Setting The Pace: Week Two Preview (Tennessee)

Written By: Jay Pace (@TheRealJayPace)

Walker Valley (1-0) at Bradley Central (0-1)

Walker Valley travels to Bear Stadium on Friday night looking to make it two straight over Bradley Central. The Bears have dominated the series, winning 18 of the 20 all-time meetings, but the Mustangs are chasing a 2-0 start for the seventh consecutive season.

Bradley Central needs this one in the worst way. The Bears squandered a double-digit second-half lead in their opener against McMinn County and how they respond here should reveal a lot about this team.

Oakland (1-0) vs. Huntington (WV) (0-0)

This interstate showdown should be a dandy. Oakland has been the gold standard in Tennessee 6A football, winning six state titles in the last eight years under Kevin Creasy. Few programs in the country are as disciplined and consistent.

Huntington is no pushover. Coach Billy Seals is a West Virginia legend, and his Highlanders counter with plenty of athleticism and won't be fazed by anything or anyone mighty Oakland throws at them. Expect a stern test early on, as both teams are full of battle tested veterans. Will that be enough to upset Oakland’s mighty football machine? At home? 

That’s why we play the games.

Baylor (1-0) vs. Rabun Gap (GA) (0-1)

Two of the nation’s premier private-school programs collide Friday at Heywood Stadium in Chattanooga. Baylor enters as Tennessee’s top team, loaded with Division I talent. Five-star OT Gabriel Osenda anchors a dominant offensive unit that ranks among the best in the country. Defensive back Jaymon Theodore (Tennessee commit) and Kolby Barnett (Miss. State commit) lead a stingy secondary.

Rabun Gap is battle-tested and won’t shy away from the spotlight. The Eagles’ explosive playmakers will challenge Baylor in what has become an early-season measuring stick for both programs.

McCallie (1-0) vs. Hebron Academy (GA) (0-0)

Another private-school clash with heavyweight implications, features McCallie, the defending Tennessee state champion, taking on Hebron Academy, fresh off a Georgia public-school title run last season.

Expect a war in the trenches, where both teams feature elite offensive line play. One matchup to watch: McCallie WR Keeshawn Tabeautu versus Hebron’s deep and talented secondary. This one has the makings of a Friday night classic in Chattanooga.