The quarterfinal round of the GHSA playoffs will feature the two-time defending state champion going in as an underdog against the No. 2-ranked team in Class 5A, a team that was 0-9 in 2021 matched up against a team that is 12-0 this season in Class 4A, and a meeting of the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in Class 3A. In all, 64 teams from the eight classifications will face off this weekend for a spot in next week's semifinals.

The second round of the playoffs was expected to produce more upsets and top-10 carnage, but it didn't deliver much last week. Well, Walton did beat Buford 42-35. It ended Buford’s 22-game win streak overall, 22-game win streak in second-round games, 16-game win streak in playoff games and 28-game win streak in home games against Georgia opponents. Otherwise, the favorites generally had their way.

The opening round of the playoffs was so predictable that a computer algorithm, the Maxwell Ratings, correctly picked 111 of 127 winners. No. 1-ranked teams were 8-0 by an average score of 49-8, and top-10 teams were 67-2 when not playing each other. The second round is inevitably more suspenseful. Here’s a closer look at the round of 16, which entails 64 games in the GHSA’s eight classifications this weekend.

Top-ranked Prince Avenue of Division I and Bowdon of Division II will be among the 32 teams playing this weekend in the second round of the Class A playoffs. Both will be hosting top-10 opponents. Prince Avenue Christian (10-0) will play No. 7 Elbert County, while Bowdon (9-1) will face No. 9 Manchester (7-3).

Lowndes fired football coach Zach Grage on Tuesday after a 5-6 finish, the Vikings’ first losing season since 1994. “This was an extremely hard decision and not one entered into lightly or without a lot of thought,” superintendent Shawn Haralson said in a statement from Lowndes County Schools.