The state championship games will be held in the Georgia Dome this weekend. (AJC File)
Class AAAAAA
Roswell vs. Colquitt County
When, where: 8 p.m. Saturday, Georgia Dome, Atlanta
Records, rankings: Roswell is 14-0, the No. 1 seed from Region 5-AAAAAA and No. 3; Colquitt County is 14-0, the No. 1 seed from 1-AAAAAA and No. 1.
Last meeting: This is the teams’ first meeting.
Three things to know: 1. This is only the second championship game in the highest classification since 2001 between unbeaten teams. The other was Walton vs. Grayson in 2011. Colquitt can become the first school to complete consecutive unbeaten seasons in the highest class since Parkview (2000-02). Roswell is seeking its first title since 2006 and third overall. 2. Colquitt County passes for 256.1 yards and rushes for 187.1, making the Packers potentially the first pass-heavy team to win the highest class since 1971. QB Chase Parrish has thrown for 3,195 yards and 39 touchdowns. That doesn’t mean Colquitt isn’t an effective running team. The Packers average 6.1 yards per carry but lack any one player with more than 750 yards rushing. 3. Roswell is more of a running team, but like Colquitt, can run and pass. The Hornets have a 3,000-yard passer (Quintarius Neely), 1,500-yard rusher (Sheldon Evans) and 1,000-yard receiver (Jaylen Comma). LB Tre Lamar (committed to Clemson) and DB Xavier McKinney (Alabama) are defensive stars. McKinney has eight interceptions.
Class AAAAA
Allatoona vs. Glynn Academy
When, where: 8 p.m. Friday, Georgia Dome, Atlanta
Records, rankings: Allatoona is 13-1, the No. 1 seed from Region 5-AAAAA and No. 10; Glynn Academy is 12-2, the No. 2 seed from 3-AAAAA and unranked.
Last meeting: This is the teams’ first meeting.
Three things to know: 1. Allatoona is in the finals for the first time in the school’s eight-year history. The Buccaneers are trying to become the first Cobb County Schools team to win a state title. Glynn Academy, one of two unranked teams in the finals, will be making its first appearance in a championship game since 1964, when it beat Avondale for the Class AAA title. 2. Allatoona QB Brandon Rainey and running backs Charles Anderson and Brandon Archibald have combined for 1,908 rushing yards this season, but almost half of that (906 yards) has come in the playoffs after leading rusher Russell Halimon was lost for the year with a knee injury. Anderson leads with 368 yards and Rainey has rushed for 10 touchdowns in the postseason. The Buccaneers average 282.9 yards rushing for the season, and Rainey is 82-for-140 passing for 1,579 yards and 16 TDs. 3. Glynn Academy averages 229.2 yards on the ground and is led by two 1,000-yard rushers – QB Deejay Dallas (155 carries, 1,139 yards and 13 touchdowns) and Garrison Hurd (197-1,077-8). Dallas has passed for just 678 yards, but the Red Terrors can be balanced – they had 130 yards rushing and 122 passing in a 24-16 victory over Ware County last week. They also haven’t allowed more than 24 points in a game this season.
Class AAAA
Buford vs. Cartersville
When, where: 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Georgia Dome, Atlanta
Records, rankings: Buford is 13-1, the No. 1 seed from Region 8-AAAA and No. 2; Cartersville is 14-0, the No. 1 seed from 7-AAAA and No. 1.
Last meeting: Buford won 27-3 in the 2014 Class AAAA semifinals.
Three things to know: 1. This is the only final between No. 1- and No. 2-ranked teams. The No. 2 team is 5-1-1 in those state-final matchups since 2003. That includes Calhoun’s 27-20 victory over Washington County in the 2014 AAA final. Buford is after its eighth title in nine seasons, fourth straight and 12th overall. Cartersville is after its third, first since 1999. 2. Cartersville is the most pass-happy team in the finals. The Hurricanes average 256.1 yards passing, 116.6 rushing. QB Trevor Lawrence has thrown for 3,522 yards and 42 touchdowns with only four interceptions. WR Terrius Callahan has 1,187 yards receiving and 16 touchdowns. Cartersville has allowed more than 14 points in a game only once, in a 34-31 victory over North Cobb on Sept. 4. 3. Buford allows only 52.3 yards rushing and 82.4 passing per game, but while the Wolves have shut down some of AAAA’s best rushing teams in the playoffs (Worth County, Thomson), they haven’t faced an outstanding passing team since losing to McEachern 37-14 on Sept. 4. On offense, Buford averages 260 yards rushing (7.3 ypc), but QB Mic Roof (99-of-144 passing, 1,404 yards, 15 TD) can hurt teams that stack the box.
Class AAA
Westminster vs. Blessed Trinity
When, where: 4:30 p.m. Friday, Georgia Dome, Atlanta
Records, rankings: Westminster is 10-4, the No. 3 seed from Region 4-AAA and unranked; Blessed Trinity is 13-0-1, the No. 1 seed from 4-AAA and No. 2.
Last meeting: Blessed Trinity won 24-10 on Oct. 16.
Three things to know: 1. This game is one of two rematches between region rivals in the finals (Clinch County vs. Irwin County is the other). Westminster won four consecutive road playoff games to reach the finals for the first time since 1978, when it won the Class AAA title. Westminster is 9-5 in its last 14 playoff games, all of which were on the road. Blessed Trinity, which began its program in 2001, is in the finals for the first time. Coach Tim McFarlin can become the 15th coach to win state titles with two schools (Roswell, 2006). 2. Westminster has been outgained in total offense for the season by about 100 yards but has outscored its opponents 451-255. The Wildcats are led by RB Zay Malcome (184 carries, 1,350 yards, 14 TDs) and QB Rankin Woley (722 yards passing, 494 yards rushing). Blake Gillikin is 13-for-23 on field goals, including a school-record 56-yarder in the quarterfinals. 3. Blessed Trinity LB Logan Craighead (138 total tackles) leads a defense that has not allowed more than 14 points in a game this season. The Titans’ offense is driven by RB Milton Shelton (1,806 yards, 27 touchdowns rushing) and QB Conor Davis (1,392 yards, 15 TDs passing). Shelton rushed for 174 yards and Davis passed for 123 yards in the Titans’ victory over Westminster in the regular season.
Class AA
Fitzgerald vs. Pace Academy
When, where: 1 p.m. Saturday, Georgia Dome, Atlanta
Records, rankings: Fitzgerald is 13-1, the No. 2 seed from Region 1-AA and No. 5; Pace Academy is 12-2, the No. 4 seed from 6-AA and No. 9.
Last meeting: Fitzgerald won 49-21 in the 2014 Class AA quarterfinals.
Three things to know: 1. Fitzgerald is 168-37-2 since 2000 with eight region titles, making it perhaps the most successful Georgia football program without a state title in that stretch. Fitzgerald last won a championship in 1948. Pace Academy started football in 2008 and is playing in its first state final. The school was founded in 1958. 2. Fitzgerald averages 351 yards rushing per game. QB James Graham has completed only 15 passes in the playoffs, but he’s a great runner – 1,436 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns. FB J.D. King has rushed for 2,377 yards and 32 touchdowns. 3. Pace Academy RB Deon Jackson went over 1,000 yards on the season (1,028) last week on a team that gets two-thirds of its offense rushing. But Pace is much more comfortable passing than Fitzgerald. That was evident last week, when Pace shocked second-ranked Greater Atlanta Christian 45-20 and QB Gunnor Faulk was 15-of-21 passing for 201 yards and three touchdowns. Trey Blount, a junior with offers from Alabama and Georgia, had four catches for 101 yards and two TDs.
Class A (public)
Clinch County vs. Irwin County
When, where: 1 p.m. Friday, Georgia Dome, Atlanta
Records, rankings: Clinch County is 12-1, the No. 5 seed and No. 4; Irwin County is 10-2-1, the No. 3 seed and No. 6.
Last meeting: Irwin County won 28-12 on Sept. 18.
Three things to know: 1. Although they are 60 miles apart, Clinch and Irwin have played each other 39 times, starting in 1952, when Clinch started varsity football. Irwin leading the series 20-18-1, but Clinch is the more traditional football power with five state titles, the most recent in 2010. Irwin won its only state title in 1975. This is the first meeting between the two in the state playoffs. 2. Irwin County has rushed for 284.9 yards per game and passes for only 48.0. FB/LB DJ. Pollard is the key figure on both sides of the ball. He has rushed for 1,869 yards and has more than 100 tackles, 12 for losses. Irwin made two goal-line stands in the fourth quarter last week to preserve a 19-15 victory over Emanuel County Institute. 3. Clinch County has attempted only 70 passes, completing 24, so the only real secret is who is going to carry the ball. Shannon Young has rushed for 1,550 yards and 21 touchdowns. Quarterbacks Charles McClelland (837) and Trezman Marshall (792) combined for more than 200 yards rushing in the semifinals. And then there’s Zebulon Johnson (44-776-12), whose yards-per-carry average is 17.6.
Class A (private)
Eagle’s Landing Christian vs. Aquinas
When, where: 10 a.m. Saturday, Georgia Dome, Atlanta
Records, rankings: Eagle’s Landing Christian is 10-3, the No. 4 seed and No. 2; Aquinas is 12-1, the No. 3 seed and No. 5.
Last meeting: This is the teams’ first meeting.
Three things to know: 1. At least one of these schools has played for the private-school championship every year since the GHSA began holding separate playoffs for Class A public and private schools in 2012. Eagle’s Landing Christian won the 2012 title and lost to Mount Paran Christian in the final last year. Aquinas beat Calvary Day to win the championship in 2013. Neither school had won a GHSA state title before 2012. 2. ELCA averages 371.3 yards per game, about 75 percent of which comes from a running game led by Trevor Gear (1,427 yards) and Josh Mays (836). QB DJ Hammond has passed for 1,154 yards and rushed for 674. OL Chandler Reeves, a 6-foot-6, 265-pound Clemson commit, has an average grade of 95 percent this year. Mays (52 tackles on defense) and Khaleb Hood (four interceptions, 66 tackles, three kick-return touchdowns) are key two-way players. 3. Aquinas is a little more balanced, averaging 251.7 yards rushing and 154.7 passing. The running game is led by D’Angelo Durham (154 carries, 1,284 yards, 17 touchdowns) and Chris Gates (108-781-13). QB Liam Welch is 117-for-197 passing for 1,973 yards with 18 touchdowns and two interceptions and has rushed for 593 yards and 11 TDs. Sophomore LB Artest Banks leads the team in tackles with 90.
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