Football Preview Union Recorder 2020 | Page 26

Six new opponents have made their way onto the GMC Prep football schedule for the 2020 season set to begin in September. The Bulldogs will try to improve on last season’s 3-7* mark against one of the less scary slate of opponents and regions in the state. (*One win last year came via forfeit after Hancock Central was found to have fielded an ineligible student-athlete.) Second-year head coach Lee Coleman will once again lead GMC Prep out onto historic Davenport Field as the team looks to garner its first winning season since 2011 and make its way into the newly-formatted postseason. Starting with the 2020-21 school year, Class A public and private schools will no longer compete in regions together. The two divisions were previously only split GMC impact player Caleb Bush GMC Prep looking to stand out in new region By GIL POUND up for the state playoffs, but now they will be separated full-time. The power rating system also goes away in all sports this upcoming school year. Postseason berths will instead be determined in the more traditional format, meaning the top four finishers in each region will move on to state. Along with the departure of the private schools, Region 7-A Public, GMC Prep’s region, is also welcoming in a few new competitors. This year in football, Crawford County, Hancock Central, Warren County and Wilkinson County will serve as the Bulldogs’ region opponents. Glascock County is a member of Region 7-A, but will play a non-region schedule once again this season. Twiggs County, also part of Region 7-A, has decided not to field a football team in 2020. Big picture, GMC Prep’s 2020 opponents combined to produce just a .267 win percentage (27-74 overall) a season ago taking Hancock Central’s three forfeits into account (.297 without the forfeits). Only one team GMC Prep will face this season posted a winning regular season record and advanced to the playoffs a year ago. Will a winning record against these opponents be an accurate marker for where GMC Prep stands as a football program? Probably not. Could it position the Bulldogs to earn their first postseason berth since 2002? Possibly. Here’s a look at the individual opponents Coleman and the ‘Dogs will host and visit underneath the Friday night lights this season. GMC Prep’s regular season is set to open Sept. 4 at Creekside Christian 26 Football Preview 2020