(VIDEO) Game of the Week: Wolves in unusual position but fired up for McEachern challenge

POWDER SPRINGS — Forget the 42-game win streak; forget the three straight state titles (and 10 in the past 14 seasons); Buford football still finds itself in the underdog role this week.

Undoubtedly, it is rarified territory for the Wolves -- and one that they hope to make the most of when they travel to battle McEachern on Friday in Powder Springs.

“It kind of gives us a little motivation when we’re out there practicing. We’re pretty hyped up trying to get it right. We’re practicing harder; we’re practicing smarter; we’re preparing for this game,” Buford senior tight end/defensive end Caleb Auer said.

“I think we really like it. It gives us a little swagger that, ‘hey, people don’t think we can do it.’ And that’s not something we liked to be told around here,” Buford senior offensive/defensive lineman Cooper Simpson said.

Certainly Buford (2-0) knows it will have to put together a stellar performance to show up the doubters. (NOTE: For a look at all of the match-ups scheduled for Week 2, click here).

After all, McEachern (1-0) brings a line-up littered with top-level collegiate talent to the contest -- including six current Football Bowl Subdivision commits and at least six more with offers -- most of whom played key roles on last year’s Class AAAAAA semifinalist that lost to eventual champ Colquitt County and battled Buford from start to finish in a 27-20 victory for the Wolves in 2014.

And while Buford has plenty of talent of its own, much of that talent is still getting used to the spotlight after the Wolves graduated its own hyper-talented senior class that included 15 scholarship signees (plus the move of FBS signee Isaac Nauta to Florida). That doesn’t even take into account injuries and adversity, and Buford has faced plenty of that early in the season, with double digit numbers of projected starters missing playing time. And several, including standout running back/defensive back Xavier Gantt, will also miss Friday’s game.

Again, however, you won’t find the Wolves sweating it.

“Continuity-wise it definitely effects you with that first line of guys maybe you expected to send out there. But these guys do so much work from May until August that a lot of the parts are interchangeable,” Buford coach Jess Simpson said. “Some are older, more mature and some are less experienced and younger, but that’s part of the next man in mentality.

“Any time you play a quality opponent or a team that’s considered one of the best in the state that gets your blood flowing, but honestly I don’t know a whole lot has been different. We go through our process and do what we do during the week to prepare. I think when we kick off, maybe it will have a little different feeling. We’ll be on the road in a big atmosphere. But our kids are used to that, and I expect them to compete.”

Buford knows it must be ready to compete at the highest level, as the Indians not only have talent but versatility. Quarterback Bailey Hockman, a junior committed to Georgia, is just as comfortable launching deep passes or short underneath routes to a bevy of talented receivers -- including Tyler Smith, Tyler Simmons and C.J. Windham -- as he is handing the ball to standout running back Sam Jackson, a Georgia Southern commit.

“I think they’re a complete football team. You don’t look at them and go ‘oh they’re weak here; they’re weak there.’ ” coach Simpson said. “They’re willing to take their shots; they’re willing to throw the ball underneath, and they certainly can run the football very well. They can do about what they want to do. They’ve got a great scheme; they’re well-coached; they’ve got great players. You can’t take one thing away and not expect them to make an adjustment and try something else. So we’ve got to mix things up as well.”

Buford will look for quarterback Mic Roof, who has impressed early, completing 10 of 11 passes for 103 yards and two scores, to lead an attack that also includes sophomore running backs Christian Turner (73 yards rushing, 2 TDs) and Anthony Grant (56 yards) and senior Martin Mangram (30 yards, 2 TDs). Meanwhile, the Wolves offensive line is girding itself for a huge battle with McEachern defensive tackles Julian Rochester (6-foot-5, 327-pound senior, committed to Georgia) and Andrew Tarver (6-1, 295, Florida International commit).

“They’re a really formidable opponent when it comes to playing up front,” coach Simpson sadi. “But that’s what we’ve try to hang our hat on around here for a long, long time. And I know we’ve got a great challenge, and it’ll be interesting to see how lines of scrimmage match up.”

Should Buford clean up some of the mental mistakes -- including six fumbles (losing two) -- that kept Buford from pulling away in a 27-20 season opening defeat of Eastern Christian (Md.), the Wolves are convinced that they can stand toe-to-toe with the Indians.

“The first game was a really tough game. I felt like we moved the ball well on offense, and I felt like they didn’t move the ball really well on offense, except for on some third downs where we had some mental busts. But I feel like we dominated the game, we just couldn’t score and made some turnovers. But it was definitely a good experience for us because we learned a lot about our team, learned a lot about what we can do up front. And I think we showed some people that we’re not as weak as people thought we were going to be up front,” Cooper Simpson said. “A lot of respect for Eastern Christian, they’re a really good football team. I don’t know if we’ll see linebackers as good as that all year. They had a Michigan and a Maryland commit. So that was a really good experience, especially for games coming up like Friday where we are going to be going up against guys similar to that.”

Whatever happens, the Wolves know the showdown will only make them better in the long haul.

“Our preseason schedule, I always want to build it to a point where we can look our team in the eye in October and November and December and say, ‘hey, it’s not going to be any tougher than what we did back in early August and September.’ Certainly this is one of those games you can look at,” coach Simpson said. “I look at McEachern, Colquitt (County) and maybe Archer, and they’re probably the top three best, most talented teams in the state this year. We haven’t seen everybody but when you watch them play the last couple of weekends on TV, they’re pretty special and pretty talented, and you know what you’re getting into to.”

And come kickoff Friday night, Buford won’t be thinking about the long-haul -- only competing in the present.

“Like I said, our kids are going to show up, and they’re going to play,” coach Simpson said.