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Players celebrate a big play in the 2019 win by the Bulldogs over the Franklin County Lions. The two teams will meet for this year's game on Friday, Oct. 16.
A homecoming showdown is set for Friday night as the Hart County Bulldogs open up Region 8-AAA play against undefeated Franklin County.
The Bulldogs (1-3) are set to host Franklin County (5-0) at Herndon Stadium on Friday for the Bulldogs’ first region contest of the season.
At this point in the season last year, Franklin County was 0-5.
Hart County head coach Rance Gillespie said the Bulldogs will need to make every offensive possession count in order to be successful Friday. Franklin County’s defense is allowing just 10.6 points per game currently.
“You have to limit your mistakes,” Gillespie said. “With their style of play, they shorten the game, so all of your mistakes are compounded. Every year when we go into this game we get limited touches, so we have to make the most of those.”
The Bulldogs will also look to limit Franklin County’s rush-heavy offensive attack that is averaging 32.4 points per game so far. Last season, the Lions out-rushed Hart County with 224 yards on the ground, but were limited to just six yards through the air.
“We have to stop the three and four-yard gains,” Gillespie said.
Under third-year head coach Paul Sutherland, the Lions are off to their best start since 1983, when Franklin went on a five-win streak to start the season that was put to an end in their sixth game when Hart County defeated the Lions 12-0.
Franklin County started off the season with a 33-3 victory over zero-win Lumpkin County, followed by a 35-6 thrashing of Banks County, whose only win is over Lumpkin.
The Lions then took down Class 4-A East Hall 31-21 on the road.
In their biggest test yet, Franklin County narrowly beat Class 5-A Jackson County 14-13 at home.
Last week, the Lions defeated South Carolina team West-Oak 49-10. West-Oak is still winless and scored its only points of the season so far against the Lions.
The Lions are experienced on both sides of the trenches, with three returning seniors anchoring the offensive line.
History favors the Bulldogs, as they hold an all-time record of 43-14-1 over the Lions.
Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. on Friday in Herndon Stadium.