The Toughest Schedules
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Which teams have the toughest road ahead of them this season? Well, as everything else concerning the game of football, it is always debatable depending on which fan you ask.
If we simply look into the numbers it can become a little clearer. The team whose opponents have the highest winning percentage from last year would be the best place to begin. But that is not always the case depending on how tough each region is for that team. But, for now, that is where we will look.
At the top of the list is Benjamin Russell. The Wildcats opponents this season finished last year with a combined record of 80-37. Their non-region opponents include 5A state champion Beauregard (13-1), 6A runner up Oxford (10-1), Central Clay County (9-3) and Minor (11-2) finished a combined 43-7. They also compete in a region that includes 6A runner up Opelika (13-2).
The team in second place would be Greenville. Their 2016 opponents went 68-35 last year. The Tigers play Beauregard, Wetumpka and McAdory in non-region play. Not shabby at all.
Other teams with difficult road to travel include: Pleasant Valley (77-42), Glencoe (77-43), Center Point (71-39), Cleburne County (76-42 and Deshler (72-43).
The team with the toughest non-region opponents may very well be Hoover. They play three games against non-region teams and all are located outside the state of Alabama. These three opponents finished last season a combined 30-5.
Other teams with strong non-region schedules are: Gadsden City (31-5), Benjamin Russell (43-7), Blount (21-5), Lauderdale County (29-7) and Loachapoka (30-7).
The last category is the strongest regions. This is accomplished by combining the records of all the teams in each region. The best combined record for any region in any classification belongs to Class 3A region five. Their combined records were 56-28. The teams include; Glencoe, Ohatchee, Piedmont, Pleasant Valley, Randolph County, Walter Wellborn and Weaver. The teams finished a combined 35-7 against non-region foes last year.
Second place belongs to Class 1A region one. Their combined record from last season was 49-31. Against non-region opponents they finished 28-10.
One the other end of all this sits Class 1A region eight where the teams finished last year with a combined 28-47 record. This region went a combined 7-26 in non-region games. Only one team, Hackleburg, finished the season with a winning record and two teams, Phillips and Shoals Christian, reached the playoffs with 3-7 records.
David Parker
AHSFHS.org
dparker@ahsfhs.org
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Florida State head coach Bobby Bowden was a star quarterback at Woodlawn high school in Birmingham.
Florida State head coach Bobby Bowden was a star quarterback at Woodlawn high school in Birmingham.