Georgia high school football blog: What happened around the state in Week 1

Capitalizing on blunders by the Red Elephants, Buford defeated Gainesville 39-19. 

Gainesville and Buford traded touchdowns in the the third quarter. Quarterback Kharim Hughley threw the first touchdown pass of the game for a 13-10 Gainesville lead.

Minutes later, Buford came back with its own as QB DJ Hunter trotted into the end zone on a designed run. The Wolves lead 17-13.

It’s Week 1, even for Buford in Gainesville. Two bad snaps have set up 10 of the 13 points in this game.

Gainesville running back Nigel Newkirk, an Alabama commitment, is not dressed today.

Newkirk suffered a season-ending lower body injury to end last season. It’s unclear if that’s why he isn’t playing.

Buford didn’t wait long to lay the boom, bringing a violent kickoff team for the first play of the game.

The AJC Varsity staff is at Phillip Beard Stadium tonight for the matchup between Buford and Gainesville.

Check here for live updates, highlights, and sideline footage of the nationally ranked game.

Weather delays at Clinch County and Lee County and the Buford-Gainesville game being televised on ESPN has created a strong Saturday slate to finish Week 1.

Here’s a look at every game with projected median margins of victory, according to the Maxwell Projections.

• Gainesville at Buford (-15)
• Newton at Douglas County (-7)
• Hapeville Charter at Lee County (-24)
• Westlake (-13) at Lovejoy
• Fitzgerald (-8) at Clinch County
• Lithonia (-1) at M.L. King
• Northeast of Macon (-14) at Westside of Macon
• Portal at Wheeler County (-13)
• McIntosh County Academy at Long County (-14)
• Crawford County at Rutland (-8)
• Tucker (-5) at Columbia
• Southwest DeKalb at Stephenson (-3)
• Berrien (-6) at Lanier County
• Harris County (-1) at Manchester
• Mitchell County at Seminole County (-1)

Here are some of the top upsets that occurred in Week 1 of Georgia high school football.

The Upset Alert

• Grayson (-12): Lost 21-13 to Sandy Creek
• Carver of Columbus (-12): Lost 28-7 to Douglass of Atlanta
• Central of Carrollton (-16): Lost 50-28 to Heard County
• Bowdon (-16): Lost 38-19 to Bremen
• Rockmart (-11): Lost 35-21 to Dalton
• Benedictine (-16): Lost 58-21 to Toombs County
• Starr’s Mill (-13): Lost 24-14 to McIntosh
  
• Wheeler (-13): Lost 34-24 to Campbell
• Pope (-10): Lost 28-10 to Woodland of Cartersville

This entry has been updated to correct the score of the Pope-Woodland of Cartersville game.

Class 4A’s reigning state champion couldn’t protect its home turf against an elite opponent from Alabama.

Creekside fell, 29-20, to Clay-Chalkville on Friday night in a game with several weather delays. AJC Super 11 selection Gary Walker scored all three touchdowns for the Seminoles.

Thomas County Central defeated Colquitt County, 57-21, at the Jackets’ Nest in Thomasville.