BUFORD, Georgia — We're off and running with The Sporting News High School Football Game of the Week tonight from Buford, Georgia! The game is the season opener for the No. 14 Milton Eagles at the No. 12 Buford Wolves.
Both teams lost a lot of big names to graduation in the spring, but there is still be a lot of great talent on the field tonight. These are two teams with championship pedigrees that expect to make deep playoff runs again in 2025 despite some significant losses. Buford had 11 players listed in the 247sports.com rankings for the Class of 2025 while Milton had 10. For Milton, that includes the No. 9 player in the state a year ago, big Brayden Jacobs (6-foot 7-inches, 310 lbs) who is now at Clemson. They are also breaking in new quarterback Derrick Baker who made his first start tonight.
We'll keep you updated throughout the game, and you can also follow The Sporting News contributing writer Kendall Webb on X.com (@BlueLonghorn) for some hot takes on the action.
High school football is DIFFERENT in Georgia 🤯🏈
— SportsCenter NEXT (@SCNext) August 14, 2025
ESPN High School Kickoff starts tonight as #12 Buford (GA) hosts #11 Milton (GA) at 7 PM ET, live on ESPN2 📺 pic.twitter.com/1HxyVxAHuO
Refresh for updates.
POSTGAME
This was not a well-played football game overall. A lot of mistakes on both sides, a lot of things to clean up. Both teams can take some positives away – both defenses were resilient, in particular, and Milton has a gamer at quarterback in Baker even if his two big interceptions were the difference. The freshman Hasan has game, too, and it will be interesting to revisit his progress a year or two from now.
But overall, Buford just felt like the better team from the start. They'll need to eliminate self-inflicted mistakes down the road against competition better-positioned to take advantage of them. They were strong in the trenches as we expected with their high-rated offensive and defensive lines. And, it just felt like they might bend all night before they'd ever break in the first game ever at Phillip Heard Stadium at Dexter Wood Field.
That''s it from Buford, Georgia, tonight. Check out The Sporting News for a game recap later tonight.
FINAL — Buford 20, Milton 13
|| FOURTH QUARTER ||
Baker's been battling a hand injury much of the night. They put the freshman Hasan back in, but this time he throws a deep interception on a desperation heave. Buford's going to win the season opener, avenge their loss to Milton last year, defend their No. 12 ranking, and open their new stadium in style.
__________
Milton is wasting a lot of time getting set. Only 1:05 to play, they need a touchdown, and they're still deep inside their own territory.
__________
It's starting to feel like the kind of game that could get away from Buford. They've felt like the better team almost from the jump, but here we are with five minutes to play, and it's only a touchdown game.
And Milton has the momentum.
__________
Nothing against Derrick Baker who definitely has some game. But this freshman quarterback for Milton! What a cool customer as he steps in for Baker with ice water in his veins and delivers a 28-yard strike to Jordan Carrasquillo. The extra point is no good, but we've got a ball game in Buford!
BUFORD 20, MILTON 13
___________
Milton quarterback Derrick Baker has lost his helmet five times tonight. He has to come off the field whenever that happens unless the Eagles burn a timeout. It's still:
BUFORD 20, MILTON 7
__________
A key fourth quarter down coming up for Milton. They are just inside Buford territory, and called a timeout. Will they go for it?
|| THIRD QUARTER ||
Silas Nuckles' interception for Buford:
Silas Nuckles jumps the route and takes it to the house 🤩 @nucklesblood pic.twitter.com/huXBMHSf86
— SportsCenter NEXT (@SCNext) August 15, 2025
__________
And that does it for the third quarter with Buford still up 20-7. Milton gets another stop, limiting the damage.
Buford has shot themselves in the foot a few times when they could have created more separation. So you can't blame Milton's defense tonight. They're doing all they can to give the offense time to get going.
It's the kind of game where Buford is leaving the door open just wide enough to give Milton a chance. If the Eagles ever decide to walk through then this could still go to the wire.
__________
Buford has to settle for a field goal, but they are slowly stretching the lead. It's bad news for Milton on a night when their defense is keeping them in it. While it's felt like a game that is Buford's to lose all night, Milton has still managed to stay in it with the defense making timely stops.
BUFORD 20, MILTON 7
__________
Baker throws another interception, but he makes a touchdown-saving tackle on the return. He's called for a horse collar penalty, however, so Buford is on the doorstep again. This could be game, set, match, if the Wolves get seven here.
__________
Buford's Silas Nuckles intercepts Milton's Baker, and takes it to the house to give the host Wolves some breathing room.
BUFORD 17, MILTON 7
|| HALFTIME ||
🟢🟢⚪️⚪️#Gloryland | #AppEra pic.twitter.com/kOXJyScsF1
— Buford Football (@buford_football) August 15, 2025
Milton's touchdown from Baker to Bailey:
In tonight’s High School kickoff game between Milton (GA) and Buford (GA), ESPN revealed a new scoreboard and new graphics package for 2025.
— CFB Kings (@CFBKings) August 15, 2025
This will likely be how College Football games look on ESPN this fall. pic.twitter.com/2VofZ853li
___________
The game slowed down considerably toward the latter half of the second quarter, and we go to the half with Buford still out front.
BUFORD 10, MILTON 7
__________
|| SECOND QUARTER ||
The offenses are making big plays early. After Baker's big toss to Bailey for Milton, Buford drives right back down the field with Tyriq Green getting the score.
BUFORD 10, MILTON 7
__________
We're starting the second quarter with Buford in possession at their own 38-yard line.
|| FIRST QUARTER ||
MILTON 7, BUFORD 3 — END OF 1ST
Milton QB Derrick Baker just hit E.B. Bailey for a 55-yard scoring strike. This is the first start of Baker's prep career, and he's already answering some questions.
And that's where your first quarter ends ...
MILTON 7, BUFORD 3
__________
Buford shoots itself in the foot again deep in Milton territory and has to settle for the field goal. But that's your icebreaker, and now we'll see if Milton's offense can settle in and get a drive going.
BUFORD 3, MILTON 0
__________
A strange first possession for Milton. After getting pinned deep in their own territory, they managed to get a first down and create some space on a third-down scramble. A botched punt, however, erased any gains they made on that third down play, and Buford gets it back at the 44-yard line in Milton's territory.
__________
Buford had a strong first possession moving into Milton's territory before incurring back-to-back penalties that proved to be a drive killer. They did execute a great punt and pin giving Milton the ball around their own one yard line.
__________
We're under way in Buford! Buford has the ball first as we get the first game in Phillip Heard Stadium history started.
|| PREGAME ||
KEYS TO THE GAME
Milton wins if Buford, indeed, comes out pressing too hard, anxious to perform in front of a national audience in their new facility. The Eagles are a two-time defending state champion, after all, and talent runs deep in programs like Milton even if it is unproven on the field. If they can capitalize on any unforced errors that Buford might make, then they might be able to build a cushion that sustains them deeper into the game when the energy, inevitably, slows down for both teams.
Buford wins if their highly-rated offensive and defensive line units are dominating Milton in the trenches. It could get even worse if the Wolves feed off the momentum of a frenzied crowd, playing in a new stadium on ESPN like they've got nothing to lose in an early season non-conference game. If they go up a couple of scores early, then the young Milton quarterback might have to take to the airways, and that could play into Buford's hands with an inexperienced Eagles' receiving corps that was hammered hard by graduation.
MAJOR STORYLINES
Milton enters tonight's game on a 25-game win streak, having won back-to-back state championships at the Class 7A and 5A levels. The streak is the 22nd-longest active streak in the country heading into 2025.
Buford had a 12-game win streak of its own last year after losing to Milton. It came to an end in the Class 6A semifinals in a 30-17 loss to the Carrollton Trojans.
The outcome of the game won't have any effect on either team's postseason hopes since they play in different divisions. However, it will still be a good gauge of where each team stands against a high-level opponent in a big-time environment on ESPN2.
Can Milton handle the pressure on the road on a night when Buford is opening its dazzling new $62 million stadium? We're about to find out.
TWO TEAMS WITH CHAMPIONSHIP PEDIGREES
This is only the third meeting between these two teams in recent years. Milton hosted the game back on September 6, 2019, and lost a 26-23 nailbiter. That was the first meeting between the teams since the 1980s in a matchup that was heavily anticipated. Fans ended up having to wait another couple of weeks when the game, originally scheduled for August 23, had to be rescheduled for September 6 due to weather. Buford led 26-10 entering the fourth quarter, and then had to hold off a furious comeback by Milton to get the win.
Buford has long been a dominant program in the Georgia prep ranks. The Wolves have 14 state championships, and during the 2010s, they won titles at the 2A, 3A, 4A, and 5A levels in a 10-year span as the school continued to grow as Atlanta's suburbs continued to expand outward at a rapid pace. They added a 6A title in 2021.
Milton, meanwhile, has three state championship trophies - two Class 7A titles in 2018 and 2023. And then after Georgia reorganized into six classifications prior to last season, the Eagles picked up a 5A trophy last December.
WEATHER AND MORE ...
Just checking back in. The Weather Channel says it's 88 degrees in Buford at 5 p.m. EST, but it feels like 96. There is a 15 percent chance of rain with a light wind, but both of those are decreasing as we move through the evening. Humidity is at 59 percent but it's actually going to be around 66 percent by kickoff at 7 p.m. EST. Still expected to be 86 degrees and feel like 93 so we could see some cramps tonight as these kids hit the field for their first game action.
A little about Buford. It's about 40 miles from downtown Atlanta to the brand-new Phillip Beard Stadium at Dexter Wood Field. And it is a beauty. It would be the envy of many college programs around the country. Buford itself is a little city of about 20,000 on the northeastern fringe of the Atlanta suburbs. In the late 1800s and into the early part of the last century, it was known for its leather production facilities, earning it the nickname ... "The Leather City." It's named for Algernon Sidney Buford who was the long-time president of the Richmond and Danville Railroad.
Buford High School, meanwhile, is the town's only high school, established in 1948.
GAME OF THE WEEK, TOP PLAYERS, ALL-AMERICANS AND MORE ...
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 feature with analysis of tonight's game.
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
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