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No. 9 Gilmer Buckeyes (1-0)
vs.
Plano Prestonwood
Christian Academy Lions (1-0)

7:30 p.m. Friday
Lions Stadium, Plano

Coaches
Gilmer: Jeff Traylor
Prestonwood: Chris Cunningham

Last week
Gilmer: def. Atlanta 31-17
Prestonwood: def. Henderson 56-21

Next week
Gilmer: vs. Jacksonville
Prestonwood: vs. Royse City

Playmakers
Gilmer

  • QB Tanner Barr, Jr., 6-1, 175 (16 of 22, 244 yards, 3 TDs; 7 carries, 59 yards)
  • RB/LB Josh Walker, Jr., 6-1, 220 (5 carries, 41 yards, 1 TD; 3 catches, 9 yards; 5 tackles)
  • WR DeVondrick Dixon, Jr. (2 catches, 91 yards, 2 TDs)
  • ATH Chase Tate, Soph., 5-5, 150 (5 carries, 25 yards; 6 catches, 78 yards)
  • ILB Brandon Barnes, Sr. (10 tackles)
  • DB Justus Cheatham, Sr. (5 tackles, 1 INT)
  • CB Trey Washington, Sr., 6-1, 170 (4 tackles; committed to SMU)
  • WR Patrick Finch, Jr. (3 catches, 45 yards, 1 TD)
  • RB Kris Boyd, Soph., 5-10, 175 (8 carries, 69 yards)
  • OL Brady English, Sr., 6-3, 250

Prestonwood

  • QB Mickey Mitchell, Soph., 6-7, 215 (14 of 20, 162 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT; 20 carries, 173 yards, 1 TD)
  • RB Grayson Warren, Sr., 5-11, 190 (24 carries, 196 yards, 3 TDs)
  • MLB Mike Mitchell, Sr., 6-4, 222 (13 tackles)
  • TE Christian Morgan, Sr.,  6-5, 250 (5 catches, 32 yards, 2 TDs; committed to Florida State)
  • RB Raleigh Beougher, Soph., 5-9, 155 (5 catches, 52 yards, 1 TD)
  • WR Michael Irvin, Fr., 6-2, 200 (2 catches, 31 yards)
  • DB Jake Reed, Jr., 6-2, 175 (11 tackles)
  • LB Corey Meador, Sr., 6-0, 175 (6 tackles, 1 INT)
  • LB Elliott Mason, Sr., 5-11, 210 (9 tackles)

Just the facts

  • Prestonwood accumulated 566 total yards of offense against Henderson, including 404 rushing yards
  • Gilmer amassed 456 total yards of offense against Atlanta, 244 of which were passing yards
  • Prestonwood linebacker Mike Mitchell holds 21 Division I offers
  • Tuition and fees for an 11th- or 12th-grade Prestonwood student is $17,629 per year, according to the school's website
  • Gilmer held Atlanta running back Corion Webster (committed to Oklahoma State) to 80 yards on his first 20 carries last week (Webster finished with 138 yards on 23 carries)
  • Seven different Buckeyes carried the ball at least once last week, and six different Buckeyes caught a pass

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Key matchup: Prestonwood's offensive line vs. Gilmer's front seven. Prestonwood started last week's rout of Henderson with a 17-play, 86-yard drive, then got an onside kick and ran another eight plays for another touchdown drive. The running exploits of Mickey Mitchell and Grayson Warren were a huge part of that because of the push Prestonwood's offensive front got on Henderson's smallish front four. Gilmer cannot allow Prestonwood to dictate the tempo and control the ball, which it showed it can do last week against Henderson. The Buckeyes' 3-4 defense puts five players on the line of scrimmage in a "50" front. That walks up two linebackers -- such as Josh Walker -- outside of the defensive ends to give the defense more bodies at the point of attack. Nose tackle Xavier Fluellen (6-1, 260) will be a big part of Gilmer's efforts to stop the Prestonwood spread running game.

Don't be surprised if: Gilmer puts up a better fight against Prestonwood than Henderson, which appeared shellshocked after Prestonwood ran 25 plays before Henderson had a single offensive snap. Henderson didn't seem to ever get over that quick 14-0 Prestonwood start. Perhaps that means the Buckeyes should hope to get the ball first and set the tone of Friday's game themselves. Gilmer will have a more balanced offensive approach than Henderson thanks to Tanner Barr, the Buckeyes' new quarterback who looked as if he'd been starting at QB his entire career when he torched Atlanta. Prestonwood may still be the favorite in Friday's game, but don't count out Gilmer, which relishes the underdog role the few times the Buckeyes have it.

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