SUWANEE, Georgia, Aug. 15 — The Grayson (Loganville, GA) Rams relied on special teams early to build a lead before erupting on offense in the second half to run the Collins Hill (Suwanee, GA) Eagles off their own field in a 51-3 romp.
The No. 8 Rams played without three of their top stars on defense, but it turned out to be an opportunity to showcase their depth as the Eagles' offense could never get on track against Grayson's defensive subs.
Quarterback Travis Burgess, meanwhile, was the individual star of the game. After the Rams' offense was outscored 11-7 by its punt defense/return unit in the first half, the senior North Carolina commit put the unit on his shoulders, passing for two touchdowns and running for a another in the third quarter alone. He also had a touchdown pass in the first half, and by the time he exited the game late in the third quarter, the Rams led 45-3. He watched the rest of the game from the sidelines.
Grayson moves to 1-0 to start the 2025 campaign while Collins Hill falls to 0-1. Next up for the Rams is another tough game back in Loganville against the independent Rabun Gap-Nacoochee Eagles who were off this week.
Collins Hill will catch a Woodward Academy (College Park, GA) War Eagles' squad that was also dominated tonight in a 48-21 loss to the Carrollton (GA) Trojans.
Two Georgia powerhouses. One MaxPreps Game of the Week. Collins Hill vs. Grayson @ 7:30pm ET🔥
— NFHS Network (@NFHSNetwork) August 15, 2025
Watch it LIVE for FREE here ➡️ https://t.co/05342P73L8 pic.twitter.com/4FcwEeousI
Refresh for updates.
|| POSTGAME ||
If No. 12 Buford is truly the second-best team in the Peach State, then tonight's performance would indicate that there's a pretty big gap between them and the No. 8 Grayson Rams.
That's not to say that Buford isn't worthy of their ranking. It's just to emphasize that Grayson may finally have that elite team that can break through and make a run at the program's first national championship. It's important to remember that they were without three of their top defensive stars, and one, Tyler Atkinson, is a 5-star linebacker. It's scary to think just how good they might be with all those guys back in the lineup.
And Burgess put on a display in the second half showing that the offense can generate plenty of headlines and highlights of its own. At least on this night, the Rams looked like they were at least the No. 8 team in the country.
That's a wrap for tonight. Be sure to keep an eye on our high school coverage to follow more of our live updates during the 2025 season.
|| FOURTH QUARTER ||
And, finally, there it is. Five hours after this game was supposed to start but was delayed by rain, we're finally done in Suwanee, Georgia. Postgame thoughts coming up next, including a look ahead at the upcoming schedule.
FINAL: GRAYSON 51, COLLINS HILL 3
__________
Taking a peek back at that Soldotna score out in Alaska. After putting up 63 first-half points, they now lead Palmer 70-34 in the third quarter.
Soldotna is a dominant power in Alaska. They've won a state championship in 14 of the past 18 years, including four in the small school division from 2006-2010. They've been classified in the medium division since 2012 when Alaska reorganized their football teams across three classes from two. Since then, they've won 10 of the first 12 championships at that level. On several occasions, they've beaten the top team from the large school division.
They're showing their strength to open the 2025 season on the Last Frontier
__________
Grayson adds yet another field goal with a chip shot from 27 yards. They've crossed the half century mark.
8:55, 4th Qtr — GRAYSON 51, COLLINS HILL 3
__________
|| THIRD QUARTER ||
Grayson adds a 38-yard field goal, and they've outscored Collins Hill, 30-0, in the first nine minutes of the third quarter. Grayson has started all five of its second half drives in Collins Hill territory.
3:06, 3rd Qtr — GRAYSON 48, COLLINS HILL 3
__________
Collins Hills' defense is done. Another one-play drive as Burgess pulls it down and runs right up the middle of the Eagles' defense, scoring on a 41-yard touchdown run.
You figure that's probably it for Burgess. No reason to risk an injury here.
6:45, 3rd Qtr — GRAYSON 45, COLLINS HILL 3
__________
Grayson gets a stop on defense. One play, 74 yards later, they're in the end zone again with Burgess showing great touch on a deep bomb to Dawson Quarterman. That's Burgess's third touchdown of the game, and Grayson has put 21 points on the board in just three and a half minutes in the third quarter.
8:29, 3rd Qtr — GRAYSON 38, COLLINS HILL 3
__________
Grayson tacks on another quick touchdown. Travis Burgess with his second touchdown pass, this one to his big tight end Olafemi Hunter. This one is academic now, and we're just here to see how bad it gets.
10:12, 3rd Qtr — GRAYSON 31, COLLINS HILL 3
_________
We've got another score of interest from out west. They've kicked off the high school football season in Alaska this evening, and the state's top program in recent years, the Soldotna Stars, are off and rolling again. They lead the Palmer Moose at halftime 63-20. That's not a typo.
__________
This might get ugly. Grayson picks off a pass, and just a minute into the second half they've got their second possession in Collins Hill territory.
__________
Well, I spoke too soon. Collins Hill fumbles inside their own 10 to start the second half, and two plays later, Josh Thomas carries it in for the Rams.
Only a minute into the second half, that feels like a nail in the coffin.
11:16, 3rd Qtr — GRAYSON 25, COLLINS HILL 3
__________
We're off and running in the second half.
Collins Hill with the ball first. It's been all Grayson tonight really, but thanks to Collins Hill's defense getting that stop at the end of the first half, they're still only two scores down.
|| HALFTIME ||
Just a reminder, Texas Longhorns commit and 5-star linebacker Tyler Atkinson is usually the anchor for this Grayson defense. Their linebacking unit has played fine without him tonight, but here's a reminder of what we are missing from his Hudl.com junior highlight reel:
__________
We've got a Top 25 score from out west. The No. 25 Corner Canyon (Draper, UT) Chargers beat the Bingham (South Jordan, UT) Miners, 45-0 tonight.
|| SECOND QUARTER ||
And that's your first half in the books.
HALFTIME: GRAYSON 18, COLLINS HILL 3
__________
One thing's for sure, you can't blame Collins Hill's defense for the mess they're in. They just stopped Grayson on a fourth down inside the Eagles' five yard line. Rams could have kicked a field goal but they went for the kill instead. Eagles' defense held so that's another point to consider late if this game is within a touchdown.
__________
Another Collins Hill punt from their end zone. Another bad snap. Another safety for Grayson.
Grayson's punt defense/return unit has scored 11 of the Rams' 18 points, and four of those have come on safeties.
3:42, 2nd Qtr — GRAYSON 18, COLLINS HILL 3
__________
A really fine job by the MaxPreps crew. Multiple camera angles, great commentators. This is a high-quality stream.
__________
On a second-and-6, Collins Hill has a snap go over the quarterback's head. It rolls all the way back to the Collins Hill 2-yard line for a third-and-29. After an incomplete pass, they are forced to punt with the punter's heels right next to the end line. Punter has to rush it with only 10 yards to get the punt off, and it's a low line drive roller to the Grayson returner, Jonathan Stafford.
Stafford scoops it up and he's off to the races for a special teams touchdown. That bad snap on second down will be a key play if Collins Hill somehow manages to keep this close. And, important to note, that Grayson's punt defense unit has outscored its offense 9-7. Is it realistic to expect Collins Hill to upset the nation's No. 8 team on a night when they give up nine points on special teams?
9:43, 2nd Qtr — GRAYSON 16, COLLINS HILL 3
__________
After a sloppy start, Collins Hill has settled down. And after those first couple of drives, it's Grayson that has looked a little rudderless. But all things considered, after a two-plus hour rain delay, these teams are handling their business for the most part.
_________
|| FIRST QUARTER ||
And that's your first quarter in the books.
END OF FIRST QUARTER: GRAYSON 9, COLLINS HILL 3
__________
You have to hand it to Collins Hill flipping the field after the safety. After falling in a quick 9-0 hole to The Sporting News No. 8 Grayson Rams (and a consensus Top 10 across the other major rankings), they settled down, drove down the field, and put a field goal on the board. Would love to have a touchdown there, but the offense did its job and got their defense a rest. If time of possession tips too far in Grayson's favor, it's going to be a long night for the Eagles.
Good work there.
2:04, 1st Qtr — GRAYSON 9, COLLINS HILL 3
__________
Collins Hill gets a stop after the safety, and after a good return, they're in business in Grayson's territory.
_________
After catching the break on defense, Collins Hill's offense moves in reverse, finishing with a 4th and 18 with their punter standing inside his own 5-yard line. The ball sails over his head and Grayson picks up a safety.
5:41, 1st Qtr — GRAYSON 9, COLLINS HILL 0
__________
Collins Hill catches a break. Burgess makes a huge gain on a long third down scramble, but fumbles at the end of the play. A chance for the Eagles to hit the reset.
__________
Grayson starting its second possession in Collins Hill territory after the punt.
__________
I talked about energy and whether one team could get fired back up. And would one of those teams come out flat? Then Collins Hill jumps offsides twice to start the game while Grayson looked focused with Burgess leading the Rams quickly down the field. A 23-yard strike from Burgess to Ashton Turner gets the visitors on the board first barely a minute and a half into the game.
And Collins Hill is three and out on offense. Tough start for the hosts.
10:23, 1st Qtr — GRAYSON 7, COLLINS HILL 0
__________
Grayson gets its initial first down of the game on back-to-back offsides calls against Collins Hill. You already wonder a little about the Eagles' focus after the long delay.
__________
We're finally under way at 9:56 p.m. EST! The game was scheduled for 7:30 p.m. so we would have originally been wrapping up not too long after this.
__________
|| PREGAME ||
It looks like MaxPreps will go live around 9:47 EST p.m. That's supposed to be five minutes before kickoff. Cross your fingers.
MaxPreps is reporting that Atkinson is out for Grayson and a couple of other defensive regulars, too. That could change things on the defensive side where Grayson has the best front seven in the southeast when they're all healthy.
MaxPreps is going live so we're hopefully about to get this thing kicked off.
__________
KEYS TO THE GAME ...
I'm not sure keys to the game are the same they were two hours ago before this long rain delay.
I'd say the key to the game at this point for both of them is which team is able to get jacked back up after waiting all summer and now all day to play this game? Getting ready for a big game like this is kind of gradual build through the day. You know when it's going to start, and you know your regular routine right down to the minute.
But this. No, this is tough. You have no idea when the official is going to walk in and tell you to start getting ready. So, mentally, this is hard. It's unpredictable. Your guess is as good as mine, but if one of these teams is able to get fired back up, and the other one comes out flat, then an early score could make a late difference.
That being said, they all know the game plan. They all know their assignments. I think this is more about energy at this point and which team can come out and capture the early momentum.
__________
MAJOR STORYLINES ...
MaxPreps reporting the players have finally taken the field for warmups.
__________
MaxPreps is now reporting the game may start around 9:50 p.m. We're crossing our fingers.
__________
Just a quick heads up. It's 8:16 p.m. here in Eastern Standard Time. Most recent update from MaxPreps indicated they are just waiting for the lightning to stop.
_________
Another weather update as we approach kickoff in Suwanee.
MaxPreps, which is broadcasting the game on YouTube, has posted that the start of the game has been delayed. We mentioned earlier that there were thunderstorms in the area that could be an issue, and it appears that is the case now.
Updated game time from MaxPreps indicates they hope to get things kicked off by 8:45 p.m. EST. So that's definitely a long delay more than an hour away at this point.
We'll keep you updated as we find out more. Don't get your popcorn ready just yet.
__________
Grayson enters the game on a 14-game win streak. They haven't lost since that season opener a year ago against these Collins Hill Eagles. A loss won't be a killer for either team tonight in terms of state playoff hopes, etc. But in Grayson's case, it'll mean another high preseason ranking wasted on the national level. Our preseason edition of The Sporting News Top 25 has them at No. 8, meaning they could get into the conversation for a national title if they go undefeated. They don't play the same national-level schedule as some California and Florida schools, however, so if they lose, they're done.
__________
TEAM INFO ...
After last year's 20-19 season-opening loss to Collins Hill, Grayson got back on track and ended up winning out to finish 14-1. They avenged that loss in the state quarterfinals, beating the Eagles 38-14. The thinking here is that was more representative of the talent gap between these two programs.
Grayson comes into tonight's game with nine ranked upperclassman on the 247sports.com rankings. Collins Hill has three. For the Rams, that includes 5-star linebacker Tyler Atkinson who is committed to the Texas Longhorns. He's one of only 32 5-star players nationwide in the Class of 2026. He's paired with future Ole Miss Rebel 4-star Anthony Davis Jr. as the best linebacking tandem in the state. We also rated their defensive line as the top unit in the Georgia.
On offense they've got Travis Burgess at quarterback, a 4-star headed to the North Carolina Tar Heels in the future. He's also the top-rated Georgia quarterback in this class.
Collins Hill counters with 4-star defensive lineman Deuce Geralds, an LSU commit. They've got a couple of 3-star recruits, but the talent edge tips to Grayson as it usually does.
__________
WEATHER AND MORE ...
Checking in on the weather in the Suwanee area. It's 85 degrees and feels like 92 right now. Humidity is fairly high at 69 percent. The Weather Channel is calling for scattered thunderstorms in the area so that could be an issue. There were also some kids cramping up in last night's Milton-Buford affair. That game, played at Buford, was only 15 minutes or so from tonight's game in Suwanee in similar temps and humidity.
But overall, the conditions are par for the course this time of year for Georgia in mid-August. These Georgia boys are used to this, and these are two well-drilled, well-managed programs.
We'll check back in around the top of the hour with some more team info.
__________
TOP 25 AND THE GAME OF THE WEEK ...
While you're getting ready for tonight's big game, get yourself up to speed on the preseason edition of The Sporting News High School Football Top 25.
Then check out our TSN Game of the Week Recap featuring the No. 14 Milton (GA) Eagles at the No. 12 Buford (GA) Wolves last night.
__________
MORE GEORGIA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL ...
We've also got reports on some of Georgia's top returning players by position groups here:
Georgia's best linebackers in 2025 headlined by five-star recruits at Gainesville, Grayson
Georgia's top 20 receivers heading into 2025 include four future Georgia Bulldogs
Georgia's top high school football running backs in 2025 led by Georgia, Notre Dame commits
Grayson star tops list of Georgia high school football's best quarterbacks in 2025
__________
OUR PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA TEAMS ...
Finally, don't miss out on The Sporting News Preseason All-American Teams that just debuted today!
The Sporting News High School Preseason All-American Offense 2025
The Sporting News High School Preseason All-American Defense 2025
__________
We'll check back in here in a while with a look at some more storylines and an update on the weather in the greater Atlanta area.
MORE HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL HEADLINES ...
Here are the top 20 quarterbacks to watch in West Texas for ’25 season
Battle of Texas defending state champs shifts location to nearby 10,000-seat stadium
Here are the top 20 quarterbacks to watch in South Texas for '25 season
The Sporting News 2025 National High School Football Top 25 — Week One: August 12