Everything to know about the Class 2A second-round playoff matchups

Here is a preview — including predictions and historical information — of every second-round matchup in Class 2A.

AJC Varsity will preview all eight playoff classifications ahead of this week’s games.

Pierce County (9-2) at Carver-Atlanta (11-0)

Seeding: Pierce County is the No. 16 seed. Carver is the No. 1 seed.

Rankings: Pierce County is unranked. Carver is ranked No. 2.

Last week: Pierce County beat Ringgold 45-7. Jae’Veon Williams rushed for 284 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries. Drake Dowling rushed for 112 yards and three touchdowns on 11 carries. Both teams had three interceptions. Carver beat Butler 69-6. Terrious Favors returned three punts for touchdowns (81, 70 and 60 yards), caught two passes for 145 yards and two touchdowns, and rushed for 16 yards and a touchdown on two carries.

Last meeting/series: Carver won 19-17 in the 2021 semifinals. Series is tied 1-1.

Playoff history: This is Pierce County’s 10th straight second-round appearance. Pierce County has reached the quarterfinals each of the past five seasons. Pierce County is 9-6 all-time in the round of 16. This is Carver’s second straight second-round appearance. Carver is trying to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 2022. Carver is 6-0 all-time in the round of 16.

Score to schedule: Pierce County’s average score is 31-11 against the 19th-hardest schedule in Class 2A. Carver’s average score is 39-7 against the 20th-hardest schedule in Class 2A.

Maxwell Ratings’ projection: Carver by 23

Sumter County (10-1) at North Murray (10-1)

Seeding: Sumter County is the No. 9 seed. North Murray is the No. 8 seed.

Rankings: Sumter County is ranked No. 5. North Murray is unranked.

Last week: Sumter County beat KIPP Atlanta Collegiate 42-7. Aaron Kearse rushed for 103 yards and two touchdowns. Ishmael Jones was 17-of-21 passing for 201 yards and two touchdowns. Omari Woodard had five receptions for 121 yards. North Murray beat Cook 22-14. Hudson Hulett rushed for 193 yards on 37 carries, and his 1-yard run with about 8 minutes left gave North Murray a 22-7 lead. Layten Myers rushed for 140 yards on 21 carries.

Last meeting/series: This is the teams’ first meeting.

Playoff history: This is Sumter County’s second straight second-round appearance. Sumter County is trying to reach the quarterfinals for the first time. Sumter County is 0-4 all-time in the round of 16. This is North Murray’s first second-round appearance since 2023. North Murray is trying to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 2019. North Murray is 1-2 all-time in the round of 16.

Score to schedule: Sumter County’s average score is 45-6 against the 38th-hardest schedule in Class 2A. North Murray’s average score is 33-21 against the 22nd-hardest schedule in Class 2A.

Maxwell Ratings’ projection: Sumter County by 20

Hapeville Charter (7-4) at Appling County (8-3)

Seeding: Hapeville Charter is the No. 12 seed. Appling County is the No. 5 seed.

Rankings: Hapeville Charter is ranked No. 7. Appling County is ranked No. 10.

Last week: Hapeville Charter beat Columbus 48-0 and led 550-17 in total yards. Keylan Pope passed for 473 yards and seven touchdowns. Appling County beat Hart County 31-20. Appling County trailed until late in the third quarter but scored the final two touchdowns. Jaiden Knight rushed for 158 yards and two touchdowns. Zacchaeus Shinhoster rushed for 130 yards. Appling County was 2-of-5 passing.

Last meeting/series: This is the teams’ first meeting.

Playoff history: This is Hapeville Charter’s second straight second-round appearance. Hapeville Charter is trying to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 2019. Hapeville Charter is 3-4 all-time in the round of 16. This is Appling County’s seventh straight second-round appearance. Appling County is trying to reach the quarterfinals for the second straight season. Appling County is 6-9 all-time in the round of 16.

Score to schedule: Hapeville Charter’s average score is 23-13 against the fifth-hardest schedule in Class 2A. Appling County’s average score is 32-23 against the ninth-hardest schedule in Class 2A.

Maxwell Ratings’ projection: Hapeville Charter by 1

Miller Grove (9-2) at Morgan County (11-0)

Seeding: Miller Grove is the No. 13 seed. Morgan County is the No. 4 seed.

Rankings: Miller Grove is unranked. Morgan County is ranked No. 3.

Last week: Miller Grove beat Spencer 20-9. Frank Johnson Jr. scored the winning touchdown on a 16-yard run with 3:11 left at the end of a 97-yard drive and finished with 98 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries. Morgan County beat Westside of Macon 29-8. Morgan County led 7-0 at halftime and scored 22 points in the third quarter. Christian Monfort rushed for 103 yards and two touchdowns. Davis Strickland passed for 182 yards.

Last meeting/series: This is the teams’ first meeting.

Playoff history: This is Miller Grove’s first second-round appearance. This is Morgan County’s third straight second-round appearance. Morgan County is trying to reach the quarterfinals for the second straight season. Morgan County is 2-7 all-time in the round of 16.

Score to schedule: Miller Grove’s average score is 30-12 against the 39th-hardest schedule in Class 2A. Morgan County’s average score is 47-16 against the 29th-hardest schedule in Class 2A.

Maxwell Ratings’ projection: Morgan County by 30

Stephens County (6-5) at Carver-Columbus (11-0)

Seeding: Stephens County is the No. 19 seed. Carver is the No. 3 seed.

Rankings: Stephens County is unranked. Carver is ranked No. 1.

Last week: Stephens County beat Crisp County 24-21. Stephens County rushed for only 6 yards, but Davon Swinton had 11 receptions for 173 yards, and Branson Stowe passed for 279 yards. Carver beat Redan 56-0. Carver led 35-0 in the first quarter and recorded its seventh shutout this season. Tristian Givens, an edge rusher committed to Texas A&M, blocked two punts and forced and recovered a fumble.

Last meeting/series: This is the teams’ first meeting.

Playoff history: This is Stephens County’s fifth straight second-round appearance. Stephens County is trying to reach the quarterfinals for the second straight season. Stephens County is 4-13 all-time in the round of 16. This is Carver’s seventh straight second-round appearance. Carver has reached the quarterfinals each of the past five seasons. Carver is 13-2 all-time in the round of 16.

Score to schedule: Stephens County’s average score is 21-28 against the third-hardest schedule in Class 2A. Carver’s average score is 48-5 against the 44th-hardest schedule in Class 2A.

Maxwell Ratings’ projection: Carver by 27

Callaway (8-3) at Thomson (8-3)

Seeding: Callaway is the No. 11 seed. Thomson is the No. 6 seed.

Rankings: Callaway is ranked No. 6. Thomson is ranked No. 8.

Last week: Callaway beat Franklin County 25-15. Christon Kennedy rushed for 97 yards on 20 carries, and his TD run with 3:09 left gave Callaway its final margin. Blake Harrington was 8-of-9 passing for 152 yards and two touchdowns. Thomson beat Jackson 14-7, scoring touchdowns on Jaris Sinkfield’s 67-yard interception return and Markevion Jones’ 23-yard pass in the final seconds of the first half. Thomson led 265-224 in total yards. No points were scored in the second half.

Last meeting/series: This is the teams’ first meeting.

Playoff history: This is Callaway’s 14th straight second-round appearance. Callaway is trying to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 2023. Callaway is 10-6 all-time in the round of 16. This is Thomson’s 11th straight second-round appearance. Thomson is trying to reach the quarterfinals for the second straight season. Thomson is 10-12 all-time in the round of 16.

Score to schedule: Callaway’s average score is 31-16 against the 12th-hardest schedule in Class 2A. Thomson’s average score is 34-16 against the 33rd-hardest schedule in Class 2A.

Maxwell Ratings’ projection: Toss-up

Burke County (9-2) at Columbia (5-6)

Seeding: Burke County is the No. 10 seed. Columbia is the No. 7 seed.

Rankings: Burke County is ranked No. 9. Columbia is unranked.

Last week: Burke County beat Sonoraville 57-21. Sean Vandiver was 5-of-5 passing for 136 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 85 yards and a touchdown on six carries. Jamari Reeves rushed for 101 yards on eight carries. Columbia beat East Jackson 32-18. Czar Daniels passed for 271 yards and two touchdowns, both to Damarion Davis, who had six receptions for 112 yards. Daquarrion Trammell rushed for 147 yards and two touchdowns.

Last meeting/series: This is the teams’ first meeting.

Playoff history: This is Burke County’s second straight second-round appearance. Burke County is trying to reach the quarterfinals for the second straight season. Burke County is 8-9 all-time in the round of 16. This is Columbia’s third straight second-round appearance. Columbia is trying to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 2023. Columbia is 2-4 all-time in the round of 16.

Score to schedule: Burke County’s average score is 36-16 against the 36th-hardest schedule in Class 2A. Columbia’s average score is 18-20 against the hardest schedule in Class 2A.

Maxwell Ratings’ projection: Burke County by 1

Laney (8-3) at Rockmart (10-1)

Seeding: Laney is the No. 18 seed. Rockmart is the No. 2 seed.

Rankings: Laney is unranked. Rockmart is ranked No. 4.

Last week: Laney beat Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe 48-29. Gerald Brown III rushed for 251 on 26 carries. Laney rushed for 438 yards as a team and scored six touchdowns and six two-point conversions. Rockmart beat South Atlanta 50-20. Gavin Green returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown. Tucker Parson was 9-of-10 passing for 168 yards and two touchdowns. Nate Davis rushed for 120 yards and three touchdowns on 12 carries.

Last meeting/series: This is the teams’ first meeting.

Playoff history: This is Laney’s third straight second-round appearance. Laney is trying to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 2013. Laney is 4-6 all-time in the round of 16. This is Rockmart’s fourth straight second-round appearance. Rockmart has reached the quarterfinals each of the past three seasons. Rockmart is 4-5 all-time in the round of 16.

Score to schedule: Laney’s average score is 35-14 against the 37th-hardest schedule in Class 2A. Rockmart’s average score is 43-16 against the 24th-hardest schedule in Class 2A.