This Week in GA Commits - Playoff Edition 11.13.15

After having his best performance of the season, two weeks ago, Christian Roberson was shut down by double teams and struggled to find open looks against Hillgrove. McEachern won anyway, and secured another Region Title. Roberson ends the regular season with 24 catches for 317 yards and 4 TDs on the season.

Things don't get easy in the Playoffs in Georgia. The McEachern Indians (9-1, 6-0) will host one of the titans in the Lowndes Vikings of Valdosta (6-4, 2-3). Don't let that 6-4 fool you, Lowndes has won 5 state titles and plays in the toughest region in GA which features schools continually ranked nationally like Valdosta, Camden, and current USA Today #4 Colquitt. All of the Vikings loses came to playoff teams. South Georgia football is some of the finest in the country. We grow lineman in the swamps and pine thickets and harvest them in time for fall camp. Lowndes produces some freaks of nature too like Randall Godfrey and current Louisville/ex-UGA Safety Josh Harvey-Clemmons.

Lowndes is led by a pair of big receivers makes the offense tough to defend. Senior tight end Gabe Nabers is an outstanding blocker who is committed to Georgia Southern. Junior receiver Xavier Jenkins - who is 6-foot-5, 195-pounds - has tremendous upside and is leading the team in receptions. Quarterback Austin Dixon is the Vikings' biggest threat on offense since he has thrown for 1,346 yards and 16 touchdowns. He's also run for 583 yards and six scores in nine games. In all, these teams should match up well for a terrific battle.

But, McEachern has one huge advantage. In ye olde days, Georgia kept travel "localized". Until the 1990s, a line was drawn at Macon, and you crowned a North and South Champ who played for the title. That switched to a Final Four crossover for many years. When we added a 5th tier, that went away and the 3 & 4 seeds travel regardless of distance. Lowndes is a 4 seed, and has a 7 hour bus ride today. It has become rare for those long bus ride teams to advance very far in the playoffs.

Game: Lowndes (6-4) at McEachern (9-1)
Last meeting: McEachern 20, Lowndes 13 (Sept. 2, 2011)
All-time series: Series tied 2-2

Prediction: McEachern 27, Lowndes 17

Good luck Christian and McEachern.