Georgia high school football: An early look at the 2021 season

By Ryan Casey May 19, 2021, 11:42am

An early look at big matchups on the schedule for the 2021 season in Georgia high school football.

The schedules are out for Georgia high school football's fall 2021 season. It's a slate that features important in- and out-of-state matchups, and puts some individuals on a big stage.

Here's an early look at some of the big matchups ahead this fall.

August
Mercedes-Benz Stadium will once again serve as a host for the Corky Kell Classic.
Mercedes-Benz Stadium will once again serve as a host for the Corky Kell Classic.
File photo by Cecil Copeland

The Corky Kell Classic is due to return to the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta after a year away due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now in its 30th year, the kickoff event features 11 games across four days at five sites on opening weekend. The event culminates with five games at the home of the Atlanta Falcons on Saturday.

Included:



• Cherokee (Canton) vs. Mays (Atlanta) at 5:30 p.m. on Aug. 18, at West Forsyth. It will open the 2021 Georgia football season.

• Returning Class 6A semifinalist Westlake (Atlanta) faces Archer (Lawrenceville) at Dacula on Aug. 19. And Lowndes (Valdosta), a 7A semifinalist a year ago, will play Walton (Marietta) on Aug. 21 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

• Collins Hill (Suwanee), runner-up a year ago in 7A, opens its season again Brookwood (Snellville) at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Aug. 21.

• North Gwinnett (Suwanee) heads to Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Aug. 21 after going 9-4 a season ago to play host to Hoover (Ala.), the out-of-state power when went 11-2 last season and reached Alabama's 7A semifinals.

• Buford, winner of two straight championships, including the 2020 title in 6A, opens its season at North Cobb (Kennesaw) on Aug. 20.

Elsewhere in the opening week, Callaway (Hogansville), the defending Class AA champ, will hit the road to visit Opelika (Ala.) on Aug. 20. And Prince Avenue Christian (Athens) will face Calvary Day (Savannah) that same day in a matchup of 1A Private semifinalists from a year ago. Prince Avenue Christian is the defending champion.



The out-of-state flavor continues in Week 2 with Brookwood paying a visit to American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.), the defending champion in Florida's 5A division, on Aug. 28. (Collins Hill will also travel to American Heritage, on Sept 3.)

Also in Week 2:

• Irwin County (Ocilla), the 1A Public champ, faces Fitzgerald.

• Bainbridge was a 4A semifinalist last season. It will face 5A semifinalist Coffee (Douglas).

September
Warner Robins won last season's 5A championship.
Warner Robins won last season's 5A championship.
File photo by Cecil Copeland
Buford's tough early schedule will continue with out-of-state matchups against Myers Park (Charlotte, N.C.) and Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood, Fla.). The game against Myers Park, a semifinalists in North Carolina's 4AA last year, is Sept. 10. The following week, they'll play Chaminade-Madonna, which was runner-up in Florida's 3A in 2020.

Milton, a quarterfinalist in 7A last season, has an out-of-state contest against St. Joseph's Prep (Philadelphia, Pa.), the reigning 6A champion in Pennsylvania. That game is on Sept. 11.

Wesleyan (Norcross) and Prince Avenue Christian have a rematch of their semifinal game from last season on Sept. 17.



On Sept. 24, defending 5A champ Warner Robins plays 6A runner-up Lee County (Leesburg). Also that day, defending 3A champ Pierce County (Blackshear) faces off with Fitzgerald.

October
Grayson is the defending champ in 7A.
Grayson is the defending champ in 7A.
File photo by Cecil Copeland

Marist (Atlanta) won last season's 4A title, and gets a big challenge when it plays Florida's 4A runner-up Bolles (Jacksonville, Fla.) on Oct. 8.

The defending 7A champion Grayson (Loganville) plays Parkview (Lilburn), a team that reached the quarterfinals on Oct. 15.

Warner Robins and Coffee meet on Oct. 29. That day will also feature Irwin County and Clinch County (Homerville) in a matchup of 1A Public semifinals from a season ago.

November and December

The regular season in Georgia concludes on Nov. 5. From there, the playoffs begin on Nov. 12 and 13. Championship games are slated for Dec. 9 through Dec. 11.

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