The Gilmer Bobcats will have their work cut out for themselves this football season.
The latest reclassification brought new challenges when it came time to secure opponents. Gilmer’s region for the next two seasons contains six teams, which meant head coach Paul Standard was tasked with scheduling five nonregion opponents.
First, Standard had to schedule opponents who fit in the allotted five-week window. In today’s football world of spread, pass-happy offenses, Gilmer’s triple-option attack is nearly extinct. For most opposing coaches, spending time preparing and game planning for an offense they will likely only see once all season can be a hard sell.
“There’s a lot of schools that are really good schools with coaches who are friends of mine,” Standard said. “They quite frankly don’t want to play the offense that we run, and they have verbalized that. So it’s not a mystery, and I get it. You’re not going to play a team in your region that runs what we run. So why do you want to have to get prepared for that one time a year?
“I tried to schedule against people who would be good opponents and be a good gate. That’s obviously another factor, because that helps fund all the athletics at the school with our football attendance. It was a pretty tough process.”
All of Gilmer’s opponents from last season — aside from rival Fannin County — declined Standard’s proposal for a nonregion game.
“I’m disappointed or whatever that we couldn’t play Union, another good close school,” Standard said. “We weren’t able to work that one out and weren’t able to work out anything with Murray or North Murray, schools that border our county. So, we then had to look elsewhere.
“With the power rankings now in effect for the entire state, everybody is looking to play games that are going help their power rankings, which really means playing good teams.”
Power rankings are calculated using your opponent’s record, as well as your opponents’ opponents’ record. The Cats are on a three-year playoff run, and they benefited from the power rankings in 2024. Gilmer placed fifth in the region standings and secured one of the classification’s at-large playoff bids.
Going forward, region champions are the only teams who are guaranteed a state spot. The remaining 24 seeds will be decided by the power rankings.
“You’re looking for teams that are good, and for me, I want to try to compete against people that I have a good relationship with and respect how they do things,” said Standard.
All five of the Cats’ nonregion opponents reached the state playoffs last season. Over the previous 10 seasons, they have combined for 43 playoff appearances. Gilmer opens the season with three straight home games, beginning against Stephens County. The Indians have earned a state berth in seven of the past 10 years.
Next up will be Fannin, and the Rebels have enjoyed eight straight trips to the postseason. Class 5A Flowery Branch is the Cats’ third opponent, and the Falcons have made it to state in eight of the past 10 seasons.
Rabun County is next, and the Wildcats have made it to the playoffs in each of the previous 14 years. They recorded 10-plus wins on eight occasions over the past 10 seasons.
Gilmer’s final nonregion opponent is Wesleyan, and the Wolves have also qualified for state 14 years in a row.
“I’m pleased because we’re playing good programs, but disappointed that some of our closer schools that we could have potentially played couldn’t work things out,” Standard said.
Gilmer will begin region play at White County before back-to-back home games against Dawson County and Chestatee. The Cats wrap up the regular season with consecutive away games at Pickens and North Hall, who both reached the state playoffs in 2025. Gilmer has been paired in a region with all five teams at different points over the past 20 seasons.