Statesboro High will travel to Brooklet to face Southeast Bulloch and Portal will take on Bulloch Academy in the Erk Russell Classic to kick off the 2024 high school football season on Aug. 16.
The Georgia High School Association released the 2024 schedule Thursday with Bulloch County’s four local teams in action against each other the first week.
Statesboro
While the Blue Devils overall record – 4-8 – was disappointing, the team ended the 2023 season on a roll. They first defeated Jenkins, 35-0, in the final game of the regular season to qualify for the state playoffs. The Blue Devils then traveled to Atlanta and upset Tucker, 49-27, in the first round, before falling on the road to Harris County in the second round.
Head Coach Matt Dobson begins his second year at Statesboro and he will see a new region of familiar rivals. The Blue Devils remain in Region 1-AAAAA, but will be joined by county neighbors Effingham County and South Effingham, along with Glynn Academy, Brunswick, Evans and Lakeside-Evans. All those schools are dropping down from Class AAAAAA for the 2024 season.
Statesboro will close the regular season with back-to-back road contests against South Effingham on Oct. 25 and Effingham on Nov. 1.
2024 Schedule
Aug. 16 at SEB
Aug. 23 Veterans
Sept. 6 at Greenbrier
Sept. 13 Glynn Academy
Sept. 20 Bradwell Institute
Oct. 4 Lakeside-Evans
Oct. 11 at Brunswick
Oct. 18 Evans
Oct. 25 at South Effingham
Nov. 1 at Effingham County
Southeast Bulloch
After playing two years in Class AAAA, the Yellow Jackets will return to Class AAA for the 2024 season.
The last season SEB was in AAA in 2021, they won 10 games and earned the school’s first state playoff victory in almost 50 years.
In 2023, Southeast Bulloch was eliminated from state playoff contention in the final game of the regular season, falling to Burke County to finish 4-6.
Entering his fourth year at SEB, head coach Jared Zito will see rivals from Savannah return to the 2024 schedule, including Beach, Groves and Johnson.
2024 Schedule
Aug. 16 Statesboro
Aug. 30 Islands
Sept. 6 at Calvary Day
Sept. 13 Johnson-Sav.
Sept. 20 at Windsor Forest
Sept. 27 Liberty County
Oct. 4 Groves
Oct. 11 at Jenkins
Oct. 25 at Long County
Nov. 1 Beach
Portal
The Panthers are coming off a historic season in 2023, claiming their first-ever region title and hosting a second-round playoff game for the first time.
Though Portal lost that game in a heart-breaker – 14-12 – to Telfair County, head coach Jason McEachin is hoping the Panthers can build on the success of that 8-4 season. Starting his fourth season, McEachin will need to replace two of the greatest players in Portal history, Amir Jackson, who is headed to Florida, and Elijah Coleman, who will be playing at Georgia Military College.
In addition to starting the 2024 season in the Erk Russell Classic at Paulson Stadium, the Panthers will host Region 3-A Division II rivals ECI, Metter and Screven County at the Portal Athletic Complex
2024 Schedule
Aug. 16 Bulloch Academy (GSU)
Aug. 30 at Twiggs County
Sept. 6 Jenkins County
Sept. 13 at Bryan County
Sept. 20 Metter
Sept. 27 Savannah
Oct. 11 ECI
Oct. 18 at Claxton
Oct. 25 Screven County
Nov. 1 McIntosh County Academy
Bulloch Academy
The Gators came up just short of their state title aspirations in 2023, falling to Brookstone, 24-22, in the GIAA semifinals.
For his third season, head coach Aaron Phillips will look to take the momentum of the undefeated regular season in 2023 and two playoff victories and bring a championship to Gator Alley.
After their opening game against Portal Aug. 16 at Paulson Stadium, BA will travel to Claxton the following week and see rivals Frederica and Pinewood at home later in the2024 Schedule
Aug. 16 Portal (GSU)
Aug. 23 at Claxton
Aug. 30 at Augusta Christian
Sept. 6 Robert Toombs Christian
Sept. 13 at John Milledge
Sept. 20 Strong Rock
Sept. 27 Tattnall Square
Oct. 11 Frederica
Oct. 18 at St. Andrews
Oct. 25 Pinewood