Friday Night’s Battle Between Between Gilmer + Tatum Is The ETSN.fm + Dairy Queen Game Of The Week

Gilmer and Tatum are no strangers to deep playoff runs in November and December. The Buckeyes and Eagles happen to be quite familiar with one another as well, having met 10 times since 2000.

Friday night's meeting at 7:30 p.m. from Tatum's Eagle Stadium is the ETSN.fm/Dairy Queen Game of the Week.

Gilmer (2-0), ranked No. 5 in the latest Associated Press Class 4A poll, enters this week's showdown coming off easy wins over Liberty-Eylau (55-16) and Pine Tree (68-20) to begin the season.

Tatum, meanwhile, has had an extra week to prepare. The Eagles (1-0) were off last week after beginning the season with resounding 39-7 home victory over perennial state power Newton.

Gilmer and Tatum have meet 22 times since 1986, with the Buckeyes holding a 16-6 series advantage. Gilmer has won eight of the last nine matchups -- the lone defeat coming in 2010, 47-41.

Gilmer, which has gotten contributions from several offensive standouts so far this season, will be led by senior quarterback McLane Carter, receivers Blake Lynch and Kris Boyd, running back Jamel Jackson and linebacker Demarco Boyd.

Tatum got an outstanding performance at quarterback from Chaston Brooks, who was filling in for the injured J.D. Taylor, in Week 1 vs. Newton. Brooks passed for 239 yards and four touchdowns in the dominating victory. The Eagles also feature plenty of firepower, including receiver Deyanta Roberson and linebackers Kyshaun Smith and Devon Boyd.

Be sure to check out the Gilmer-Tatum game preview Wednesday morning on ETSN.fm, follow contributor Anthony Hawthorne (@Ant_Hawthorne) for updates throughout the game, and head back to ETSN.fm late Friday night or early Saturday morning for complete game coverage.