Oglethorpe County hasn't had much luck against Rabun County recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Patriots will be playing in front of their home fans against the Wildcats at 7:30 p.m. Oglethorpe County has given up an average of 30.7 points per game this season, but Friday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Oglethorpe County is headed into the matchup out to prove that what happened against Athens Academy last Friday (when they were outscored in every quarter) was just a minor bump in the road. The Patriots lost 43-21 to the Spartans. The Patriots were in a tough position after the first half, with the score already sitting at 36-7.
Oglethorpe County might have lost, but man, O'Maury Huggs was a machine: he rushed for 88 yards and one TD on only five carries. The bulk of those rushing yards came from one huge play: a run that gained an incredible 50 yards.
Meanwhile, Rabun County put another one in the bag on Friday to keep their perfect season alive. They claimed a resounding 55-28 win over Commerce. The Wildcats might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won five contests by 27 points or more this season.
Oglethorpe County better keep an eye on Reid Giles. He was instrumental in Rabun County's win, rushing for 243 yards and four scores while picking up 12.2 yards per carry, and also catching one touchdown. Thanks to that big game, Giles is now up to 15 rushing touchdowns on the season. Another back making a difference was Lake Evans, who rushed for 134 yards and one TD while picking up 8.4 yards per carry.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: Rabun County was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 396 rushing yards. That's the most rushing yards they've posted since back in September of 2024.
Special teams played a big role in the game for Rabun County, adding 13 points to the final score. The biggest highlight from special teams (and perhaps the team as a whole) came courtesy of Giles, who ran a punt back for a touchdown.
Rabun County's victory bumped their record up to 7-0. As for Oglethorpe County, their defeat dropped their record down to 2-4.
Friday's game might be decided on the ground. Oglethorpe County has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 183.3 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Rabun County struggles in that department as they've been averaging 269.7 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's matchup turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Oglethorpe County was taken down by Rabun County 48-14 in their previous matchup back in October of 2024. That contest was all but decided by halftime, at which point the Patriots were down 35-14.
