First 2020 prep football schedules are out. Here are notable games, what to watch for.
Two first-ever private school matchups, an early season rivalry game and several cross-classification contests highlight the first batch of the 2020 Chattahoochee Valley prep football schedules.
Here are the notable games, and what to watch for.
This is the first of multiple stories, which will appear as more schedules are released.
TIGERS VS. TIGERS
An Aug. 21 trip to Hamilton to face 5A Harris County won’t technically be Troup’s “opener’ since the Tigers face Callaway in a scrimmage the week before. But the game against Harris County — which upset Carver in last year’s opener — will be a tall task.
Troup enters 2020 without quarterback Kobe Hudson, who was responsible for most of its offensive output a season ago, and without Andy Boykin, a defensive end who signed with Arkansas. Hudson signed and early enrolled at Auburn as a receiver.
Harris County, meanwhile, brings back much of its offensive talent. Rising junior quarterback Cooper Corey started out as an emergency sub in the Tigers’ 2019 season-opener against Carver, but went on to throw for more than 1,200 yards and 15 touchdowns — and just three interceptions — over the course of the season. He was an All-Bi-City honorable mention last year.
Troup has won the last two matchups.
- When: August 21
- Where: Danny Durham Field (Hamilton, Georgia)
- All-time series: Troup leads 28-5-1
CALVARY TAKES ON TWO GHSA OPPONENTS
Calvary Christian, which plays in the Georgia Association of Private and Parochial Schools (GAPPS), will face the Chattahoochee Valley’s two GHSA 1A private teams in two of its opening three games.
The Knights open up with a trip to Brookstone August 21, then travel to Pacelli on Sept. 4 following a home game against Terrell Academy.
These contests will serve as Calvary’s first competitive football games against both the Cougars and the Vikings.
Calvary vs. Brookstone
- When: August 21
- Where: Brookstone
- All-time series: First-ever game
Calvary vs. Pacelli
- When: Sept. 4
- Where: Pacelli
- All-time series: First-ever game
‘IRON BOWL OF COLUMBUS’ MOVED TO EARLY SEASON
Northside senior quarterback Chandler Blanton dubbed the Northside-Columbus rivalry as the “Iron Bowl of Columbus,” but the 2020 contest will take place well before the actual Iron Bowl.
Columbus and Northside will open the 2020 season playing against each other on August 21 at Kinnett Stadium in north Columbus.
It will mark the first time in the rivalry’s 17-year history that the Patriots and Blue Devils have opened the season against one another. It will also serve as new Northside coach Andrew Oropeza’s first competitive game since taking the job following the 2019 season.
Northside won last year’s game 38-29, its only win of 2019 and the final game for Patriots head coach Dave Nurnberg before he stepped down.
- When: August 21
- Where: Kinnett Stadium
- All-time series: Northside leads 12-4
PACELLI TO FACE FIVE-TIME DEFENDING CHAMPS
Facing a program like Eagles Landing is a daunting task for any program in GHSA 1A.
ELCA has won five state championships in a row, lost just five games since 2015 and reached at least 13 wins in each of the previous four seasons.
Now Pacelli, which finished 5-5 in 2019 and did not make the playoffs, must travel to ELCA on Oct. 16. It will mark the first contest between the two schools.
- When: Oct. 16
- Where: Eagles Landing Christian Academy (McDonough, Georgia)
- All-time series: First-ever game
