Opening Drive (Sept. 17): The unbeatens

A note or two about those unbeaten teams playing since Week 1 and what road they have left to an unblemished regular season (assuming good health on all counts, of course):

Brentwood Academy: The Eagles can do it, but they have one of the hardest roads to do it. It’ll be earned. MBA’s visit on Oct. 9 is the key. Unbeaten potential: B-

CPA: The Lions have a visit from Brentwood next week, before traveling to Lipscomb Academy on Oct. 2. Then, upstart Goodpasture comes calling on Oct. 16. This road has some potential land mines, but CPA might just be equipped to navigate that road unscathed. Unbeaten potential: B-

Creek Wood: The way Region 5-4A was last year, nothing was impossible. And it might be that way again in 2020, so the Red Hawks have to be on the lookout in every game from here on in. If they get to 9-0, they’ll reach the boss level in the form of an Oct. 30 trip to Springfield. If they do get through unbeaten, it will be a terrific accomplishment. Unbeaten potential: C-

DCA: It’s hard not to like the story with the Wildcats, as they’ve been rebuilding since the March tornado ripped through their facilities. There are a couple of things standing in the way of an unbeaten regular season – Friendship Christian (Friday) and The King’s Academy (Oct. 16). TKA has been mauling teams in region play to this point and appears to have a good shot to run the table. That means DCA will have to play its finest game in Week 9 in order to keep the undefeated dreams alive. Unbeaten potential: C

Davidson Academy: An Oct. 9 trip to USJ stands in the Bears’ way of an unbeaten regular season. Not much else does when you don’t let teams score. FRA may give them a pretty good game this week, but the wins should continue to pile up. Unbeaten potential: A

Fairview: They’re unbeaten now, but the Yellow Jackets won’t be after Friday, unfortunately. COVID-19 cases at the school forced administrators to shut down for two weeks, and that wipes out a region game with Sycamore. Although it could have been rescheduled for the teams’ mutual open date of Oct. 16, the War Eagles have declined that option and decided to take the 1-0 win this week instead. It’ll be Fairview’s first region loss in five years if something doesn’t change. The Yellow Jackets are still the region favorite, however. Unbeaten potential: F

Goodpasture: Two big region hurdles stand in the Cougars’ way of an unbeaten season – Lipscomb Academy this week and CPA on Oct. 16. Win those two, and 10-0 is theirs for the taking. But it will be a tall task. Unbeaten potential: C

Macon County: It’s a mild surprise to put the Tigers here, but outscoring three opponents on the field by a 96-26 margin will help do that. It’s their first 4-0 start since 1973, when they went 10-0 before falling to Trousdale County in the playoffs. Speaking of the Yellow Jackets, the Tigers’ trip to Trousdale County next week will tell the story on whether they can get to October with unbeaten dreams intact. If so, then it becomes a matter of taking care of their region. That Oct. 2 trip to Stone Memorial is a potential land mine game. Unbeaten potential: C+

Mt. Juliet: If the Golden Bears can win at Oak Ridge on Oct. 16, it sets up a showdown at home with Hendersonville for the region title in Week 11. Unbeaten potential: B-

Oakland: Circle Oct. 16 at Riverdale. If anyone’s going to take the Patriots down in the regular season, the Warriors have the best shot at it. Unbeaten potential: A

Pope John Paul II: The Knights are in unfamiliar waters, having started 4-0 for the first time in school history. If they can get by Christian Brothers this week, they play at MBA on Oct. 2. Like Brentwood Academy, if they do it, it will be earned. Unbeaten potential: C-

Springfield: If Springfield’s going to make it to the end of the season with a zero in the loss column, they’ll have to win on the road at Marshall County to do it. A coin flip at best. Unbeaten potential: C

Meanwhile, catch up on what you may have missed from Wednesday: