Jason Bishop
Who Will Win ACC Title?
By: Kenneth Harrison Jr.
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
By this time next week we’ll know the conference champions for each Power 5 conference and the four-playoff teams. I’m going to preview the ACC championship game.
The Dr. Pepper ACC Football Championship Game is this Saturday night in Orlando, FL. It’s a matchup between No. 3 Clemson and No. 19 Virginia Tech. Clemson (11-1, 7-1 ACC) is trying to win its second consecutive conference championship and College Football Playoff appearance.
The Tigers have been very inconsistent this year. Some of that is because they are replacing several talented players that are now in the NFL. Coach Dabo Swinney has to get them to play more disciplined and consistent.
“This is the best team I’ve had since I’ve been (at Clemson),” said Swinney. “It’s a little frustrating at times, because I think sometimes these guys are held to a little bit different standard than some of these other teams out there. I don’t know what some people are looking at, but these guys have played well all year.”
That starts with the play of super star quarterback Deshaun Watson. He had a breakout season last year passing for over 4,000 yards and rushing for over 1,100. He only had 13 interceptions in 2015 and he already has 14 this season. His rushing total has also drastically dropped to under 500 yards.
In the loss to Pittsburgh Watson threw for 580 yards completing 74% of his passes but he also tossed 3 picks. The Tigers have played better the last two games so it looks like they might have finally found their niche.
The running game is what helped get them back on track. Junior Wayne Gallman has battled injuries but he’s finally getting healthy. Gallman averages over 5 yards per carry and he helps to take pressure off of Watson.
The Tigers are a balanced team that can also play defense. They rank 9th in the nation in total defense allowing 308 yards per game and 17 points per game.
Va Tech (9-3, 6-2) is doing well under first year head coach Justin Fuente. Fuente is tied for the most wins by a first-year Tech coach with C.P. Miles (went 9-1 in 1905). This is Virginia Tech’s first ACC Championship game appearance since 2011.
“Life has been pretty good, to be honest with you,” said Fuente. “We all have things that we’re trying to overcome, program wise. Change has been incredibly smooth (at Tech), but there hasn’t been anything to me that’s stuck out that’s been a huge thorn in our side.”
Junior QB Jerod Evans leads the Hokies with over 3,000 yards, 26 touchdowns and 5 picks. He also completes 64% of his passes. His top three targets have over 600 yards and four touchdowns each.
Tech is coming off of a two game winning streak so they have momentum going for them. They play well on defense as well coming in at 20th in the country in total defense.
If Clemson wins their guaranteed to make the College Football Playoffs again. The Tigers have a lot at stake so I expect them to feel the pressure. The game will be very competitive in the first half. I expect the superior talent of Clemson to take over in the second half and they’ll put the game out of reach.
Glynn Academy Terrors Beat Allatoona Buccaneers
By: Jason Bishop
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The rematch of last year’s state title game took place in the second round of the GHSA 6A playoffs.
The Allatoona Buccaneers, who beat the Glynn Academy Red Terrors last season in the Georgia Dome 10-6, took the five-hour trip from Acworth to Glynn County Stadium.
Most felt the Terrors were the better team this time around by far. However, the Bucs took the opening drive of the game right down the field and put themselves in field goal range. Allatoona lined up for the kick and that kick sailed left and no good. The game was over at that point.
Glynn opened up on offense and scored on a 47-yard TD pass by DeeJay Dallas to Quandre Mosely; a thing of beauty
By the half the Terrors had built a 20-0 advantage, which included a double pass for a touchdown; another thing of beauty. Dallas threw to Randon Jernigan behind the line of scrimmage and then went out a few yards for Jernigan to make a pass back across field to him. When Dallas caught the pass he had a convoy of blockers which lead him to the end zone for a 58-yard score.
Allatoona came out in the second half hoping to right the ship and get back into the game. Instead Glynn scored the first TD of the second half to give themselves a 27-0 lead. The Buccaneers then threw an interception on the ensuing possession and the Red Terrors punched that into the end zone and just like that it was 34-0 and at that point any hopes of a second half rally by Allatoona had ended.
Glynn had a 40-0 lead heading into the 4th quarter, which meant the defending state champs would be on a running clock in the 4th quarter; GHSA’s version of the mercy rule.
The Red Terrors had won 47-7 when the clock read 0:00 and eliminated the defending state champions.
Next up for Glynn Academy will the Northside Warner Robins Eagles, who are a perennial power house. As a matter fact, just two short years ago Northside won the state title and beat Glynn Academy in the Elite 8 on their way to the Georgia Dome.
The Eagles have beaten Grovetown and Langston Hughes to get to this point in the playoffs. Northside Warner Robins comes in with a 10-2 record and are no stranger to winning playoff games on the road, which they will have to do to advance against Glynn as the Terrors are the higher seed and will be at home in the friendly confines of Glynn County Stadium. Glynn Academy is undefeated at home this season.
It will be a great game. In my opinion, the winner of that game will be the team the limits the running game of the opposing offense the most as both teams are heavily run oriented teams.
SSE Minute November 19
Glynn Academy Red Terrors Advance
By: Jason Bishop
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Glynn Academy Red Terrors took their first step toward a state title Friday night in the GHSA playoffs.
Glynn hosted the #4 seed Jonesboro Cardinals and dominated the football game from start to finish. The Terrors took the opening kickoff and scored on the third play from scrimmage.
That started the rout and ended in a 45-3 score. The Terrors had their JV and freshmen in the game toward the end of the second quarter and went to the half with a 35-0 lead.
Rocky Hidalgo had his team focused and ready to play against the Cardinals. Jonesboro came into the game averaging around 10 points a game and were no match for Glynn’s swarming and fast defense.
The game ended up on a running clock in the 4th quarter.
The Terrors played without RB/WR Randon Jernigan who sat out with a sore hamstring for the second week in a row and his absence made absolutely no difference in the offensive output against Jonesboro’s defense.
Jernigan should be ready to go next week according to Glynn’s coaching staff.
That game will be against the defending state champs, the Allatoona Buccaneers.
The game will be a state title game rematch from last year. Allatoona claimed the trophy last year in the Georgia Dome beating the Terrors 10-6 in a defensive struggle.
However, the Buccaneers lost a good bit to graduation and most feel they are not as talented as last year’s team. Meanwhile, Glynn is a much better team; especially on the offensive side of the ball. If Allatoona attempts to execute the same game plan from last year’s title game they will likely get beat by 50 by the Terrors.
Last year, most knew if you could limit the damage from Glynn QB DeeJay Dallas you gave your shot a chance to win. This year that is not the case. Defensive coordinators can no longer game plan around stopping Dallas as the Red Terrors have too many other offensive weapons who will go off if the focus is primarily on Dallas.
The Buccaneers will also have to take the five hour trip south to Glynn County Stadium from Acworth, a north Atlanta suburb.
After Friday night’s games the teams that are left in Glynn’s bracket are the aforementioned Buccaneers, Northside Warner Robins, and Hughes.
Hughes, a four seed took down the other number one seed in the Terror’s bracket, Johns Creek. The final in that game was 34-10.
Hughes will square off against Northside Warner Robins and the winner will get the winner of Glynn and Allatoona with a place in the final four on the line.
The Terrors have the last two state champs in their bracket in Allatoona and Northside Warner Robins and will likely have to go through both to reach the Final Four.
Buckle up Terror fans, it should be a fun and long ride toward another state finals appearance and potentially a trophy this time.
Here Come the Terrors
By: Jason Bishop
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Glynn Academy Red Terrors took the field Friday night against the Bradwell Institute Tigers with the region championship already wrapped up in a little bow.
Bradwell was able to stay in the game through the first quarter; at the end of the first it was only 7-0 Glynn.
However, the flood gates opened in the second quarter and the Terrors had given themselves a 34-0 halftime lead. When all was said and done Glynn had defeated Bradwell by a score of 41-0
Coach Rocky Hidalgo elected to sit out RB/WR Randon Jernigan due to a sore hamstring and RB Jeremiah Anderson made his return to the team from an injury that kept him out since the first week of the season.
Jernigan’s return in the first round of the playoffs is questionable.
The final region standings saw the Red Terrors finish first, The Effingham Rebels finish with the two seed, the Richmond Hill Wildcats with the three seed, the Bradwell Tigers as the fourth seed, finishing last in the region with no playoff berth are the Brunswick High Pirates.
The Red Terrors will now turn their attention to the Jonesboro Cardinals, who upset Drew on Thursday night 38-26 to secure the number four seed in their region.
Jonesboro is loaded with athletes but is not nearly as physical as the Red Terrors.
Another great thing is that with Glynn securing the number one seed means they will be guaranteed for the first two games to be at home at Glynn County Stadium. A much different dynamic than last year’s run.
This Red Terror team is a very different team than last year’s. This team can score at will and can run the ball on anyone. Glynn Academy has rushed for more yards through 10 games than all of last year through 15 games. The Red Terrors are very dynamic on offense.
In other words, this team is better; still among the state’s elite on defense and now an explosive offense.
If you are a Terrors fan look for another deep run in the playoffs and maybe a State Title when the smoke clears.
SSE Minute November 5
SSE Minute November 4
The Game October 29
SSE Minute October 29
SSE Minute October 27
