BUFORD — What Friday's showdown at Tom Riden Stadium lacks in playoff implications, it more -- far more -- than makes up for in star power, name recognition and cache.
Buford (2-0) plays host to South Pointe, S.C., (3-0) at Tom Riden Stadium at 7:30 p.m.
The two programs are among the gold standard across the entire southeast -- and their similarities are striking.
The Stallions, according to MaxPreps, are the top-rated team in South Carolina across all classifications and are ranked 28th nationally. The Wolves are ranked sixth in Georgia all-classification and 95th nationally. Buford has claimed 14 region titles and 10 state titles since 2001. The Wolves have played in 10 straight championship games spanning five different classifications. The Stallions have won three consecutive state titles in the Palmetto State, four since 2011, and have advanced to the semifinals or better in eight straight seasons. They lost in the finals in 2010.
South Pointe is 102-17 since 2009 while the Wolves are 124-10 during that same period.
It is not the first time the Wolves have taken on a national power. And it is the fourth consecutive season they have played an out-of-state opponent. Buford played Alabama power Jeff Davis out of Montgomery in 2016, traveled to Timberview out of Mansfield, Tex., in 2008, and traveled to Grove City (Ohio) in 2007.
First-year Buford coach John Ford said it's keeping within the tradition that Buford will play anybody, anytime, anywhere.
"I don't know how to compare this game against some of the teams they have played in the past," he said. "But, we want to play the best teams we can and this team certainly would be considered among one of the best teams Buford has ever faced. We definitely have our work cut out for us."
Both teams have rolled through the opening part of their schedules and both run a spread attack. Buford has outscored its first two opponents 82-34 while South Pointe has outscored its first three opponents 137-16 with one shutout.
The Stallions feature senior quarterback Derion Kendrick, who is committed to Clemson as a wide receiver. Yet the crucial battle will feature Buford's offensive line against the Stallions' defensive front-seven, led by defensive end and Virginia Tech-commit Eli Adams. The Wolves offer a potent ground attack behind senior running backs Anthony Grant (24 car., 160 yards, 2 TDs) a Tennessee-commit, and Christian Turner (23 car., 254 yards, 3 TDs) a Michigan-commit. Yet freshman quarterback Aaron McLaughlin (23-of-43, 270 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT) has shown that teams must also account for him already.
In its last game (Sept. 1), the South Pointe defense held Rock Hill to 97 rushing yards on 43 carries -- 21 of those going for no gain or negative yardage -- in a 45-9 romp.
"(South Pointe) knows how to score and how to keep people out of the end zone," Ford said. "They are solid in every phase. This will be a monumental task for us, for sure. I'm not sure if there is any one real key to the game in my mind. I just know we'll have to play well in all three phases to have a chance.
"We will have to throw the ball because I'm sure (South Pointe) will try and take away our run game. Aaron just needs to do his job. He's a smart kid and I feel like he's going to play well."
Buford, meanwhile, has not played since Aug. 25 (a 34-17 win over Melbourne, Fla.) thanks to a bye and then last week's contest against International School out of Broward, Fla., getting cancelled because of Hurricane Irma. (The Stallions had a normal bye week last week.)
"I've never had a team that had two bye weeks in a row so all you can hope for is that your team is not rusty from not having played in so long," Ford said. "But, that can't be an excuse. We have to be ready and execute. I think we'll be ready."
