Bowdon’s narrow 36-35 loss to Class 3A-A Private Fellowship Christian in the Red Devils’ season-opener left the program atop the rankings, but Friday’s game against Macon County gives Bowdon a chance to prove it deserved the leniency.

The Red Devils are led by quarterback Charles Maxwell III, who was 16-of-22 passing for 250 yards and two touchdowns in Bowdon’s loss. Joshawia Davis had 22 carries for 155 yards and three touchdowns. Junior receiver Kaiden Prothro had seven catches for 128 yards and a touchdown.

Macon County, which lost 38-14 to Telfair County in last season’s quarterfinals, is coming off a 26-19 victory against Southwest-Macon.

In other notable games:

-- No. 7 Bryan County will travel to Class 3A-A Private Aquinas (0-1) after defeating Johnson-Savannah 20-12 in the opener. The Redskins will face a tall task in the Fighting Irish, who were ranked in Class 3A-A Private but fell out following last week’s 45-22 loss to Class 3A-A Private No. 7 Athens Academy. In Bryan County’s victory against the Atomsmashers, junior Anddreas McKinny had 15 carries for 111 yards and a touchdown, and Trevor Lanier had one carry and a touchdown for Bryan County.

-- No. 4 Manchester (0-1) will try to right the ship Friday, when it plays up two classes at Class 3A Upson Lee (1-0). The Blue Devils were the state runner-up last season before losing to Bowdon 28-27 in the title game. Last week, Manchester lost to Class 4A Harris County 16-8 in Demonta Prather’s debut as head coach. Prather led the Blue Devils’ basketball team to the state championship game last season.

Class A Division II top-10 schedule

1. (1) Bowdon (0-1) at Macon County (1-0)

2. (4) Irwin County (1-0) vs. Division I Worth County (1-0)

3. (2) Brooks County (0-1) rests.

4. (3) Manchester (0-1) hosts 3A Upson-Lee (1-0)

5. (6) Clinch County (1-0) hosts Wilcox County (0-1)

6. (7) Bryan County (1-0) at Class 3A-A Private Aquinas (0-1)

7. (8) Greene County (1-0) at Twiggs County (0-1)

8. (NR) Seminole County (1-0) hosts Chattahoochee County (1-0)

9. (9) Trion (1-0) travels to Division I Dade County (0-1)

10. (NR) Metter (0-0) hosts Tattnall County

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