Jeff Hart

Coach Mike Smith can't seem to pull the Atlanta Falcons from their two-year rut on the road. The Falcons haven't done much right since losing last year's opener at New Orleans, dropping 10 of 11 road games as they prepare to visit Tampa Bay this weekend.

The Southeastern Conference has a talented pack of big backs. The league that has produced countless sizable runners - Herschel Walker, Bo Jackson and Shaun Alexander for starters - has a number of them punishing opponents this season.

If you're interested in talking state football playoff scenarios, we hope you've got your calculator and a bottle of aspirin handy. All kidding aside, with the final week of the high school football season upon us, area teams are getting down to serious business as they jockey for playoff positioning, and for some, their very playoff lives.

As Todd Gurley finishes up his four-game suspension, Georgia's athletic director said Tuesday that school officials determined within two days the star running back had taken money for autographs.

Mississippi State, Florida State and Auburn held the top three spots in the second College Football Playoff rankings, with Oregon joining them in the top four Tuesday night.

Their national championship hopes largely dashed, the Georgia Bulldogs insist they aren't giving up on the season. And they're ready to forget an embarrassing loss to Florida.

The No. 16 University of North Georgia women's soccer team blanked seventh-seeded Georgia College 5-0 in quarterfinal action of the Peach Belt Conference Tournament on Tuesday afternoon at the UNG Soccer Complex.

Both Flowery Branch cross country teams came away with Region 8-AAAAA titles Saturday at the Georgia International Horse Park.

Jeff Teague scored 25 points, Al Horford added 20 and the Atlanta Hawks held off the depleted Indiana Pacers 102-92 on Saturday night.

Matt Jones and Kelvin Taylor combined for 389 yards rushing and four touchdowns and Florida upset ninth-ranked Georgia 38-20 Saturday, ending a three-game losing streak in the series and quite possibly saving coach Will Muschamp's job.