Here's a look at five things we learned from the second round of the state high school football playoffs...
1. Sweet 16 adds plenty of flavor after largely mundane first round
With the exception of teams like East Hall, last week's postseason proved largely predictable with higher-seeded teams winning 99 of 112 games (88.4 percent). With that in mind Friday's second round proved a great tonic with a number of shocking upsets. That's not to say that the Sweet 16 was chock full of underdog victories -- higher-seeded teams still won 46 of 64 games (72 percent), along with 32 of 48 region championship teams still alive in Classes AA-AAAAAAA (region champions are not seeded the same in Class A). But watching teams like Cartersville, Lowndes and Grayson all go down on the same night certainly provided plenty of oh-my-goodness moments. The ouster of two-time defending champ Cartersville (by Region 7-AAAA runner-up Blessed Trinity, 21-17) lit up the Twitter-sphere, while McEachern's 36-31 win over previously undefeated and No. 1-ranked Lowndes opened up a number of possibilities in the state's largest classification -- which saw defending champ Grayson crash out courtesy a 35-28 victory for North Gwinnett. In fact, the largest classification provided the most parity, as just four (of eight possible) higher-seeded teams advanced. And teams like North Gwinnett could prove the benficiary. The same goes for Class AAAA, where Cartersville had dominated for the last two seasons. And after providing one of the bigger road wins of the night, Jefferson -- which knocked out previously undefeated Ridgeland 28-21 -- has to feel like everything is wide-open for a shot at glory at Mercedes Benz Stadium. Speaking of the Dragons...
2. Moore's performance shows Dragons' passing game improvement could be key going forward
Senior quarterback Bryce Moore put together perhaps his best-ever night for Jefferson, as he completed 11 of 19 passes for 159 yards and three touchdowns in the upset of second-ranked Ridgeland. The numbers alone don't do justice to what Moore's vertical threat -- combined with Zac Corbin, who caught all three touchdown passes and rolled up 117 yards receiving -- added to a Jefferson offense that saw its ground game limited by a determined Panthers defense. Colby Wood still rushed for 73 yards on 20 carries but had no touchdown runs -- though he did provide kickoff returns of 46 and 73 yards to help spark scoring drives -- but the Dragons had to display their versatility in order to storm back from a 14-0 deficit. And they did, with a vengeance. Last season's Jefferson team might have been the most dominant, at least in the run game and on the line of scrimmage, of the program's illustrious history. But the lack of a consistent passing game made the deep rounds of the postseason tough, as they fell in the semifinals. It was a lesson taken to heart, and one that has already proven consequential this season -- and should continue to be.
3. The Bulldogs are back
After not advancing past the first round of the playoffs since 2013, North Gwinnett, behind new coach Bill Stewart, has put itself back in the state title conversation. Not since 2013, when they knocked off McEachern 27-21 in the Class AAAAAA semifinals, has North Gwinnett staged a bigger win than it did Friday night in taking down Class AAAAAAA defending champion Grayson, 35-28. The Bulldogs were an unknown coming into the 2017 campaign with Stewart, who took over for Bob Sphire -- who had led them to a pair of state title games and accounted for more than a third (110) of the program's 304 total wins in just 11 seasons. But Stewart has provided a positive vibe to the Bulldogs, witnessed by his infectious enthusiasm following the win. The Rams admittedly are not quite the same team as the 2016 squad that featured nearly a dozen Division I prospects. But they still featured a dominating and feared defense that had not allowed more than 26 points in any game all season and just 36 total points over their last four games coming into the second round showdown. The Bulldogs offense proved it can be clutch, driving for the game-winning score late in the fourth quarter in a masterful blend of run and pass. Tyler Goodson had 132 yards rushing and 3 TDs while Jimmy Urzua was 15-of-19 for 233 yards passing. The Bulldogs, however, showed they may have a defensive unit that could carry them to The Benz. They sacked Grayson QB DJ Irons eight times and held their vaunted ground game to just 31 yards on 37 attempts. With No. 1 Lowndes County also falling in the second round, the road to The Benz may suddenly go through Tom Robinson Stadium, as the Bulldogs are the only region champ still standing on their half of the bracket.
4. Buford playoff formula still very much in effect
Yes, there are differences in the way the Wolves are attacking opposing defenses this season under first-year coach John Ford. But what has made Buford the most consistently successful team in the state over the last 18 years is still very much in effect at Tom Riden Stadium this postseason: dominant run game and defense. Quarterback Aaron McLaughlin has helped add another threat to the Wolves arsenal, but make no mistake this is still very much a physical, imposing Buford attack. Just look at the numbers put up by Buford's ground game in a 48-0 second round win over Maynard Jackson -- 325 yards rushing, with three running backs (Anthony Grant, Christian Turner and Derrian Brown) combining for five touchdowns. Meanwhile, a swarming Buford defense yielded just 87 total yards and forced an astounding seven turnovers. Sound familiar? They are the same type of numbers that helped Buford to reach its previous 17 straight state quarterfinal berths. Number 18 will certainly prove tough against No. 2-ranked Stockbridge -- a team rushing for 205 yards per game. But you have to believe the Wolves are right at home as they gun for an 11th straight state title game appearance.
5. Rabun County defense prepped for quarterfinal test
While the Wildcats' high-flying attack draws most of the headlines, it's defense has quietly gone about becoming one of the most consistently good in the state. And Rabun proved it again in the Sweet 16. The Wildcats yielded just 155 total yards, including an eye-opening minus-26 yards rushing, against BEST Academy. They also made big plays, stuffing the visitors on third and fourth and goal in the first quarter with Rabun leading just 7-2 -- when a touchdown would have yielded the Wildcats' first deficit of the postseason. Next comes Rabun's biggest test of the campaign against a second-ranked Screven County team that rushes for 299 yards per game and has produced four backs with over 500 yards rushing so far in 2017. Both teams are postseason veterans -- the Wildcats are in their third straight quarterfinal, the Gamecocks in their second. We only wish the coin had flipped another way so Rabun County would not have to trek the 213 miles to Sylvania (not that the Wildcats will care -- that's just our own selfish wish, because this should be a heck of a game).
SECOND ROUND STATE PLAYOFF SCORES, NOV. 17
Class AAAAAAA
North Gwinnett 35, Grayson 28
Archer 16, Mill Creek 10
Class AAAAAA
Harrison 45, Winder-Barrow 17
Class AAAAA
Buford 48, Maynard Jackson 0
Carver (Atlanta) 33, Flowery Branch 19
Class AAAA
Jefferson 28, Ridgeland 21
Class AAA
Cedar Grove 58, Dawson County 13
Westminster 59, East Hall 57
Class AA
Rabun County 35, BEST Academy 2
Class A Public
Charlton County 42, Commerce 14
STATE QUARTERFINAL SCHEDULE, NOV. 24
Class AAAAAAA
Marietta at North Gwinnett
Class AAAAA
Buford at Stockbridge
Class AAAA
Jefferson at Mary Persons
Class AA
Rabun County at Screven County
