The Athens Bulldogs (5-0) are on the road this Saturday versus the Warren Warriors (1-4) with kickoff at 1:00 p.m. Interestingly enough, the Bulldogs had a home game against the Warriors last season that was moved to Saturday afternoon after inclement weather delayed it several times.
The reason why both teams are playing yet again on the weekend is unknown at the given moment. Athens won 27-14 against Warren at home last year, and has dominated the series winning nine straight and leads 22-15 overall. Warren hasn’t been victorious since 2010.
This rivalry is similar to when NBA star guard James Harden and the Houston Rockets had to face the primetime Golden State Warriors, as the Warriors also had to face a Joe Burrow-led offense for four consecutive seasons.
Older Bulldog fans have a handful of gripes against Warren, particularly when the Warriors spoiled some of Athens’ greatest teams at multiple boys and girls basketball tournaments.
To counter Athens’ long-winning streak against Warren in football, the Warriors held a 22 game streak against the Bulldogs in boys basketball. That streak ended in the 2019-20 season. Historically, track and field is likely their best program.
In terms of football, although Athens has been the primary victor in recent memory, Warren is still a team that isn’t to be taken lightly no matter what their record is.
However, the Bulldogs are the undisputed best team in their conference for a reason. Their offense and defense has been clicking on all cylinders. Junior quarterback Briar Thomas and senior running back David Sharp have led the charge for Athens to score as much as it has been.
With the likes of junior defensive back Weston Wheatley and sophomore cornerback Tyriq Cunningham, the Bulldogs defensively have been an absolute monster to get by for opposing offenses.
Warren has struggled with a challenging schedule, and their only win was by clinching an overtime thriller against Logan. Despite their record, the Warriors have the potential to be a dangerous opponent.
All eyes are on senior quarterback Jacob Sealey to see if he’ll be able to break free from the Bulldogs’ defense. For Athens, all its needs to do is stick to its gameplan.
