Griffin at Stockbridge
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Tiger Stadium, Stockbridge
Records, rankings: Griffin is 11-1, the No. 2 seed from Region 3-AAAAA and No. 10; Stockbridge is 12-0, the No. 1 seed from 4-AAAAA and No. 2.
Last meeting: Griffin won 35-14 in 2013.
Things to know: Griffin advanced with a 27-20 overtime victory over Arabia Mountain in the second round. Santo Dunn scored on a 7-yard run for the game-winner. QB Tylan Mortan threw for 318 yards, giving him 4,314 for the season - 246 behind Hutson Mason's state record of 4,560. Griffin is 4-0 in quarterfinals since 2005, playing most recently during its 2013 state-championship season. Stockbridge has reached the quarters for the fourth consecutive time. The Tigers advanced to the semifinals in 2014. Jalen Holston rushed for 63 yards, running his season total to 1,296, and returned a kickoff 93 yards in a 37-13 victory over Clarke Central last week. Stockbridge intercepted four passes, and Ryan Massey ran one back for a touchdown.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: Stockbridge by 21
Winner plays: Ware County/Rome winner
Ware County at Rome
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Barron Stadium, Rome
Records, rankings: Ware County is 8-3, the No. 1 seed from Region 2-AAAAA and No. 6; Rome is 10-2, the No. 1 seed from 7-AAAAA and No. 4.
Last meeting: Ware County won 35-24 in the 2015 Class AAAAA second round.
Things to know: In the 2015 playoff game between the two in Rome, Ware County trailed 24-14 in the fourth quarter but scored three touchdowns to win. Ware advanced to the quarterfinals last week with a 35-19 victory over Loganville. Ware had 301 yards rushing. QB Jemar Lincoln has rushed for 1,014 yards and passed for 747 on the season. Ware has made the quarterfinals six of the past seven years and is 3-3 in those. Rome defeated Bainbridge 45-0 last week and held all-state RB Dameon Piarce to 19 yards rushing. Rome RB Jamious Griffin rushed for 130 yards, pushing his season total to 1,132. RB Jalynn Sykes (1,092 yards) was injured and did not play. Rome is 1-6 in quarterfinals but won its last one in 2008 against Statesboro.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: Rome by 9
Winner plays: Griffin/Stockbridge winner
Carrollton at Buford
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Tom Riden Stadium, Buford
Records, rankings: Carrollton is 11-1, the No. 2 seed from Region 7-AAAAA and No. 3; Buford is 11-1, the No. 1 seed from 8-AAAAA and No. 1.
Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.
Things to know: Buford is in its 17th consecutive quarterfinal. The Wolves are 14-2 in those games. Buford's Christian Turner (17-110-4) and Anthony Grant (20-106-1) each rushed for more than 100 yards in a 56-26 victory over Jones County last week. The 26 points are the most Buford has allowed to a same-classification opponent since 2012, though most of it was surrendered after the game was in hand. Carrollton beat Thomas County Central 41-14 to advance. Carrollton has its most balanced offense in years under first-year coach Sean Calhoun. QB Mark Wright has thrown for 1,770 yards and 20 touchdowns and rushed for 489 and 10 touchdowns. Reid Dedman has six tackles for losses in the playoffs. Carrollton is 2-7 in quarterfinals since its 1998 state-championship season.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: Buford by 8
Winner plays: Kell/Woodland-Stockbridge winner
Kell at Woodland (Stockbridge)
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Wolfpack Stadium, Stockbridge
Records, rankings: Kell is 10-2, the No. 3 seed from Region 7-AAAAA and No. 5; Woodland is 10-2, the No. 2 seed from 4-AAAAA and No. 7.
Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.
Things to know: Woodland's Tommy Herman kicked a 34-yard field goal with three seconds left to complete a 17-point comeback in a 24-21 victory over Grady in the second round. Woodland, in the quarterfinals for the first time, has a pair of WR/DB types, Shakur Brown and Yusuf Corker, who are major Division I prospects. They are favorite targets of Reid Larsen, who has thrown for 2,555 yards. Kell RB Josiah Futral rushed for 122 yards on 10 carries in Kell's 31-3 victory over Starr's Mill. Futral has 967 yards rushing on the season. John Lampley has thrown for 1,732 yards. Kell LB Solon Page has committed to Tennessee, which is a strong contender for Woodland's Brown and Corker. Kell is 1-2 in quarterfinals, winning in 2013.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: Woodland by 3
Winner plays: Carrollton/Buford winner
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