5 Takeaways from Week 2 of Georgia high school football

Collins Hill continues to impress; Buford barely avoids an 0-2 start; Grayson, Milton and Gainesville capture big wins

Collins Hill remained hot to start the 2024 Georgia high school football season, topping Woodward Academy, 21-14, on Friday. / Jamie Spaar

Week 2 of the high school football season in the state of Georgia is in the books and it was filled with some great out-of-state competition. 

Grayson started off the week with a bang, defeating Thompson (AL) on the road, as did Gainesville, who knocked off Moody (AL) to improve to 2-0 on the season. 

The state's No. 1 ranked team, Milton, took down American Heritage (FL) to remain unbeaten, and Collins Hill earned another huge in-state win, defeating Woodward Academy. 

Here are five things we learned from this week's slate of games: 

Collins Hill earns another big-time win 

After earning a big-time win over then No. 4 Grayson to open up the season, the Eagles could have easily found themselves in a letdown spot this week against Woodward Academy, a team hungry to get in the win column after losing to Carrollton 24-14, a game they were in for the vast majority. 

But the only team getting letdown was the War Eagles, who moved to 0-2 on the season after the Eagles scored a go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter to win the game 21-14. 

There has been no more impressive start to the season for a team from Georgia than the Eagles, who many would have predicted an 0-2 start to the season against two high-profile teams in Grayson, who was a Class 7A state semifinal team a season ago, and Woodward Academy, who played for a Class 6A state title last season. 

Buford barely sneaks past Benedictine to prevent an 0-2 start to its season 

The Wolves found themselves on the verge of starting the season 0-2 for the first time since 1998 Friday night at home against Benedictine. 

They trailed by seven points late in the fourth quarter before scoring a touchdown and converting a two-point conversion with just over a minute remaining to stun the Cadets, 29-28. 

Buford survived a tight battle with Benedictine to avoid an 0-2 start to its 2024 football season. /

Sitting at 1-1 through their first two games, things aren’t going to get any easier with Roswell looming in two weeks, and Douglas County looming the week after that. 

There’s still plenty of time for the Wolves to figure things out, and they’ll definitely need to sooner than later. 

Grayson Gets Back On Track Against Alabama’s Best Team

The Rams were none too pleased after losing to Collins Hill in Week 1, a game they turned the ball over way too much to overcome the Eagles in a 20-19 loss. 

Traveling to face Thompson (AL) in week two, the best team the state of Alabama has to offer, the Rams played much better and won the game with a two-point conversion on national television 15-14. 

Defense hasn’t been an issue for the Rams to start the season, but rather the offense. And given the talent the Rams have on offense, their struggles on that side of the ball shouldn’t continue for much longer. 

The Rams will have a great opportunity to run the table and enter the Class 6A state playoffs as one of the favorites to win it all. 

Milton Rumbles Past American Heritage (Fl) to Stay Unbeaten 

The Eagles got another big test, this time in the form of American Heritage, a Top 10 team from the state of Florida. But even they were no match for the Eagles, who were able to score a late touchdown to win the game by nine points, 37-28. 

Milton quarterback Luke Nickel throwing against American Heritage / Matt Christopher

Milton has done exactly what it has needed to do in its first two games against Buford and American Heritage. They will now enter a 5-game stretch of games in which they should win comfortably and should enter their road matchup against Gainesville on Oct. 11 7-0 on the season. 

Gainesville Has Passed the Eye Test Through Two Games

There was a lot of turnover for the Red Elephants heading into 2024, but that hasn’t seemed to faze them much. 

After demolishing Marietta 41-3, they followed that up with a 31-7 win over Moody (Al.) to improve to 2-0 on the season. It was a game they led just 3-0 at the half before crushing Moody 38-7 in the second half. 

Things will ramp up a good bit for the Red Elephants moving forward, however. They will travel to face Westlake next Friday, and then following a bye, will travel to face JuJu Lewis and Carrollton in their fourth game of the season. 

How they perform in those two games will tell us everything we need to know about how good  they can be this season.