-point conversion pass to Jackson stretched the Bulldogs' lead to 37-0.

Grayson finally broke through late in the third when Smith hit JoJo Watts for a 65-yard touchdown.

Grayson Scores Late

The Rams continued fighting in the fourth quarter. Smith connected with Saif Bin-Wahad for a touchdown before finding Cam Hurst for another score with three seconds remaining. Ashton Turner added the two-point conversion to produce the final margin.

But the late scores couldn't overcome North Gwinnett's dominant start as the Bulldogs completed a 37-22 victory and an immediate statement to open the 2026 season.

Trace how the action unfolded by a review our live in-game updates below.

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Preview

What: Grayson vs. North Gwinnett in the Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic
When: Wednesday, Aug. 12 - 8 p.m.
Where: Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium

Grayson Begins New Era Under Greg Carswell

A new era begins at Grayson (12-1 in 2025), where Greg Carswell has been promoted to head coach of the Rams.

Deuce Smith is back as Grayson's starting quarterback after passing for 2,355 yards and 24 touchdowns last season. Smith stepped into the starting role after four-star quarterback Travis Burgess, now at North Carolina, suffered a season-ending knee injury in the second game of the 2025 season.

With Smith at the helm, Grayson remained undefeated until the Class 7A quarterfinals, where the Rams suffered a 34-14 loss to eventual state runner-up Carrollton. As the Rams begin their 2026 season, the offense will rely on Smith, running back Ashton Turner and wide receiver Aaron "AB" Black. Leading the way up front will be five-star offensive lineman Jordan Agbanoma.

Defensively, Grayson is led by four-star edge rusher Elijah Tillman, an Alabama commit.

North Gwinnett Brings Experienced Offense

North Gwinnett (12-2 in 2025) also saw its season end with a playoff loss to Carrollton in the state semifinals. The Bulldogs played two quarterbacks last fall – senior Elam Rahman and junior Banks Holcomb - and both should see time against Grayson. The two combined for more than 2,400 yards passing and 31 touchdowns.

Whichever quarterback is in the lineup, North Gwinnett has experienced targets in tight end Max Patterson, a Pittsburgh commit who caught 38 passes for 439 yards and seven touchdowns last season, and wide receiver Evan Hawkins, who had 732 receiving yards and six touchdowns in 2025.

Defense will remain a team strength for North Gwinnett. North Carolina State commit Jake Godfree retuns at linebacker after recording 141 tackles, including 18 for loss and eight sacks. Ewan Glass, Gabe Autry, Marshall Brown and Bryson Ford all return after strong seasons for the Bulldogs.

With both teams returning experienced quarterbacks and proven playmakers, the opening-night matchup should provide an immediate test for two programs with championship aspirations.

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