Second-round preview: Class 3A

Harlem (9-2) at Jefferson (10-1)

Seeding: Harlem is the No. 17 seed. Jefferson is the No. 1 seed.

Rankings: Harlem is unranked. Jefferson is ranked No. 3.

Last week: Harlem beat Heritage of Ringgold 35-28. Mercer Barton passed for 244 yards and four touchdowns, the game winner a 23-yarder to Jayden Futrell with 6:44 left. Heritage got no closer than Harlem’s 40 after that. Futrell had five receptions for 124 yards and three touchdowns. Malik Tyler rushed for 120 yards. Jefferson beat Dougherty 55-13. Jefferson led 448-207 in total yards. Darren Pinkard rushed for 120 yards and had four receptions for 65 yards.

Last meeting/series: Jefferson won 18-6 in 1969. Jefferson leads the series 3-0-1.

Playoff history: This is Harlem's second straight second-round appearance. Harlem is trying to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 1974. Harlem is 0-2 all-time in the round of 16, which began in 1990. This is Jefferson's third straight second-round appearance. Jefferson has reached the quarterfinals each of the past two seasons. Jefferson is 9-5 all-time in the round of 16.

Score to schedule: Harlem's average score is 29-13 against the 42nd-hardest schedule in Class 3A. Jefferson's average score is 32-11 against the sixth-hardest schedule in Class 3A.

Maxwell Ratings' projection: Jefferson by 22

Troup (10-1) at Cairo (9-2)

Seeding: Troup is the No. 9 seed. Cairo is the No. 8 seed.

Rankings: Troup is ranked No. 5. Cairo is ranked No. 9.

Last week: Troup beat Westover 45-14. Garrison Edwards was 21-of-22 passing for 356 yards and five touchdowns and rushed for 49 yards. Blaize Bell and Davis Moncus each had 100 yards receiving. Cairo beat Liberty County 36-7. Xiquavian Teal rushed for 100 yards on 15 carries.

Last meeting/series: Troup won 14-10 in the 2023 first round. Troup leads the series 3-1.

Playoff history: This is Troup's first second-round appearance since 2023. Troup is trying to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 2022. Troup is 4-3 all-time in the round of 16. This is Cairo's first second-round appearance since 2022. Cairo is trying to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 2018. Cairo is 13-10 all-time in the round of 16.

Score to schedule: Troup’s average score is 40-18 against the seventh-hardest schedule in Class 3A. Cairo's average score is 33-19 against the 10th-hardest schedule in Class 3A.

Maxwell Ratings' projection: Troup by 12

Peach County (10-1) at Jenkins (10-1)

Seeding: Peach County is the No. 12 seed. Jenkins is the No. 5 seed.

Rankings: Peach County is ranked No. 10. Jenkins is ranked No. 6.

Last week: Peach County beat Cherokee Bluff 53-28. Peach County led 53-6 at halftime. Ashton Barton rushed for 253 yards and three touchdowns on 12 carries, and Samuel Sands was 10-of-12 passing for 154 yards and four touchdowns. Jenkins beat Whitewater 50-45, taking the lead for the first time on Ryan Scott’s short TD run with 2:56 left. Scott rushed for 102 yards. Demetrius Holloway passed for 211 yards and rushed for 101. Dominique Johnson had 129 receiving yards.

Last meeting/series: This is the teams' first meeting.

Playoff history: This is Peach County's second straight second-round appearance. Peach County is trying to reach the quarterfinals for the second straight season. Peach County is 19-9 all-time in the round of 16. This is Jenkins' third straight second-round appearance. Jenkins is trying to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 2023. Jenkins is 4-2 all-time in the round of 16.

Score to schedule: Peach County's average score is 39-18 against the 22nd-hardest schedule in Class 3A. Jenkins' average score is 48-18 against the 46th-hardest schedule in Class 3A.

Maxwell Ratings' projection: Jenkins by 8

Oconee County (7-4) at West Laurens (11-0)

Seeding: Oconee County is the No. 20 seed. West Laurens is the No. 4 seed.

Rankings: Oconee County is unranked. West Laurens is ranked No. 7.

Last week: Oconee County beat Northwest Whitfield 39-37. Oconee County won on Bo Boykin’s 30-yard field goal with 10 seconds left and survived Gavin Nuckolls’ 340-yard passing game. Caiden Wood rushed for 84 yards. Brody Hannah had 89 yards passing and 69 rushing. West Laurens beat Beach 45-6. Ty Cummings rushed for 130 yards on seven carries. Branden Brooks rushed for 118 on five. Beach had 21 rushing yards.

Last meeting/series: This is the teams' first meeting.

Playoff history: This is Oconee County's seventh straight second-round appearance. Oconee County is trying to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 2022. Oconee County is 6-8 all-time in the round of 16. This is West Laurens' first second-round appearance since 2019. West Laurens is trying to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 2019. West Laurens is 5-3 all-time in the round of 16.

Score to schedule: Oconee County's average score is 24-22 against the 13th-hardest schedule in Class 3A. West Laurens’ average score is 42-15 against the 47th-hardest schedule in Class 3A.

Maxwell Ratings' projection: West Laurens by 12

Monroe Area (9-2) at Sandy Creek (11-0)

Seeding: Monroe Area is the No. 14 seed. Sandy Creek is the No. 3 seed.

Rankings: Monroe Area is unranked. Sandy Creek is ranked No. 1.

Last week: Monroe Area beat Pickens 35-13. Cooper Shumate rushed for 210 yards and three touchdowns on 18 carries. Jitt Carr rushed for 159 yards. Sandy Creek beat Cedar Grove 49-9. Caleb Hill passed for 302 yards and four touchdowns. Amari Latimer rushed for 113 yards and two touchdowns and caught a 62-yard TD pass.

Last meeting/series: Monroe Area won 24-21 in the 2023 first round. Sandy Creek leads the series 2-1.

Playoff history: This is Monroe Area's first second-round appearance since 2023. Monroe Area is trying to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 2023. Monroe Area is 4-4 all-time in the round of 16. This is Sandy Creek's second straight second-round appearance. Sandy Creek is trying to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 2022. Sandy Creek is 8-7 all-time in the round of 16.

Score to schedule: Monroe Area's average score is 34-13 against the 36th-hardest schedule in Class 3A. Sandy Creek's average score is 41-10 against the ninth-hardest schedule in Class 3A.

Maxwell Ratings' projection: Sandy Creek by 34

Douglass (8-3) at Calhoun (9-2)

Seeding: Douglass is the No. 11 seed. Calhoun is the No. 6 seed.

Rankings: Douglass is unranked. Calhoun is ranked No. 2.

Last week: Douglass beat Gilmer 19-15. Douglass scored the game’s final touchdown to take the lead in the third quarter and limited Gilmer to 97 total yards. Douglass gained just 193 yards. Calhoun beat Lumpkin County 35-13. Trace Hawkins passed for 188 yards and two touchdowns. Justin Beasley had five receptions for 143 yards and scored on a 43-yard run.

Last meeting/series: Calhoun won 38-14 in the 2024 second round. Calhoun leads the series 3-0.

Playoff history: This is Douglass's second straight second-round appearance. Douglass is trying to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 2019. Douglass is 2-7 all-time in the round of 16. This is Calhoun's second straight second-round appearance. Calhoun is trying to reach the quarterfinals for the second straight season. Calhoun is 19-7 all-time in the round of 16.

Score to schedule: Douglass’s average score is 26-10 against the 15th-hardest schedule in Class 3A. Calhoun's average score is 38-16 against the 20th-hardest schedule in Class 3A.

Maxwell Ratings' projection: Calhoun by 4

Westside-Augusta (10-1) at Stephenson (10-1)

Seeding: Westside is the No. 10 seed. Stephenson is the No. 7 seed.

Rankings: Westside is unranked. Stephenson is unranked.

Last week: Westside beat Long County 42-35. Jaylen Stone was 17-of-23 passing for 396 yards and five touchdowns, both season highs on a team that typically is run-oriented. Elliott Jackson had eight receptions for 219 yards and four touchdowns. Westside ran out the final 2:36 after Long County got within the final margin. Stephenson beat Richmond Academy 42-18. Anthony Booker rushed for 103 yards and two touchdowns.

Last meeting/series: This is the teams' first meeting.

Playoff history: This is Westside's first second-round appearance since 2021. Westside is trying to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 1986. Westside is 0-2 all-time in the round of 16, which began in 1990. This is Stephenson's fourth straight second-round appearance. Stephenson has reached the quarterfinals each of the past two seasons. Stephenson is 9-6 all-time in the round of 16.

Score to schedule: Westside's average score is 34-14 against the 51st-hardest schedule in Class 3A. Stephenson's average score is 38-16 against the 25th-hardest schedule in Class 3A.

Maxwell Ratings' projection: Stephenson by 5

LaGrange (9-2) at North Hall (11-0)

Seeding: LaGrange is the No. 15 seed. North Hall is the No. 2 seed.

Rankings: LaGrange is ranked No. 8. North Hall is ranked No. 4.

Last week: LaGrange beat North Clayton 48-27. LaGrange rushed for 319 yards, with Dylan Barber (121) and Antonio Parks (101) leading that effort, and won handily, allowing two fourth-quarter touchdowns after the game was decided. North Hall beat Mount Zion of Jonesboro 62-26. North Hall had 599 total yards. Alex Schlieman was 23-of-28 passing for 306 yards and four touchdowns. Wyatt Tumlin rushed for 133 yards and three touchdowns on seven carries.

Last meeting/series: LaGrange won 49-17 in the 2024 quarterfinals. LaGrange leads the series 1-0.

Playoff history: This is LaGrange’s third straight second-round appearance. LaGrange is trying to reach the quarterfinals for the second straight season. LaGrange is 7-7 all-time in the round of 16. This is North Hall's second straight second-round appearance. North Hall is trying to reach the quarterfinals for the second straight season. North Hall is 5-5 all-time in the round of 16.

Score to schedule: LaGrange's average score is 32-17 against the fifth-hardest schedule in Class 3A. North Hall's average score is 48-17 against the 43rd-hardest schedule in Class 3A.

Maxwell Ratings' projection: Tossup