Some Early Georgia Region Openers Already Have Playoff Implications

As September turns to fall football weather, playoff stakes rise across the Peach State with region rivals squaring off in marquee matchups this weekend

North Gwinnett wants a back-to-back Region 7-AAAAAA championship in 2025. / Colin Hubbard

One month of the Georgia High School football season is in the books, and region play is heating up as cooler temperatures begin to make good on the annual promise of fall rivalries.

Playoff Implications Are Tied to This Week's Games

Some schools in the Peach State play all 10 games against region opponents. Other squads play a schedule of region games that can be counted on one hand. For example, top-ranked Grayson has the week off before running their region gauntlet and No. 2 Buford hosts No. 9 Douglas County at Philip Beard Stadium. ,

This weekend features not only the beginning of region play for many teams, it will also provide some of the biggest matchups between region rivals. While a crown won’t be given out for Friday’s winners, the playoff spots and possibly tiebreakers will already begin taking shape.

Consider these matchups (all rankings are from the Georgia High School Football Top 25 State Rankings from High School on SI):

• In 3-AAAAAA, No. 14 McEachern (3-0) hosts Campbell (3-0).
• In 5-AAAAAA, previously ranked North Cobb (2-2) welcomes Cobb County rival Walton (2-2). Both teams have challenged themselves with non-region games and each have lost to McEachern.
• No. 13 North Gwinnett (2-1) travels to Brookwood (2-1) to open 7-AAAAAA play.

McEachern defeated then-No. 6 North Cobb in August, 21-0. / Cecil Copeland

Campbell at McEachern

Head Coach Jeff Phillips took over a 1-9 Campbell team in 2022 and has steadily improved the Spartans' playoff win total with three wins in 2023 and six wins last year. The Spartans hope this is the year they begin a string of playoff appearances.

Phillips coached playoff teams seven times in nine seasons in Tennessee before coming south to North Springs in 2021. Campbell will rely on the pitch and catch combo of junior quarterback Davine Lamine and senior receiver Nick Buggs. Lamine has thrown for 766 yards and seven touchdowns without an interception. Buggs boasts 382 yards receiving for over 20 yards per catch and four scores. and

McEachern appears to be ready to make another December playoff run. The Indians last reached the state semifinals in 2017. So far, they’ve knocked off Cobb neighbors and traditional powers, Walton, North Cobb, and Marietta in order.

After beating Walton and North Cobb handily, the Indians needed a final-minute interception by super sophomore Casey Barner to seal the deal against the Blue Devils. Reid's defense is stacked, though, allowing only 10 points per game. Barner (a transfer from Douglass with Power Four offers already) stars on offense, defense, and special teams for McEachern.

Walton Raiders celebrate a score in Mercedes-Benz Stadium. / Cecil Copeland

Walton at North Cobb

Call it a “brotherly affair” or call them the “Young Guns.” Either way, the Peacock brothers are cooking up something special for Walton. Christion is a sophomore quarterback with 784 yards passing and seven touchdowns. His favorite receiver is his freshman brother, Jordan (18 catches for 244 yards and two touchdowns).

While Jordan was just an eighth grader last fall, Christion saw action for … North Cobb. Walton’s two losses are against top competition, McEachern and No. 22 Roswell. 

North Cobb Head Coach is the longest-tenured of Cobb County coaches with 20 seasons at North Cobb after spending six at South Cobb. Queen has coached seven region champions and is 5-5 against Walton with a 42-14 victory at Raider Valley in 2024. Queen and the Warriors will rely on junior quarterback Teddy Jarrard to make plays and control the football against Walton. Jarrard, a Notre Dame commit, has 671 yards passing and three scores so far in 2025. North Cobb is coming off a four-turnover loss to Cass last week. 

Head coach Eric Godfree has the North Gwinnett Bulldogs ready for a road trip to rival Gwinnett. / North Gwinnett Athletics

North Gwinnett at Brookwood

Don’t be surprised if the score ends up 21-7 in this contest of Gwinnett rivals. All three games North Gwinnett has played have ended with that exact score. In a tough non-region schedule, the Bulldogs lost to Douglas County (at Mercedes-Benz Stadium In the Corky Kell & Dave Hunter Classic) before beating Colquitt County and Mill Creek 21-7. Eric Godfree’s Bulldogs are coming off a 12-1 mark in 2024. His stingy defense (10.2 PPG) is led by his all-state linebacker and son, Jake. The junior holds more than a handful of Power Four offers.

Brookwood is led by first-year head coach, German-born and Georgia Southern-educated, Chad Nighbert. Nighbert was promoted from defensive coordinator to interim head coach to head coach over the last twelve months.

After an opening week loss to No. 25 Houston County in the Corky Kell & Dave Hunter Classic, Nighbert’s defense has pitched consecutive shutouts against Gwinnett rivals Shiloh and South Gwinnett. The Broncos' defense will be complemented by a strong ground game led by junior Brayden Tyson. The junior, whose father played defensive tackle at Georgia and in the NFL holds offers from SEC and Big Ten powers and is averaging 94 yards per game rushing.