Joseph Stuckey
Bulloch Academy Gators Another Big Win
By: Joseph Stuckey
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Bulloch Academy Gators came into this past Friday’s game with a 3-1 record. This game came the week after the hard-fought loss to John Milledge Academy, 23-35 in Milledgeville.
The good news is the Gators have played a really tough schedule, and their MaxPreps ranking is taking note as they came into this game #2 in the AAAA rankings and #4 in all of GIAA.
With their win on Friday over the Westfield School Hornets out of Perry, GA, the Gators improve to 4-1 and look well on their way to locking up a top seed in the GIAA AAAA playoffs.
Westfield came into the game ranked #2 in AAA and #6 in all of GIAA. This game featured playmakers in all aspects of the game.
The offense was able to control the clock by running the ball consistently and getting big runs when needed from impact players like Connor Perry and quarterback Sam Hubbard.
Hubbard continues to show how impressive his ability to make decisive runs and calculated throws is.
The offensive running game also felt an impact from Rocco Reiss, B.J. Smart, and Nick Eason Jr. The offensive line upfront also continues to show why it is the most consistent group for the Gators year after year.
The Gators’ defense was able to capitalize on the Hornets playing from behind the sticks most of the night. They allowed minimal big plays and implemented a bend-but-don’t-break mentality.
The defense only allowed a couple of big receptions and tried to keep everything in front of them. The defense allowed the Hornets to make mistakes and then capitalized for big stops.
The defense had several playmakers, including Jayce Farmer, Tate Williams, and Colin Grooms.
Also, the quarterback felt pressure all night from Braylon Cone at nose guard and Billy Crider off the edge. Crider also knocked down a pass late in the game to help seal the victory.
On special teams, the Gators relied on good returns from Perry and Crider as well as consistent kickoffs and extra points from Case Woodrum.
Special teams seem to be an area where the Gators find an advantage over other teams, and with a little fine-tuning, it could become their best aspect of their team.
The game against the Hornets basically ran at a 2-score deficit most of the night; even though they scored a late touchdown, which made the score look closer, the Gators controlled the game from start to finish.
Westfield also had a failed 2-point conversion towards the end of the game, which all but put the final nail in the coffin, as the Gators offense was able to run out the clock.
Outside of a few minor errors and slip-ups, the Gators seem to have rebounded well from the loss to JMA and look to have their eyes set on going for the big GIAA prize.
Now that this game is in the book, the Gators will travel next week to Robert Toombs in Lyons and hope to avoid a 3-overtime marathon game like last season. After that, the Gators will travel to Strong Rock Christian in Locust Grove for their biggest AAAA regular-season matchups of the season.
Georgia Players Commitments To Georgia Schools
By: Joseph Stuckey
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
As we are less than 100 days away from Early National Signing Day on December 2nd, I thought it would be a good time to examine the recruiting rankings of the 5 FBS teams in the State of Georgia.
To start with, the Georgia Bulldogs sit at number 14 in the country with two 5-stars and eight 4-stars.
Their class is highlighted by the #1 running back in the country, Kemon Spell, and the #1 tight end, Jaxon Dollar.
They also have a local verbal commitment from Abram Eisenhower, who is a consensus 3-star offensive lineman from Lowndes County.
Next are the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, who posted an impressive 9-4 record last season under head coach Brent Key. They currently have the number 26 overall recruiting class, which is headlined by nine 4-star recruits.
They do have local standout offensive lineman Jordan Dillon from Effingham County verbally committed to them; he is a 3-star. Also, 3-star wide receiver Antwan Lockett from Colquitt County is verbally committed to the Yellow Jackets.
Next, I will dive into the three Group of 6 Schools in the state. It is always interesting to see which of these 3 finishes on top each year. I say this because they are all in some of the highest recruited areas in the country.
Georgia Southern is in the 912 area code, which has produced a top-3 overall recruit for the past 2 recruiting cycles. Both Kennesaw State and Georgia State are in the Metro Atlanta area, which produces a top-25 overall recruit basically every year.
First is the Georgia Southern Eagles, who have the highest average recruit rating of the three. They do have a couple of local wide receivers verbally committed to them: 3-star MJ Knight (Calvary Day) and 3-star Billy Crider (Bulloch Academy).
They also have verbal commitments from 3-star tight end Elan Jones (Ware County) and 3-star running back Josiah Gibbons (Brunswick).
Next is fellow Sun Belt school Georgia State, which has the highest-rated overall class of the three schools on both On3 and 247Sports.
Head Coach Dell McGee was able to reel in a verbal commitment from 4-star athlete Justin Murphy, who plays at nearby North Clayton High School.
They also do have a couple of local verbal commitments: 3-star wide receiver Jamarian Mingo (Valdosta) and 3-star running back Donterrius Mincey (Toombs County).
Last but not least is the defending Conference USA Champion, the Kennesaw State Owls.
Right now the Owls are basically tied with Georgia Southern in both overall recruiting class ranking and average recruit rating.
They do have a local verbal commitment from 3-star Braylon Cone (Bulloch Academy), who is the highest-rated defensive lineman in the 912 area code for the 2027 cycle.
There is not much of a surprise with where these teams currently sit in the rankings. If you look at last year’s recruiting cycle rankings, it is very similar to this year’s rankings.
UGA is normally near the top, and Georgia Tech is trying to crack the top 25.
For the G6 schools, they usually finish close together in the rankings, so it will be interesting to see which of the 3 ends up on top this recruiting cycle.
Bulloch Academy Gator Chomp
By: Joseph Stuckey
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Bulloch Academy Gators have started their 2026 football campaign with a 2-0 start.
In the first game of the regular season, the Gators handled their rival Pinewood Christian Academy in The Battle for I-16, winning 44-6. For this senior class, this makes them 4-0 in the rivalry series.
This past Friday, after an extensive rain delay (9:17pm start time), the Gators rallied back to beat Brentwood. Brentwood led 33-14 in the 3rd quarter before the Gators scored 22 unanswered points to move to 2-0 (final score: BA 36-Brentwood 33).
Both Pinewood and Brentwood compete in 2-A in the GIAA; Brentwood is the defending back-to-back AA State Champions.
Over these first couple of games, there have been a few standout Gators I want to make note of.
First, running back B.J. Smart really has filled into the starting role nicely and seems to be capable of helping the Gators run all the way to the playoffs.
The next 2 are what I call Swiss Army knives, meaning they are very versatile and make plays all over the field.
Connor Perry is very shifty and can make defenders miss in the open field. Rocco Reiss is a tough runner but can also be a deep-pass threat, as he had a 50+ yard touchdown reception this past Friday. Maddox Lee is also one of the very versatile players who the Gators will look to throughout the season.
Sam Hubbard, as we have seen for the past couple of years, is a very capable quarterback and shows he has ice in his veins and can take off and run for big gains when needed. He is committed to play baseball for Georgia Southern.
Nick Eason Jr. has also been playing exceptionally well on the offensive side of the ball and as a key defensive back, making several touchdown-saving pass breakups. He also had an interception against Brentwood.
Georgia Southern commit Billy Crider came into the season known for his catching ability, but he has also found success as a return man on special teams and a quick edge on the defensive line.
The offensive line up front has led the way to the Gators putting up 80 points over their first 2 games. Some of the key guys up front are Griff Sumner, Bryce Parish, Bo Crider, James Lee, and Slayton Roberts.
On the defensive side of the ball, the guys up front are rounding into mid-season form. Colin Grooms had a game-changing 15-yard tackle for loss against Brentwood. Kennesaw State commit Braylon Cone is taking command of the nose-guard position and basically eliminating any up-the-middle runs.
Whit Olliff has really impressed me so far this season; he has been a vocal leader on defense and has made impactful plays over these first 2 games.
I also want to mention sophomore Cannon Vickery, who is a spark plug for the Gators whenever he is in the game and brings a lot of energy to his teammates.
The 2-0 Gators will travel next week to take on fellow unbeaten team Tattnall Square Academy in Macon.
With a win next week, it will set up what many have dubbed the GIAA game of the year in Milledgeville on 9/4 between defending AAA State Champs John Milledge Academy and the Gators, who are one of the AAAA State Title favorites.
There are still a few things the Gators would like to sharpen up, as well as reduce the number of penalties as they continue the season, but so far this has been a positive start for the Gators.
Miami Hurricanes 2026 Preview
By: Joseph Stuckey
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Miami Hurricanes are looking to build on their momentum from last season’s success. They made it all the way to the National Championship game but fell short to the Indiana Hoosiers.
This season, they are reloaded and are looking to bring home the trophy.
To start with, there is a new quarterback for the Hurricanes as Carson Beck has graduated out and is now with the Arizona Cardinals. If I may add, Beck looked very promising in the Hall of Fame game against the Panthers.
Darian Mensah has been the story of the offseason in college football, and his saga of leaving the Blue Devils of Duke and coming to Miami has certainly been interesting to follow.
He led the Blue Devils to the ACC title last season and originally committed to come back, but in the end transferred to Miami.
Mario Cristobal is the head coach of the Hurricanes and is entering his 5th season, and during his tenure has brought them back into the national spotlight. Currently, according to 247sports, the Hurricanes have the #2-ranked recruiting class for the 2027 cycle, headlined by 5 five-star recruits.
On a local note, former Benedictine Cadet standout Herbert Scroggins III is set to make a real impact on the defensive line this season for the Hurricanes.
As the Hurricanes look to return to the National Championship game, they will start week 1 in conference play as they will take one of the longest trips in college football this season from Miami, FL to California and take on the Stanford Cardinal.
Next, they will welcome the Rattlers of FAMU to Hard Rock Stadium before traveling to Deac Town to take on Wake Forest, which is coached by Jake Dickert, coming off a 9-4 record.
Then the Hurricanes will come back home to host Central Michigan before heading to Death Valley and taking on Dabo Swinney’s Clemson Tigers in what will be a key early-season matchup.
The Pitt Panthers will then make a trip to South Beach before the Hurricanes head to Chapel Hill to take on Bill Belichick’s Tar Heels in what could potentially be a must-win game for Coach Belichick.
Next, a trip to South Bend is in store for the Canes in what will be one of the top matchups in college football this season.
To end the season, Miami will host 3 ACC games that will have a lot of ACC Championship and CFP implications on the line
The Duke Blue Devils will head to Hard Rock Stadium in what will be a very interesting game for the Dariah Mensah saga.
After that, both Virginia Tech and Boston College will make trips to South Beach.
This is a very manageable schedule for the Hurricanes, and there is a strong possibility they will go 12-0; however, I see them closer to the 10-win mark.
There are some tough road games: at Wake Forest, at Clemson, and at Notre Dame, it would be very east for them to drop a couple of these tough road games.
Now, with that being said, I think Miami has one of the best chances to make the CFP, and if they do what they are supposed to do this season, they will find themselves right in the playoff mix at the end of the season.
Gators Are For Real
By: Joseph Stuckey
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
To start off the 2026 football season, the Bulloch Academy Gators took on the Jenkins County War Eagles in a scrimmage game in Millen, GA, on Friday, 8/7.
Jenkins County is a GHSA school that plays in 1-A Region 5 against teams like Johnson County and Twiggs County.
I always like to use the term “watered-down” when talking about a scrimmage game because plays are normally scripted, coaches are sometimes on the field, most of the key players don’t play the entire game, and there are some odd elements in the kicking game.
There were a few minor things the Gators may need to sharpen as we head into the regular season, but for the most part it was business as usual.
Quarterback Sam Hubbard hit Georgia Southern commit Billy Crider for a long touchdown pass, as it looks like the Gators may try to slip in a few more passing plays than in years past.
Running back Danye Garvin has graduated out and is now a part of the Wingate University football team. So, one of the big questions this offseason was who would be taking the lead role running the ball in the Gators’ Wing-T offense.
B.J. Smart answered that question as he looked like a strong and capable running back to carry the ball for the Gators this season.
I expect the running game to take center stage again this year as we look to have a very solid offensive line consisting of: James Lee, Griff Sumner, Bo Crider, Slayton Roberts, and Bryce Parrish. A strong offensive line is very crucial for the Gators to do what they want to do on offense this season.
On the defensive side of the ball, a few names stood out to me; of course, Collin Grooms and Kennesaw State commit Braylon Cone were a part of several big stops for the Gators.
Whitt Oliff made his presence known throughout the scrimmage, and Nick Eason Jr. displayed his speed chasing down a ball carrier, thus saving a touchdown. Billy Crider also took some snaps as an edge rusher and looked very solid.
The Gators also have quite a few very versatile guys that you will see making plays in several different aspects of the game, including: Cannon Vickery, Jace Farmer, Rhett Morgan, Maddox Lee, J.B. Roach, and Rocco Reiss.
Overall, I think the Gators are really going to make a run at the GIAA 4-A State Title this year, but now their attention must turn to the Battle for I-16. The Pinewood Patriots will make their way to the Swamp on Friday 8/14, where regular season play will kick off under the lights in Statesboro.
Normally this matchup takes place at the end of the year during region play, but with Pinewood moving down to GIAA 2-A, these two teams will no longer be region opponents.
Anytime a team comes down from a larger classification, they always have to get other teams’ attention, so I would not be surprised if Pinewood makes a playoff push later this season and finds themselves on the 2-A playoff bracket.
The Gators have been the better team for the last couple of years, winning both at home and on the road in Bellville. However, the BA/Pinewood games always come down to the wire, and I don’t expect this year’s matchup to be any different.
New Gator Era
By: Joseph Stuckey
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Swamp in Gainesville is buzzing as the Billy Napier era ends and the Jon Sumerall era has begun.
Coach Sumerall comes to the Gators from Tulane, where he was head coach for 2 years; prior to that, he was head coach at Troy for 2 years. He has a record of 43-12 and led Tulane to a CFP berth last season.
The Gators have also been hot on the recruiting trail this summer, and according to 24/7Sports, they are number 11 in the country and number 6 in the SEC; their class is currently headlined by 5-star O-Lineman Maxwell Hiller.
But the focus is starting to turn to their 2026 campaign as the Gators look to turn this recharged energy into wins on the field.
To start, the Gators are moving forward Lagway-less; their quarterback of the future is now a Baylor Bear. So, at the quarterback position, the Gators will look to either Tramell Jones Jr., who was a 3-star recruit for the Gators in the 2025 class, or Aaron Philo, who many Georgia Tech fans thought would replace Haynes King in Atlanta.
The new Offensive Coordinator for the Gators also came from Georgia Tech, as Buster Faulkner will be calling plays, and if I had to bet who was going to start game number 1 against Florida Atlantic, it would be Philo.
It’s also worth noting from a local perspective that former Portal Panther and Redshirt Sophomore Amir Jackson has a lot of signs pointing his way towards being an impact player this season at Tight End.
According to ESPN, the Gators have the 7th toughest strength of schedule in the country; as a side note, 14 of the top 15 are all SEC teams.
To start off the season, the Gators will host Zach Kittley’s Florida Atlantic Owls and their high-octane offense. He is currently the youngest coach at the FBS level at age 34. I am putting the Gators on upset watch for this game.
Next, they will host FCS opponent Campbell University Camels before a trip to The Plains of Auburn for their first SEC matchup of the season.
Then they will get deep into SEC play as they will host Ole Miss, who is fresh off a trip to the CFP. This will be followed by a trip to take on Eli Drinkwitz’s Missouri Tigers squad in Columbia, Missouri.
Then Shane Beamer’s squad will come to town in what will probably be a must-win game for both squads.
This will be followed by a trip to Austin, Texas to take on the Longhorns.
Next is what is slated to be a “neutral site” game against the Georgia Bulldogs at The Benz in Atlanta.
Following that game, the Sooners of Oklahoma will visit The Swamp, also fresh off a CFP appearance.
The Gators will then travel to Lexington, Kentucky for what will most likely be another must-win game for both squads. Then, for the final home game of the season, they will host the Vanderbilt Commodores.
Then, for rivalry weekend, they will travel up the road to Tallahassee to take on the Seminoles.
With a first-year head coach, there is always a big unknown, and anything can happen.
The Gators return a lot of talent and have good coaches in place, so I set the ceiling at 9 wins and the floor at 6-6, which would put the Gators headed to a bowl game in the first season under Coach Sumerall.
Richmond Hill Wildcats 2026 Preview
By: Joseph Stuckey
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Richmond Hill Wildcats football team is looking to take a big step in 2026, building off of their success in 2025.
The Wildcats play in the newly added 7-A class, which is GHSA’s highest classification. Their region is one of the most competitive in the state and consists of: Camden County, Colquitt County, Lowndes, and Valdosta.
Last year they made the state playoffs as the 4 seed coming out of Region 1 in 6-A (was GHSA’s highest classification at the time). The Wildcats would take an early exit after drawing national power Buford High School in the first round on the road.
This year, they look to play well during the regular season and use the GHSA’s new power-ranking formula for playoff seeding to their advantage.
To do this, they will rely heavily on senior quarterback Gunner Mobley. Last season, he got region honorable mention, and during the season he threw for over 1400 passing yards and was responsible for 13 touchdowns. He was also named a top-5 quarterback in the greater Savannah area.
The schedule sets up pretty well for the Wildcats. By being in GHSA’s highest classification, most of their games outside of region play will be against lower-classification teams and should favor the Wildcats.
They will take on a nearby opponent in the Effingham County Rebels. In this game, On3 gives the Wildcats an 86% chance to win this game. Effingham County is a solid opponent that hosted a first-round playoff game last year in GHSA’s second-highest classification (5-A).
They will also take on another nearby opponent with Liberty County; according to On3, this game should be all Wildcats as they are given a 99% chance to win this game.
The Wildcats will also take on Jenkins out of Savannah, who has become one of the toughest opponents for any team can face in the 912 area code. Another one of South Georgia’s perennial powerhouses is also on the schedule for Richmond Hill.
The Wildcats will take on the Gators of Ware County in what is sure to be one of the top games of the year in South Georgia.
The Wildcats will also compete in a border-battle game as they take on Wando High School, which is located near Charleston, South Carolina. This is the only out-of-state game on the schedule for the Wildcats in 2026.
Richmond Hill will also take on West Georgia powerhouse East Coweta in what is sure to be one of the top games of the week in the state. On3 has this game at basically a coin flip, with it being listed as 41-59 favoring East Coweta.
Finally, to end the season, the Wildcats will take on the South Georgia Gauntlet; their region play will consist of games against Colquitt County, Camden County, Lowndes, and Valdosta in that order to end the season.
The bonus here is that each of those teams has the potential to be a playoff team, which should boost Richmond Hill’s power ranking under the new GHSA formula.
I see Richmond Hill as a team that, based on its strength of schedule, is able to compete for a top 16 seed and could potentially host a home playoff game in the first round of the GHSA state playoffs.
Valwood Valiants 2026 Preview
By: Joseph Stuckey
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Valwood Valiants are looking to take charge during the 2026 football campaign.
Valwood is located in one of South Georgia’s football hotbeds in Valdosta.
The Valdosta area is also home to GHSA football powerhouses Valdosta High School and Lowndes County High School, and they are right down the road from Thomas County Central High School.
Valwood will compete in the GIAA 2A classification that will send 8 teams to the state playoffs based on MaxPreps power rankings.
For Region play, they will play in A/AA District 3, which consists of Brookwood School (Thomasville), Sherwood Christian Academy (Albany), Southwest Georgia Academy (Damascus), and Southland Academy (Americus).
In 2024, Valwood competed in the GIAA AAA classification and made it to the State Championship at Georgia Southern University’s Paulson Stadium, where they fell to Deerfield-Windsor 19-15.
Last season, they went 6-4 and lost in the Elite Eight to Frederica Academy. John Milledge Academy would eventually win the AAA state title.
So for this season, with Valwood moving down to the AA classification and having success at the AAA classification, one could expect Valwood to make a strong run in the state playoffs.
Some of the AA teams that are contenders and that they could meet come playoff time include The Brentwood School (Sandersville), which won the AA state title last season, and Pinewood Christian Academy (Bellville), which is also coming down from the AAA classification alongside Valwood.
Now let’s take a look at their very unique 2026 schedule.
To start the season, the Valiants will take on nearby Atkinson County, which will be one of the rare matchups between a GHSA and GIAA school this season.
In years past, there were plenty of these matchups, but with the GHSA’s new power ranking system being implemented across all classifications, it has caused that number to drop drastically.
From my understanding, GHSA teams receive no added benefits of playing a non-GHSA team in terms of power rankings.
But for GIAA schools, it does affect their MaxPreps power rankings; the thought is GHSA teams play tougher opponents and normally benefit GIAA teams’ power rankings, even with a loss.
Even with that said, On3 gives Valwood a 74% chance of winning this game against Atkinson County.
As the season continues, they will play Deerfield-Windsor, which, as I mentioned above, beat Valwood in the 2024 state championship. Deerfield-Windsor is an AAA school, and On3 basically has the game at a coin toss, with a 53/47 split.
Valwood will also take on Cottonwood High School, which is just over the state line near Dothan, Alabama. This is also one of the rare matchups between a GIAA school and an out-of-state school.
The Valiants will also take on George Walton Academy, which made a deep run in the AAAA state playoffs last season.
Frederica Academy is also on the schedule for a revenge game against Valwood, as Frederica was the team that knocked them out of the playoffs last season. Valwood is slated to win this game based on On3’s prediction.
Then they will have 2 higher-classification opponents in Tiftarea Academy (AAA) and Calvary Christian Academy (AAAA) before opening district play against the other 4 teams in their district to finish the regular season.
I predict the Valiants could only have a few losses this season and could end up being really close to the 10-win mark and compete for the #1 seed in the AA playoff bracket.
Georgia Well-Represented In MLB All-Star Game
By: Joseph Stuckey
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The 96th Major League Baseball All-Star Game is set to take place Tuesday, July 14th at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was announced several years ago that the game would take place in Philadelphia in conjunction with the celebration of America’s 250th birthday.
This year is just like many others, with the All-Star rosters loaded with players from the baseball hotbed of the state of Georgia.
To start on the American League side is former Appling County standout and current Minnesota Twin Byron Buxton.
This is his 3rd All-Star Game selection (2022, 2025, 2026) and is slated to be a starter for the American League. Heading into the All-Star break, he has a .271 batting average and is tied for 6th in home runs.
Next representing the Toronto Blue Jays is Dylan Cease from Milton, Georgia. He has a 2.56 ERA this season, along with the second most strikeouts with 148. This is his first All-Star Game.
C.J. Abrams from Alpharetta, Georgia, will be starting for the National League, representing the Washington Nationals. He already has 20 home runs and 67 RBIs on the season. This is his second All-Star Game (2024 & 2026).
Brandon Marsh is from Buford, Georgia, and will be starting for the National League from the hometown Philadelphia Phillies in his first All-Star appearance. He is batting over .300 and has 15 home runs on the season.
The St. Louis Cardinals’ young superstar Jordan Walker will be representing the National League and will be participating in Monday night’s Home Run Derby. He is from Stone Mountain, Georgia, and this is his first All-Star appearance.
There are also several representatives from the Atlanta Braves making the trip to the always hostile city of brotherly love.
The Braves and Phillies are arch-rivals, and one can assume the local fans may not show the Braves All-Star selections much love during their time in town.
We will start with their young superstar catcher and reigning National League Rookie of the Year, Drake Baldwin, who has had a very solid season so far and ranks in the top 75 in average, home runs, RBIs, and OPS. This is his first All-Star appearance.
Next is veteran Ozzie Albies, who will be attending his 4th All-Star Game (2018, 2021, 2023, 2026). He also has a near .300 batting average and 14 home runs on the season.
Reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale will also be making the trip to Philadelphia. He has a 2.27 ERA and 112 strikeouts on the season. This will be his 10th All-Star Game appearance (2012-2018, 2024-2026).
Next is relief pitcher Raisel Iglesias, who has 19 saves on the season. He also has a 2.30 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP. This is his first All-Star appearance.
Finally, Parkview product Matt Olson, who will be headed to his 4th All-Star Game (2021, 2023, 2025, 2026). He is currently tied for 6th in home runs with 25 and has a near .300 batting average.
As stated above, Georgia will be well represented in the City of Brotherly Love on Tuesday, July 14th.
Bulloch Academy Gators 2026 Preview
By: Joseph Stuckey
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Recently, I was able to get my first glimpse of the 2026 Bulloch Academy Gators football team.
They met up with the Jenkins County War Eagles in a thud-style practice. So, my observations do have to be taken with a grain of salt, as a thud practice is padded, but tackles don’t get taken to the ground.
The Gators return a lot of impact players, not just from last season but also several who made an impact during the 2024 GIAA 4-A State Championship run.
The Gators have made 3 straight trips to the Elite Eight and beyond (2023: Final Four; 2024: state title; 2025: Elite Eight).
The 2027 class of athletes at Bulloch Academy has the potential to be the best in school history when it comes to players advancing to the collegiate level.
On the Offensive side, for the 3rd straight year, #6 Sam Hubbard is set to lead Mark Lefebvre’s Wing-T attack. Over the summer, Sam committed to play baseball for Georgia Southern after graduation.
Bulloch Academy always has an impressive offensive line, and this year looks to be no different, as Griff Sumner and Slaton Roberts look to lead the big guys up front in the trenches.
Also, along the O-line is senior Colin Grooms, who is very versatile and may serve as a tight end at times and rush the quarterback on defense as an edge.
When naming offensive weapons, you have to start with the versatile athleticism of #17 Rocco Reiss, who you will see play numerous positions throughout the season.
Then the receiving corps includes the very athletic Nick Eason Jr. and Georgia Southern commit Billy Crider.
#20 B.J. Smart looks to be the one who will take the most handoffs at running back; you will also see Maddox Lee and Connor Perry get involved on the offensive side of the ball.
On the flip side of the ball, Chris Kearson’s defense is anchored right up front on the defensive line by Kennesaw State commit Braylon Cone.
You will also see several other players rotated around on the D-line, including Bo Crider and then the aforementioned Colin Grooms coming off the edge.
At linebacker, one guy that really caught my eye was #9 Tate Williams, who will look to clean up what little gets by Cone and company.
In the secondary, the 2 cornerstones are J.B. Roach and Nick Eason Jr., who will look to defend opposing teams’ passing attacks.
As far as kickoffs and punting, it looks like it will be #16 Case Woodrum handling kickoffs, field goals, extra points, and punts.
There are also a few younger players I am interested in seeing develop over this season.
Quarterback Landon Mitchell looks to be the future starter after this season and has shown potential.
A few other players I look to make an impact are Jame Lee, Hunter Chance, and Camden Mager.
The expectations are high for this team as they head into the 2026 campaign. Many around Statesboro have State Championship aspirations, and this team definitely has the talent to make another deep run into the playoffs.
Online
Radio/Podcasts
